Goorjian anoints new King Delly: 'It's his team'

• Matthew Dellavedova has signed a three-year deal with the Sydney Kings
• Head coach Brian Goorjian has made it clear: "It's Delly's team"
• Dellavedova's goal is to play in his fifth Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028

Head coach Brian Goorjian has anointed Matthew Dellavedova — handing over the "reigns" of the Sydney Kings to the soon-to-be 35-year-old NBA champion, Code Sports Basketball's Matt Logue has reported.

"It’s great — he (Delly) is an animal — and we’re thrilled to have him,” Goorjian said.

Dellavedova signed a three-year, high six figures deal with the Kings during the NBL free agency period.

"They have a great existing group of players already, a lot of different weapons defensively with the versatility,” Dellavedova said.

"But also offensively with the athleticism, combined with the shooting.

"I’ve always had a great connection with Xavier (Cooks), so I’m excited about that part."

Dellavedova, who won and NBA championship alongside LeBron James in 2016, has made no secret of his desire to play for the Australian Boomers at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, in what would be his fifth Olympiad.

Read about Matthew Dellavedova continued relationship with LeBron James here

Sydney Kings assistant coach and basketball.com.au contributor Andrew Bogut exclusive wrote yesterday: "We're excited that we managed to get him over some other suitors. Perth and Brisbane were probably the most notable, Melbourne reportedly weren't really in the mix, but the other two were and we got it done.

"I think he felt like our roster with what we could put around him was probably the best chance to get to the NBL playoffs again, so that was a big part. We obviously need to be smart with managing his body and making sure that he's there at the end of the season. There's no secret, he's getting older, so we will have to sometimes save Delly from himself."

The Kings had been on the hunt for a point guard to run the show with Jaylen Adams, who is now out of contract.

Goorjian made a move mid-season for American Lamonte Turner but that went pear-shaped when Turner arrived in Australia.

"I met him, worked him out twice, ticked all the boxes but there was no way he could walk into this thing physically," Goorjian said in early January.

"We had a void and an opportunity to go and add a direction to our team," Goorjian added.

"We've got one point guard and we've got a back-up, but really, you always have three so we've played a style of play that is different and if we were going to bring more structure to it and give some rest. Let's say we're fortunate, we're in a championship series and it's five games having that other body for Jaylen and to add that wrinkle to us would have been helpful.

"So we earmarked a guy to do that and unfortunately (it didn't work out)."

The Kings season flamed out when Xavier Cooks was suspended with "immediate effect" after Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) notified him of an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) just days before their knock-out NBL25 play-off against the Adelaide 36ers. Sydney lost at home.

But Goorjian landed the key piece he needs in NBL26 with Australia's ultimate floor leader.

It won't be the last piece business the Kings will do before the start of next season.

Superstar Jaylen Adams is out of contract as is Cam Oliver, Makuach Maluach and Henry Lau.

Dellavedova is a floor general and tough defender but he's not a scorer so the Kings need depth in the backcourt to contend with the All-NBL defending champions Trey Kell III and Tyler Harvey.

Sydney Kings Roster

1. Matthew Dellavedova (contracted until end of NBL28)
2. Xavier Cooks (contracted until end of NBL27)
3. Kouat Noi (contracted until end of NBL27)
4. Keli Leaupepe (contracted until end of NBL27)
5. Tyler Robertson (contracted until end of NBL27)
6. Bul Kuol (contracted until end of NBL27)
7. Jason Spurgin (contracted until end of NBL27)
8. Jaylin Galloway (contracted until end of NBL27)
9. Shaun Bruce (contracted until end of NBL26)
10. Klairus Amir (contracted until end of NBL26)
11. Makuach Maluach (contracted until end of NBL25)
12. Jaylen Adams (contracted until end of NBL25)
13. Cam Oliver (contracted until end of NBL25)
14. Henry Lau (contracted until end of NBL25)

— Additional reporting Peter Brown