
2
Jul
In-depth Analysis
What Perth needs to avoid a disastrous off-season
Perth Wildcats need to replace Cotton and Pinder's 43.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 6.0 assists
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The Red Army is — rightfully — restless.
After an 2025 NBL off-season to induce nightmares, the big question for the Perth Wildcats now is how to replace Bryce Cotton and Keanu Pinder with just one import spot available.
While Wildcats management have put on a brave public face, comfortable with the handling of Cotton's departure and then their greatest ever player landing at arch-rival Adelaide 36ers, it's fair to say their passionate fan base are less than convinced.
The departure of Pinder was less of a blow just because he did appear increasingly disenchanted throughout NBL25, but it still leaves a significant hole in their roster.
Throw in a rebrand that has left most of the Wildcats supporter base scratching their heads over the lack of unique identity with a largely generic logo, and things are tense in Perth as NBL26 rapidly approaches.
All of that can be forgotten if Danny Mills, Mark Arena and John Rillie can all pull together to make three significant signings to close out their roster, but they are in quite a pickle. They need an import level point guard and centre.
However, what looks as though is going to be increasingly challenging is trying to find a local capable of playing a match-winning role.
How the roster looks right now

The Wildcats did move quickly to re-sign import pair Kristian Doolittle and Dylan Windler from last season. You can't say anything about that other than it was shrewd business given both of them showed during NBL25 what they were capable of.
By the time the 'Cats took on the South East Melbourne Phoenix to open the Play-In Tournament, it was Doolittle and Windler who delivered that win. They were instrumental in them being one possession away from beating Melbourne United to beat the Championship Series as well.
What that did was give coach Rillie his three and four men locked up already as they tried to build the rest of the roster but it did also leave them just with the one import spot free.
The Wildcats have also re-signed games record holding captain Jesse Wagstaff while Elijah Pepper and David Okwera remain contracted, and Dante Russo-Nance naturally is upgraded from a development player to a full roster spot.
The signings the 'Cats have made to date is bringing back Sunday Dech to his hometown club where he started his NBL career before stints since at the Illawarra Hawks and the Adelaide 36ers.
The other is bringing in Lat Mayen also after he had his career-best season in Adelaide in NBL25 where he proved himself a vastly improved defensive presence and someone who could be an impact player.
Dealing with the departures

While the loss of Cotton and Pinder is significant for Perth looking towards NBL26, Tai Webster, Hyrum Harris, Izan Almansa and Michael Harris moving on are all players that they either have already, or will, cover for.
Hyrum Harris had a breakout season back in NBL24, but his minutes plummeted as the past season progressed and between both Dech and Mayen who have come in, they can cover for what he provided.
Tai Webster had his moments of being a difference maker for the 'Cats but also proved himself injury prone and inconsistent so his spot as a back up point guard could even be covered for between Russo-Nance, Pepper and Dech.
Michael Harris only averaged 6.6 minutes a game in NBL25 so those minutes can easily go to Dech and Pepper. While Almansa was a handy Next Star, the 'Cats will be hoping to find someone to play a similar role and of similar calibre.
The problem in dealing with the departures is a simple one, though, as they try replacing the combined 43.9 points, 9.9 rebounds and 6.0 assists that Cotton and Pinder provided between them in NBL25.
Who they have missed out on

When the Wildcats realised that they would be needing to replace both their highest paid, and highest scoring, players for NBL26 following the departures of Pinder and Cotton, they knew only one of them could be superseded by an import.
That had Perth turning their attention to trying to find a point guard, or combo guard, who was a local but capable of playing virtually at an import level and the first target was Matthew Dellavedova.
He was open to the prospect of leaving Melbourne United but ultimately chose to join the Sydney Kings to reunite with Brian Goorjian.
The Wildcats had a couple of options from players within the league and two that would have appeared an ideal fit were Kendric Davis and Parker Jackson-Cartwright.
If Adelaide and Perth virtually switched Davis for Cotton in the off-season that would have only added to the intrigue heading into NBL26, but instead Davis joined Dellavedova at the Kings.
Jackson-Cartwright did appear unlikely to return to the Breakers given how his NBL25 finished in frustrating circumstances. But a change in ownership and management in New Zealand clearly won him over and he's elected to return there for a third season.
Having missed out on those guards, there was then the chance for the Wildcats to swoop on some high quality Australian or New Zealand big men which would have then let them up the cheque book for a high calibre import guard on the open market.
A couple of options did stand out with the first being attempting to bring back Jo Lual-Acuil Jr to the NBL, and home to Perth, but instead he has elected to not return to the league for the upcoming season.
The other who the 'Cats were close to securing the signature of was New Zealand big man Yanni Wetzell. He did appear he would have been the perfect signing to play in that five man role and then allow an import guard to come in, but instead he joined the Akita Northern Happinets in Japan.
Even players like Sam Waardenburg and Josh Bannan would have been strong additions for the Wildcats to fill their needs, but instead they have stayed in Cairns or joined Tasmania respectively.
Filling those two key roles

A couple of options are still present for the 'Cats to save this from being a disastrous off-season to help lessen the pressure on those two positions they are trying to fill to replace Cotton and Pinder.
The first is the prospect of Ben Henshall returning which is now appearing to at least be a greater chance than it was a month ago. He opted out of the NBA Draft and now appears unlikely to be allowed to join a college program for the upcoming season.
If Henshall elects to return to the Wildcats, he would be a significant boost to that back court and would lessen the pressure that they would be under to find a guard as a new signing who will instantly be compared with Cotton upon his arrival.
The other is that if the Wildcats are able to do well in signing a Next Star who can play a similar role up front to what Izan Almansa did in NBL25 and Alex Sarr in NBL24, and that also lessens the pressure a big man would be under upon arrival.
The first task is finding a guard who can come close to matching what Cotton provided the Wildcats and that could be the tallest order the club has ever faced since joining the league in 1982.
Having missed out on Dellavedova, Jackson-Cartwright and Davis, it does appear unlikely that Perth will go down the path of signing someone who was in the league last season. If they do you would think Rob Edwards (Cairns), Jaylen Adams (Sydney) and Derrick Walton Jr (South East Melbourne) would be the only options.
Finding a local guard who can fill that role is going to be a challenge and the only one that appears capable of denying the Wildcats having to find an import guard would be Will McDowell-White. It does seem increasingly unlikely he'll be back in the league for NBL26 though.

What happens with that guard spot is going to decide what the 'Cats are capable of doing in terms of a big man.
If they can use an import spot for a big man, then there might be a prospect of Cam Oliver coming on board after his eventful season with the Sydney Kings but it would seem most likely of it being a new face to league.
The options are thin if the Wildcats end up having to go local for that big man position, but should that eventuate then they could do worse than providing Jonah Bolden a third home in the NBL.
Another option could be Akoldah Gak and then backing him in to take the leap with the increased responsibility. The most significant signing Perth could pull off would be bringing across Jack White and stopping him from heading overseas after departing Melbourne United.
The focus for the Wildcats will be finding that guard and big man, and hoping they get lucky with a Next Star, but there's still one more roster spot left and they have a few intriguing options.
Mojave King looked a much more seasoned and capable player of being a difference maker in the NBL last season with the Breakers and would be a nice fit. Johny Narkle from the Geraldton Buccaneers getting a chance would work as could giving point guard Emmett Naar another NBL opportunity.
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