Hawks 'in talks' with high-profile imports

It’s been a big week for the Illawarra Hawks and their loyal fans.

On Monday, it was announced that star guard and NBL25 champion Tyler Harvey would be granted his Australian citizenship and have his induction ceremony before the start of the Hungry Jack’s 2026-27 season.

This development means Harvey will be classified as a non-restricted/local player for next season and not count as an import on the Hawks’ roster.

Illawarra will then have three import spots available for the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 Season.

On the latest episode of The Marketplace, presented by Paywise, ESPN’s Olgun Uluc reported the Hawks are currently in talks with two Americans.

“A name that I know that they [Illawarra] have had a conversation with, and I'm under the impression it's just a single conversation, but they've engaged, is Jae Crowder,” Uluc said on The Marketplace, presented by Paywise.

“He has played a ton of games in the NBA, and should be a household name to a lot of basketball fans in Australia.

“They've had a conversation, and it's an idea of the type of player that they can now pursue, because Tyler Harvey is a local.

“He's a four/three type in the NBL, and someone who could really stretch the floor.”

Fellow panellist Pete Hooley believes Crowder would be an amazing fit at the Hawks.

“He'd be absolutely perfect for the Hawks,” Hooley said.

“He would be the exact kind of piece they want, [especially with] the way that Justin Tatum plays.

“When you [combine him] with the edge that [Will] Hickey plays with, and the physicality of [Mason] Peatling, they’d be a whole lot of fun.

“They’d be a team you wouldn’t want to scrap with in a three or five-game series.”

The other name the Hawks are reportedly engaged in talks with is former Tasmania and Melbourne star Milton Doyle.

“We talk about a potential big point guard or a big guard that they can sign to play next to Tyler Harvey, and one name that I know they're in active discussions with is Milton Doyle,” Uluc said.

“Milton Doyle was with United last season, and there's always been a sense that he's wanted to stay in the NBL.

“He had a conversation with the Jack Jumpers. They didn't go anywhere because they had to pivot, sign someone a little bit cheaper, so they could sign Bryce Hamilton.

‘He's had conversations with a bunch of teams, but the ones that are currently live and active are with the Illawarra Hawks.

“When you think of Trey Kell III a couple of years ago, a big point guard, a big combo guard who can play some point, who can shoot the ball and is a compliment to Tyler Harvey offensively because Milton Doyle is someone who can score at all three levels.

“He can play the point, but also defensively, someone who I think is competitive and has the size to make up for whatever Tyler Harvey lacks in size.

“They wanted someone big next to Tyler, and that's someone who I know they're speaking to.”

Hooley believes a signing like Doyle would give Justin Tatum’s side plenty of lineup versatility.

“It [the Doyle signing] makes a whole lot of sense too,” he said.

“The versatility they’d have there with Davo Hickey too. You could close out a game with Hickey, Doyle and Tyler Harvey, while sliding Wani Swaka Lo Buluk to the four for defensive purposes.

“There would just be a whole lot of different options there.”

The Hawks, who have Tyler Harvey, Sam Froling, Todd Blanchfield, Dan Grida, Will Hickey, Kobe McDowell-White, Johny Narkle, Mason Peatling, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, and Amarco Doyle all signed, will open their 2026-27 campaign on Sunday, September 20 against the New Zealand Breakers at Spark Arena.

>> NBL27 Roster Tracker: Every signing, extension and departure