REPORT: The two key dominoes of the NBL27 Free Agency

Two-way wings are one of the hottest commodities in both the NBL and world basketball.

This was highlighted by how quickly defensive dynamo Bul Kuol was snapped up by the Adelaide 36ers during the NBL27 Free Agency.

Now, with the 2024 South Sudanese Olympian off the table, NBL teams are turning their attention to a pair of available wings.

ESPN’s Olgun Uluc believes Sydney’s Makuach Maluach and Melbourne’s Tanner Krebs are the ‘dominoes holding up proceedings’.

“Right now we're in a bit of a holding pattern, and it's because of two guys, Makuach Maluach and Tanner Krebs,” Uluc said on The Marketplace, presented by Paywise.

“There's a lot of interest in both of these players, and this is something we flagged months ago, as we knew that there'd be a lot of interest here.

“Makuach's price only continued to rise as the Sydney Kings leapt toward a championship, and Tanner Krebs, after playing FIBA basketball, his price was only going to rise too.

“Teams have this allotment of money, and it's a big chunk of money that they are reserving for one of those guys. They have to wait until they see if they're going to get that guy. If they're going to use the money, they're gonna use it on [them]. If not, then they can turn our attention somewhere else, pivot and use the budget elsewhere.

“Until you know where one of those guys is going, until you know you're definitely not getting Makuach Maluach or Tanner Krebs, then you're going to keep trying.”

Fellow panellist Pete Hooley explained that teams are willing to ‘throw their hats in the ring and pay for potential’, after both Maluach and Krebs showed plenty of potential during the Hungry Jack’s NBL26 season.

In terms of which teams, Uluc explained that both of the players’ previous teams remain in the mix, among others, for their respective signatures.

“With Makuach, the Sydney Kings really want him back. He’s extremely important to them, and I get the sense they’re willing to pay up for him,” Uluc said.

“[But] there are other teams floating around. You look at the South East Melbourne Phoenix, and you look at the Brisbane Bullets.

“These are teams that, if you can get one of these long athletic wings in the door, it's a really good starting point for your role players or for your fourth or fifth starter. That's what it feels like with him.

“Then, with Tanner Krebs, again, Melbourne has an interest in bringing him back, but there's interest from the Sydney Kings, from the South East Melbourne Phoenix and from New Zealand.

“Expect about half the league to be interested in one of these guys. That's what it sounds like [to me], because a guy who can guard multiple positions, with positional size and who can shoot it, is really valuable right now.”

Maluach, who was shortlisted for the competition’s Most Improved award, posted career-highs in points (8.4), rebounds (3.1), assists (0.8), steals (0.6) and blocks (0.2) in NBL26, which included a season-high 23 points in Sydney’s closeout win against Perth in the Playoffs.

While Krebs’ ability to move without the ball and shoot from all over the court led to him producing career-best marks in field goal percentage (44.9), three-pointers made (1.4), rebounds (3.3) and steals (0.4) last season, as well as having his second-best points average (8).

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