Australia's National Basketball League believes "major reforms to its salary cap and roster system will allow clubs to sign more star players," according to Roy Ward of THE AGE. NBL GM Jeremy Loeliger announced the reforms on Wednesday, which the league hopes will allow "top-end clubs" like Perth Wildcats and Melbourne United to "land big signings while keeping smaller clubs like Townsville Crocs and Cairns Taipans competitive." The league liaised with the Australian Basketballers Association and club officials to come to agreement on the changes, which ABA Chief Officer Jacob Holmes said would "increase the talent and engagement" in the NBL. The NBL free agency will open under the new rules on Friday. The reforms will see teams allowed "up to four top-end signings," with clubs allowed up to three imports [restricted players] and at least one marquee local [non-restricted players] signing from Australia, New Zealand or FIBA Oceania or Asia nations. The NBL salary cap will be a "soft" cap of A$1.1M ($840,000) and all rosters will comprise 11 main players, up from 10 in previous years. The maximum age of development players is now 25 years old "and they can play as many games as a club desires." Clubs that go over the A$1.1M cap will pay an equalization subsidy that will be distributed to smaller clubs. NBL player salaries "will now become public in an attempt to police clubs cheating the salary cap" (THE AGE, 3/30).
