Bruton opens up on Cleveland exit

Adelaide head coach CJ Bruton has opened up on the departure of star wing Antonius Cleveland, saying the club never wants to stand in the way of any player’s opportunities.

Cleveland departed the club just one season into a two-year deal.

Spending a season in Illawarra prior to his move to the 36ers, the 29-year-old leaves the NBL as a back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year winner.

He has since signed for Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv, following an off-season stint with rivals Hapoel Eilat.

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“With Cleveland, it was a great opportunity for him and you can’t do anything about it,” Bruton told News Corp.

“When you play as well as he played for us, I’m sure if I was in that same situation I’d have had to consider that at that stage of his career.

“I also thought there was a chance he might be here – he wanted to be in Adelaide, he said that all the way to the end.

“But when a EuroLeague team comes knocking, for his journey, we didn’t want to be a club to stand in the pathway of that.”

For the full story head to >> NBL24: Inside the Adelaide 36ers’ tumultuous off-season and incredible supporter anomaly.