“Why change it?" Sixers urged to stay the path

Since the final siren sounded on Game 5 of the Hungry Jack’s NBL26 Championship Series, there has been plenty of talk of what the Adelaide 36ers will look like next season.

As it stands, six-time MVP Bryce Cotton, Zylan Cheatham, Cameron, Isaac Humphries, Dejan Vasiljevic, Isaac White, Ben Griscti and Michael Harris (club option) are all contracted for the NBL27 campaign, as is coach Mike Wells.

But there has been plenty of attention on if the latter will be on the sidelines for the Sixers' next campaign.

SEN’s Kymbo Dillon said "everything I’m hearing right now is that Mike Wells will be released from his position either this week or next", before CODE Sports reported that “concerns exist around the American mentor’s temperament and man management and whether the club would be better served with a more experienced head coach".

Since then, Wells addressed the rumours, committing himself to the club for NBL27.

“We’re super proud of that (making the Championship Series), but the foundation has been laid for future success. We'll now move forward and keep trying to build for winning a championship as long as I'm the head coach,” Wells said on SEN.

It was a similar message from 36ers GM of Basketball Operations Matt Weston, who called the rumours surrounding Wells’ future “comical”.

“[There is] no foundation [in those rumours] at all and it was quite comical,” Weston said during the club’s press conference.

“I thought it was probably a little bit disappointing that it come out. No one's contacted me or the club to say is this what's happening, so I think it's more social media than journalism.

“We're doing our exit interviews now, and planning meetings for next year, [which he’s involved in as] he's contracted.

“We've got to remember we're one rebound away from winning it. It'd be pretty tough on him, right?

“He's done some really exceptional things this year. My thought is he's here, unless he gets an NBA gig, and we'd all understand that.”

Echoing Weston’s sentiments were both seven-time MVP Andrew Gaze, who said “it would be crazy if they didn't [keep this core together]", and three-time NBL champion Casey Prather.

“If you have success, why change it? Why switch up the recipe for success?” Prather said on Friday’s NBL Now Roundtable.

“These guys got them to a place where they had an opportunity to win a championship and it came down to the wire.

“I don't really see why they would necessarily need to change them.”

Fellow NBL Now panelist and 2001 NBL champion Damon Lowery agreed with Prather.

“What does Mike Wells need to do to keep a job?”.

Other than Wells, a lot of the discussion has been around what other pieces the team from the City of Churches could add to this core.

Three-time NBL champion Cotton believes his side are “one or two pieces away” and ideally, one of them would be “somebody that's long, can defend and athletic”.

Prather also weighed in on the matter, explaining that the Sixers needed someone who could take the offensive burden off their star Cotton.

“I would more lean towards a more mature player in the league, who's been here and done that in Championship [Series],” he said.

“[Someone] who is going take the ball and create their own shots and get some of that pressure off Bryce.”

The NBL27 Free Agency period opens at 9am AEST on Friday, April 17.