Crazy talk: Don’t fix what isn’t broken, says Gaze

After falling agonisingly short of securing the Adelaide 36ers’ fifth NBL Championship against Sydney, questions have emerged around Mike Wells’ future as head coach.

That uncertainty has been met with strong backing from seven-time NBL MVP Andrew Gaze, who believes Wells is the right man to lead the club forward.

“[I think] it would be crazy if they didn't [keep this core together],” Gaze said on The FIVEAA Sports Show.

“The last play of the game, if Bryce [Cotton] makes that bucket, they win a championship, and these things aren't easy to do.

“I think Mike Wells has copped a lot of criticism, in my view, looking from the outside in, [which] has been unfair.

“You've got that talent, and there's such parity in the League, to do what they were able to do not just in the Finals but throughout the regular season, I think that it would take a brave person to want to blow this thing up.”

Despite that support, speculation around Wells’ future intensified earlier this week.

SEN’s Kym Dillon said “everything I’m hearing right now is that Mike Wells will be released from his position either this week or next”, while 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".

But those rumours were quickly shut down by Wells himself and 36ers GM of Basketball Matt Weston during a press conference on Thursday.

“[There is] no foundation [in those rumours] at all and it was quite comical,” Weston said.

“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 (Wells), 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.”

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