Australian star Mitch Creek has been released from his contract with the Adelaide 36ers of Australia’s National Basketball League, and is now free to sign with the Nets, the 36ers announced today in a press release.
“The club has loved being a part of Mitch’s journey over the last eight years and is thrilled to have played a role in the opportunity Mitch has worked so hard for and thoroughly deserves,” the statement from the 36ers reads. “On behalf of the entire Adelaide 36ers Family, we wish Mitch every success in the NBA and look forward to watching his progress.”
Late in July, reports out of Australia began to surface suggesting that Creek was opting out of his contract with German club Wuerzburg in order to attend training camp with the Nets, as NetsDaily relayed at the time. However, the 36ers – Creek’s longtime Australian team – reportedly filed an injunction to prevent him from making the leap to the NBA without receiving compensation.
Creek had previously been under contract with Adelaide through the 2018/19 season, but exercised an out clause in that deal to play in Germany. As such, the 36ers believed they should be entitled to some sort of compensation, particularly if he earns a spot on the Nets’ regular season roster. It’s not clear what sort of agreement the 36ers and Nets came to, but it appears no further roadblocks stand in the way of Creek signing with the NBA club.
In 31 games in Australia last season, Creek averaged 14.8 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 2.5 APG. He was named to the All-NBL Second Team. The 6’5″ wing also played for the Mavericks’ Summer League team last month, recording 6.8 PPG and 5.2 RPG in five games in Las Vegas.
I for one am excited to see Mitch and his cannons in a nets jersey. Maybe even his hammer too.
Thanks to the Nets, Mitch is no longer up the Creek.