Torrey in on move

IN news that will infuriate Cairns fans, Travis Trice has revealed he was heavily recruited by former Taipan Torrey Craig to join the Brisbane Bullets.

The reigning Snakes MVP has linked with the Bullets for the coming NBL season but in a twist, the man that recruited him will not be his teammate in Brisbane.

The pair has just completed the NBA Summer League with Craig starring for the Denver Nuggets while Trice was solid for Milwaukee Bucks.

Craig, the best defender in the NBL last season, has signed a two-way contract with the Nuggets, but will spend most of his time playing for their GLeague affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

“Torrey is one of the reasons I came to Brisbane, he has been recruiting me,” Trice told the NBL website in Las Vegas.

“He has been doing that since last year and he was a main reason. I was talking to my agent and I told him I would love to go back to Australia and play and he said he had got a call from Brisbane.”

Trice, who had initial talks with the Taipans about returning for a second season, is looking forward to facing his former club in the Round 3 Queensland derby on October 20 in Brisbane.

“Me and coach (Aaron) Fearne have talked a lot, even since I have signed,” Trice said.

“He called and checked in on me – there is no bad blood there. I still talk to all the guys in Cairns.”

The Bullets are preparing for life without star import Craig.

“In the post-season review I said: ‘Mate, I love you but you shouldn’t be here, you should be in the NBA,” Bullets coach Andrej Lemanis said.

“We’re stoked for him.”