Second Sydney team on cards

SYDNEY Kings will have a cross

town rival in the near future, according to NBL boss Larry Kestelman.

The Harbour City has been the Kings’ domain since West Sydney Razorbacks-turnedSydney Spirit folded in 2009.

According to Kestelman, the league will ramp up plans in the coming years to reintroduce a second Sydney team.

It’s understood the league has reached out to potential officials to front another NBL franchise in Australia’s biggest city, though an agreement in place states there cannot be a second Sydney team until 2024.

“There will definitely be another team in Sydney at some stage,” Kestelman told The Basketball Show.

“We will start looking at that in the next year or two.”

Kestelman confirmed the league was also keen to introduce a third Melbourne team, but he wants to give South East Melbourne Phoenix a little longer to establish itself.

He reaffirmed Canberra as the most logical expansion destination for the NBL.

“Canberra feels a bit like Tasmania 2.0,” he said.

“I had a look at their venue, and I see no reason why Canberra shouldn’t have a team. But we just need to work through the processes and make sure both the government and the fans get behind it.

“We’ve had conversations from the Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and certainly Canberra is an interesting one for us to have a look at.”

Kestelman says he agrees with basketball legend Andrew Bogut that player wages could be made public for transparency and greater promotion for the league.

“I’m certainly one who would not argue against (making wages and spends public),” Kestelman said.

“I think the fans would love to know it … I would even have a look if there were an idea to make everything completely open, and how do teams put their bids forward for salaries.

“The more talkability, the happier I am, but I understand there are sensitivities involved.”