THE MOST exciting part of the National Basketball League (NBL) off-season is the free agency period, with some of the biggest names in the competition opting for a change of scenery.

The NBL free agency period opened on March 30, with some massive names coming out of contract and far from certain to return to their previous teams.

There was plenty of speculation surrounding the moves of some of the 2022/23 season’s strongest performers, and the league looks set for another shift with a new batch of contenders emerging after some strong recruiting.

In this piece, Rookie Me Central will be taking a look at the three most significant moves of the free agency period. The selections will be limited to players joining new teams, unlike the reacquisition of William McDowell-White by the New Zealand Breakers over the past few weeks. These will be in no particular order.

Luke Travers to Melbourne United

One of the best young prospects in Australia stunned the competition when he announced his desire to leave the Perth Wildcats, where he had spent the first few years in the competition. During his time out west, Travers had developed into one of the best youngsters in the league and gained a spot in the NBA as a result of his campaign with the Wildcats.

However, he will be heading to Melbourne to play under experienced coach Dean Vickerman. The most exciting part of this move is the potential to see Travers play alongside former MVP finalist Jo Lual Acuil, who also joined the team after spending the last season overseas. Both players operate extremely well in the pick and roll, and will make each other better with their respective strengths.

Keanu Pinder to Perth Wildcats

The Wildcats dropped a bombshell when they announced they would be adding the services of one of the best big men in the competition. Over the past two seasons, Pinder has exploded onto the scene as a serious offensive force, winning the NBL’s Most Improved Player in consecutive years, which has never been done before.

He was forced to watch the Cairns Taipans‘ finals campaign from the sidelines after an untimely injury. Pinder will now be combining forces with one of the best NBL players of the modern era in Bryce Cotton, forming an ominous duo for the rest of the competition.

Cotton and Pinder will make life extremely difficult for opposition defensive coverages, given both players can pour in 20-plus points on any given night. Perth also struggled to make an impact on the boards last season, and Pinder’s addition will address this concern to help Perth potentially return to the postseason.

A.J. Johnson to the Illawarra Hawks

The Hawks made international waves when they announced the signing of Johnson as a NBL Next Star. He will be the third Next Star to join the Hawks since the program was founded, with the most notable being Lamelo Ball, who has gone on to be an NBA star.

Johnson was initially set to head to the University of Texas, but decommitted and decided to join the NBL instead. As a guard, he has plenty of upside and the Hawks will be looking to develop his skillset further.

Johnson has plenty of explosiveness in the open court, and has the potential to become an elite playmaker. The Hawks have shown strong player development in recent years, and Johnson should be the latest in a solid line of young prospects that have improved in their program.