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Wildcats coach Trevor Gleeson says he doesn't agree with the mandatory pay cuts that has seen him lose his biggest star in Bryce Cotton.
Cotton opted out of the final deal of his contract to explore other opportunities following the Australian Basketball Players Association and the NBL agreed to coronavirus austerity measures.
“Unfortunately this is the result, we’re going to lose talent overseas. Gleeson said.
“Some teams were hurting and they had to make that in a hurry to ask the players to take that 50 per cent pay cut but it’s a big hit.”
Cotton is yet to leave WA but his former coach believes he has several options on the table.
“He’s an NBA talent. I’m surprised he’s not in the NBA and maybe he’ll get a shot if they open up but there are some big teams in Europe that have a lot of Euros and USD that he bypassed three years ago to come back and play.”
Gleeson told reporters that the Cats had offered Cotton a long term deal as an extension to the remaining time left on his current contract.
“He came in here as a single man, he’s now got a partner and a child and part of being a dad and part of being a parent is supplying and supporting family, financially,” Gleeson said.
“He came back here because he loved it, he loved the lifestyle. Now when he has to take that 50 per cent pay-cut, he can still earn double, if not triple, overseas for one year and it’s a big ask for him.”
IMAGE: FILE