KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand Breakers are close to signing Paora Winitana and are still in talks to bring Kirk Penney and Phill Jones to the club.
Winitana has been lighting up the New Zealand NBL, averaging 19 points a game for the defending champions, the Hawke's Bay Hawks.
His
signing would add much-needed outside shooting strength - he's shooting 53.9 per cent from the three-point line - and he would be an ideal replacement for the recently retired Aaron Olson.
The 30-year-old Tall Black, also known as The Bishop because of his religious beliefs, is also widely regarded as the best athlete in the NBL and spent one season with the Breakers in 2003-04.
Breakers general manager Richard Clarke confirmed they had been in talks with Winitana.
"We have obviously been looking at him because he's been very impressive in the New Zealand league," Clarke said.
"We have been keeping in touch with him to see what his plans are and his thoughts on playing in the Australian NBL again.
"We would be silly not to be looking at him."
Clarke is hopeful of learning in the next week whether they have snared Penney, currently with German club ALBA Berlin.
"We are optimistic rather than confident [of signing him]," Clarke said. "We are doing everything we can to get him back here because if we can get him back here, it would be huge for the club.
"Financially, Europe is very attractive [for him] and he's weighing that up against coming back and being part of the Breakers and doing some other stuff in New Zealand with basketball.
"We are not going to try to compete with the money in Europe. A big part of it is lifestyle. He hasn't really been back here since his college and NBA days.
"He would like to come home and spend some time in New Zealand. Whether it's this year or the next couple of years, that's what we are working out at the moment."
Jones is back in New Zealand ahead of going into a Tall Blacks camp in a fortnight. He's out of contract after finishing up with Italian side Cantu and was last month denied clearance to join Nelson for the last games of the NBL season.
"He would be a good player for us and someone we would be happy to have as part of the squad," Clarke said.
The Breakers have six players signed for the next Australian league, which starts in September.
