KEY POINTS:
The Breakers are close to finalising their roster for the coming season, with import centre Rick Rickert needing only to pass a medical to rejoin the club.
Rickert, who was visited in the United States by marquee Breaker Kirk Penney recently to help gauge his enthusiasm and fitness as he recovers from a serious back injury, is the second-last piece of the jigsaw following the signing of Boomers star CJ Bruton and veteran small forward Dillon Boucher.
"We are waiting on a doctor's report and hopefully that will be sorted out soon," coach Andrej Lemanis said.
"Rick proved last year that he is a good fit for our group. He certainly fits into the team philosophy that we have here and he is a pretty talented player. If he is fit and healthy we'd like to have him back."
If Rickert does pass his medical there will be just one roster spot still open, a replacement for Paora Winitana, who rejected the club's offer of a renewed contract in favour of a switch to Adelaide.
That player will almost certainly come from within the NZNBL.
Boucher's return to the club three years after he was effectively axed by Lemanis will provide an interesting sub-plot for the forthcoming season.
Lemanis conceded that he and Boucher "do have a history" but said they would have no trouble working together. The coach said he stood by his original decision to cut the popular Aucklander.
"It was the right decision at the time. You don't revisit those things too much."
It was also the right decision to bring Boucher back now.
"Things change, teams change. One of the things that we spoke about right off the bat was that we were both comfortable moving forward. He's a professional and I think he can see that the club has progressed a long way from where it was when he left."
It was the departure of Mika Vukona that opened the door for Boucher's return. Both players are high-energy defensive specialists and, although Boucher is in the process of winding down his career while Vukona is very much on the way up, Lemanis was confident the veteran would provide the same impact off the bench.
"Dillon offers experience and, with Mika opting to leave, he brings some of those attributes with his hustle and tenacity.
"He is a very smart offensive player. By his own admission he is not a fantastic scorer but he can get other people open. Within our offensive structure he'll help us because he'll make good decisions."
For his part, Boucher is chuffed to be back playing in his home city all year round, for a club that has always been dear to his heart.
"A lot of people wanted me to go out and dog the Breakers when I left the club because I wasn't wanted there," he said.
"But you never burn your bridges because things can happen very quickly.
"Three years later I'm back at the club and looking forward to pulling on a Breakers jumper again and putting all the past behind me.
"Although the [first] two years I had here had their ups and downs, I had heaps of fun and enjoyed my time. I am looking forward to doing it all again - but putting some more wins on the board this time."
Having won a championship with the Bullets two years ago, Boucher was among a host of stars to walk from the club when new owners took over during the current off-season.
