Basketball: Penney's departure catches Breakers off guard

Kirk Penney. Photo / Natalie Slade

The departure of marquee player Kirk Penney appears to have caught the Breakers on the hop.

The heavy-scoring shooting guard announced at the weekend that he would quit the club he helped guide to last season's NBL title to join Spanish club Fuenlabrada.

Penney has reportedly exercised a get-out clause in his contract.

However, Breakers general manager Richard Clarke had previously told the Herald Penney's contract contained no European out-clause and Penney would only be able to leave the club to take up an NBA contract.

"[Penney's] only out is an NBA-out so he is with us for next year," Clarke said on March 23.

That statement now appears to be incorrect. Clarke didn't respond to messages left on his phone yesterday.

Yesterday, the Breakers' website was still prominently displaying a story, dated July 7, that declared Clarke 90 per cent sure the club would retain Penney.

Penney's commitment to the Breakers had appeared to be wavering long before the weekend's announcement.

He skipped last season's pre-season training and missed the opening three matches of the season to trial with NBA club San Antonio Spurs. After being cut by the Spurs he returned for just two matches before flying to Italy for his brother's wedding, missing a trip to Australia during which the team suffered its heaviest defeat of the season - a 40-point flogging in Perth.

Penney departs having achieved his stated goal of helping the club to a championship. In his four seasons he helped transform the club from easy-beats into a genuine powerhouse.

His most memorable display came in game two of this season's semifinal series against the Wildcats in Perth, when he poured in a season-high 38 points to help the minor premiers stave off what would have been an embarrassing elimination.

Penney was then hobbled by back spasms in the grand final series against Townsville and was eclipsed by Kevin Braswell, Mika Vukona and finals MVP Tom Abercrombie as the Breakers claimed their maiden title.

Having himself turned down European overtures, Abercrombie will be the man to step into Penney's sizeable sneakers.

Penney's departure will also have a knock-on effect on import recruitment, with Clarke promising some high-calibre replacements. After snapping an Achilles tendon playing for Southland in the NZNBL, Braswell is unlikely to return.

However, Penney's departure could free up the money to re-sign last year's bargain bin success story Gary Wilkinson, who will likely command a significant upgrade.