Basketball: Tait parts company with Breakers for OE

Lindsay Tait

Tall Blacks point guard Lindsay Tait and the Breakers have ceased negotiations by mutual agreement, with the club saying it will reconsider him after he has expanded his experience in Europe.

Tait will play at the Commonwealth Games - if selected - then return to the Auckland Stars before trying his luck overseas. He told the Breakers he wanted more court time but failed to receive an assurance of that.

Tait, 24, played 84 games in three seasons with the Breakers - third on the club's appearances list behind Aaron Olsen and Paul Henare. He scored 647 points at an average 7.61 per game and is fifth on the club's all-time points scoring table.

Breakers coach Andrej Lemanis said Tait would benefit hugely from experience overseas.

"He will certainly be on the radar in the years to come and we're hopeful he'll have a role to play with the Breakers in the future."

The 3-0 win for Melbourne in the ANBL finals series this week adds impetus to the Breakers' attempts to seal all their 2006-07 contracts. Players not signed become free agents two weeks to the day after the title is decided, which means next Wednesday.

It is believed they are close to settling with several of the existing squad, with the search on in Australia for a young point guard to replace Tait.

* The new South Dragons franchise in Melbourne has appointed former Cleveland Cavaliers player and four-time NBA All Star Mark Price as its first coach. Former Boomer and San Antonio Spurs guard Shane Heal, 35, is in talks to become first captain.