The Olympic carrot may lead Nathan Sobey to Brisbane, but his former teammate Cameron Tragardh admits everything else about the likely move confuses him.
Greyhound-like Sobey is expected to join the NBL's Bullets after he announced his decision to depart Adelaide when the free agency period opened on Monday.
The guard would join Australian coach Andrej Lemanis in Brisbane, keeping him in the mentor's eyeline ahead of Tokyo's 2020 Games.
NBL star-turned commentator Tragardh applauded Sobey for doing what he could to enhance his Olympic prospects.
But the retired 324-game veteran likened the scenario to "fitting a square peg into a round hole".
"I don't think it's a good fit for either party; he's an extremely talented player, so he'll be valuable wherever he goes," Tragardh, who played with Sobey in Cairns, said.
"But he brings the Bullets more value than they bring him.
"It's a confusing signing ... a greyhound heading to the team with the slowest offence in the league.
"Unless the Australian coach plans on throwing his game style out the window for Nathan, to me it's just a square peg in a round hole."
Sobey's was the most talked-about name on the NBL's free agent list but Tragardh said New Zealand Breakers and Melbourne United title winner Tai Wesley's move to new franchise South East Melbourne Phoenix had flown under the radar.
Talented tall Wesley will be joined by NBA product Mitch Creek, Ben Madgen, Chima Moneke and Brisbane veteran Adam Gibson, who was announced on a two-year deal on Tuesday.
It is understood Sydney guard Kyle Adnam is also in Phoenix's sights in what would be a return to Victoria for the former Melbourne United product.
