MELBOURNE (Paulo Kennedy's View from Downunder) - All of New Zealand basketball rejoiced when news emerged that Corey Webster had secured an NBA trial with the New Orleans Pelicans.

Maybe some in Australian NBL circles did too, knowing just how hard C-Web is to guard - and it's only getting more difficult as he continues to pound the practice court - and how tough an ask beating the New Zealand Breakers is.

In reality, everyone in the NBL likes having quality players like Webster in the competition, especially with this season shaping as the most promoted in recent memory. Boasting a guy who made world-class defenders look second rate at the FIBA Basketball World Cup can only be a good thing.

Just as much though, NBL folk would love to see players like Webster and Scottie Wilbekin converting their opportunities into full-time NBA roster spots. There are few better advertisements for the quality of players Downunder.

So it's all positive for the NBL, but for the Breakers there is a downside. How do you replace your leading scorer, best shot-maker, and one of your three most important players?

While the club is wisely taking a wait-and-see approach, within weeks they may have to find an answer to that question.

The first answer which has already emerged from the Breakers camp is the replacements will come from within.

Reuben for improvement
Two years ago, as a 19-year-old Reuben Te Rangi was playing limited minutes for the Breakers as a back-up power forward. Last year he was pitching in at small forward if Tom Abercrombie needed a break.

Fast-forward to this year's international season and he was a revelation for the Tall Blacks, scoring 17 points in 32 minutes in the two-game FIBA Oceania Championship on 5-of-6 shooting from long range.

Most impressively, he spent time at both guard and both forward positions, not looking out of place in any of them - in fact he looked right at home, belying his inexperience.

Combined with his impressive tour of Europe and China, Te Rangi was the surprise packet of the winter, but maybe he shouldn’t have been.

He was clearly the most 'international-ready' teenager in the 2013 FIBA Oceania Championship, a series that also featured Dante Exum and Ben Simmons, and he was part of New Zealand's FIBA U18 3x3 World Championship quartet in 2011.

Teammates Isaac Fotu and Tai Webster have received the headlines - and Te Rangi set himself back by being involved in a terrifying assault with Southland Sharks teammates which kept him out of the FIBA Basketball World Cup, but his talent didn't disappear.

To back that up, the precocious Te Rangi produced 18 points and 7 boards in the Breakers' first practice game, in his match-up with NBA Draft pick Marcus Thornton.

He has the talent but the question is, can Te Rangi find the consistency to be a big minute player? And is he mature enough to overcome the inevitably scouting any quality player receives in an eight-team league? Time will tell.

All aboard
Of course, Te Rangi isn't Webster, not yet anyway, and the Breakers won't ask him to be.

No NBL team typifies 'team' more than the Kiwis, so they'll ask everyone to step up. History tells us they all will, but do the Breakers have the versatility this year to cover?

Alex Pledger's slow recovery from injury leaves the team lacking depth, Abercrombie's hamstring injury less than a month out from the season opener could put further strain on wing depth, and how much Duane Bailey can contribute is still a question mark.

Last year back-up point guard Rhys Carter could have covered shooting guard minutes, but his replacement Shane McDonald is an unproven commodity at NBL level, and undersized for the two-spot.

Development player Shea Ili will get the chance to prove his worth for a full-time position. In his cameo against the Boomers, Ili looked very promising, and his 1.10m vertical leap is crazy good, to use the parlance of modern times.

Many Kiwis were disappointed that McDonald was selected ahead of a young local guard, so maybe Webster achieving his dream would give a future gun like Ili the chance to fast-track his?

Like McDonald though, Ili is very much an unknown quantity at NBL level.

Who's got next?
All that points to the need for a replacement, whether that be keeping Ili out of the full-time roster or adding both to make an 11-man line-up.

What's most needed if Webster is no longer in black and teal is scoring punch, someone who can make something happen when the offence isn't getting the job done.

So who are the candidates?

Everard Bartlett - did someone say scoring punch is needed? Everard is the irrational confidence guy of Oceania basketball, and has shown repeatedly on the international stage he can make big plays. Having scored 13 points in 22 minutes against Australia this winter, he's experienced and in-form.

Brook Ruscoe - coming off easily his best NZ NBL season, he surely must have been considered for the Breakers' fourth guard spot before McDonald was signed. His scorer's mentality may have gone against him in the search for a one-man, but it makes him a good choice for this role, not just for 2016 but beyond, when he can become a serious contributor.

Brad Hill - a small forward, Hill's aggressive and athletic approach could be a good fit for coach Dean Vickerman's style if he chooses to move Te Rangi permanently to shooting guard. Hill has averaged 18 points and shot 40 percent from three-point range this SEABL season.

Owen Odigie - a former Australian junior representative who has all the makings of a lockdown defender in the NBL, he is another small forward well suited to the Breakers' modus operandi if he is still open to a professional hoops career.

Marcel Jones, Daniel Dillon or Ben Madgen - this trio is locked into European deals, but the old continent can be an unpredictable place as far as hoops is concerned, so the Breakers may keep a roster spot open and wait to see what eventuates overseas.

Paulo Kennedy

FIBA

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