Boomers positive as Landale joins Daniels in NBA trade

Jock Landale’s latest NBA move to Atlanta has been hailed as a “real positive” for the in-form centre and the Australian Boomers ahead of the FIBA World Cup and Olympics.

Landale will become the third Australian player on the Hawks’ roster, with Utah trading the 30-year-old Melburnian one day after his arrival from Memphis.

It comes as countryman Dante Exum joins rebuilding Washington as part of an eight-player trade that also sends 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis to the Wizards.

Landale joins fellow Australians Dyson Daniels and Duop Reath at the Hawks, traded again on Thursday (AEDT) soon after joining the Jazz from the Grizzlies.

According to a US report shared by Landale on social media, the 211cm centre arrives at the Hawks as part of a three-team trade between Atlanta, Utah and Cleveland.

The Cavaliers have sent Lonzo Ball and two second-round picks to Utah, who receive cash from the Hawks in exchange for Landale, according to ESPN.

The trade allows the Cavs to shift salary off their books after acquiring former NBA MVP James Harden on Wednesday (AEDT).

Landale’s moves come amid career-best form.

Almost exclusively a role player in his four previous NBA seasons, he has started 11 of his last 13 games and put up four double-doubles in that time.

The one-time NBL grand final MVP averaged 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds across 45 games for the Grizzlies this season.

His move follows stints at the San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets to begin his NBA career.

Boomers associate head coach Dean Vickerman, who also coached Landale at Melbourne United during their 2021 NBL championship season, was pleased with the big man’s latest switch.

“He’s been playing great basketball so teams are really looking at him,” Vickerman told AAP on Thursday.

“Is he a potential starter? Is he a great back-up?

“He’s put himself in a great place to keep advancing his career with the minutes and the importance of his role on teams.”

Reath is out for the rest of the season after undergoing foot surgery for a stress fracture, and could yet be cut by Atlanta to make way for Landale on the roster.

But Landale will certainly link with “Great Barrier Thief” Daniels in an exciting move for the Boomers ahead of next year’s FIBA World Cup and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

“Any time Boomers get together on the one team, they can have more conversations about what’s coming up ahead with the World Cup and the Olympics,” Vickerman said.

“It’s a real positive thing and obviously they have a great connection about how they play together and help each other be better.”

Injury-plagued Exum moves from Dallas along with Davis, who had joined the Mavericks as part of a highly-publicised trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers last year.

Former NBL Next Star AJ Johnson, Khris Middleton, Malaki Branham and Marvin Bagley III all join Dallas from the Wizards as part of the latest trade.

The Mavericks also receive two first-round draft picks and three second-round picks.

Exum has been battling a season-ending knee issue for the entire campaign, and will be joined in Washington by former Mavs teammates Jaden Hardy and D’Angelo Russell.