NBL 2026: Brisbane Bullets season review, Stu Lash coaching experiment failed, Jaylen Adams signing

NBL26 was meant to be the season the Brisbane Bullets returned to finals contention. Instead a combination of coaching missteps, questionable import decisions and a brutal injury toll derailed their campaign before it ever truly gained momentum.

Watch live coverage of NBL and WNBL 2025-26 seasons with ESPN on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.

The issues began before the season even tipped off, when the Bullets’ much-publicised “worldwide” head coaching search ended with Stu Lash – a member of that very search panel – being appointed head coach. With no prior head-coaching experience at the professional level, Lash entered his first season under immense pressure and expectation and it quickly proved too much.

Foxsports.com.au spoke with three-time NBL Coach of the Year Joey Wright to break down what went wrong for Brisbane this season, what went right and what must change if the Bullets are to rebound in NBL27.

On paper, the Bullets’ offseason moves generated genuine excitement. The club re-signed Casey Prather and added Javon Freeman-Liberty and Jaylen Adams – a trio that, at full health, looked capable of pushing for a top-six finish.

“I think there’s no question the talent they brought to the club could have been a top-six contender if everyone stayed healthy,” Wright said.

“There’s no question Casey Prather, with Tyrell Harrison on the floor, is one of the top players in the league. There’s no doubt they could have competed if they stayed healthy.”

But not all of the roster decisions were viewed favourably around the league. The signing of Jaylen Adams, in particular, raised eyebrows following a disappointing stint with the Sydney Kings under Brian Goorjian – and Wright was blunt in his assessment.

“Bad decision. It was a bad decision,” Wright said.

“You’ve got Brian Goorjian – the most experienced and successful coach in the league’s history – and if Jaylen Adams wasn’t playing for Brian, I don’t think he’s playing for a first-year head coach. No way.

“He didn’t give Brian anything, and you’re going to bring him in alongside a new coach? Come on.”

Complicating matters further is Brisbane’s financial reality. Unlike clubs such as Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne, the Bullets don’t operate with the same level of spending power.

“The issue is when teams like Adelaide or Sydney go hard, they throw a lot of money at it,” Wright said.

“If you don’t do that, you can still be successful – I’ve won with bottom budgets before – but you’ve got to get lucky. It’s not just coaching.

“If you get the wrong injury at the wrong time, your roster see-saws. Then you get another injury and all of a sudden you’re spiralling.”

That spiral defined Brisbane’s season. Injuries to Prather, Harrison and Freeman-Liberty forced the burden onto a young local core that simply wasn’t ready to carry it. As key players went down, replacements were rotated in and out, making it difficult for anyone to establish rhythm, confidence or continuity.

The coaching change was ultimately unavoidable. Lash stepped aside with a 5-13 record and Darryl McDonald took over as interim head coach. Since then, results have continued to slide, with Brisbane posting a 1-12 record under McDonald with two rounds remaining.

Injuries, roster imbalance, coaching turnover and a history of instability have once again converged for the Bullets. For Brisbane to break the cycle and re-emerge as a genuine contender, those issues must be addressed decisively by the ownership group – not just for next season, but for the long-term future of the franchise.

WHAT WENT WRONG

The list of problems facing the Brisbane Bullets last season was extensive – and it started at the very top.

The appointment of Stu Lash proved disastrous from the outset. Lash, who was part of the panel tasked with identifying the club’s next head coach, was ultimately tapped on the shoulder and pushed into the role himself. What followed was an inexperienced coach trying to navigate one of the strongest basketball leagues in the world.

“If you’ve got someone out there looking for a coach, they don’t typically take the job themselves, so right from the beginning that was pretty out of character,” Wright said.

“I don’t know if he was good or bad because they were coaching by committee, and that just never works. If you look at any team that’s ever been successful in sport, one thing is clear – someone is running the whole thing.

“Look at the successful teams. Is there any question at the JackJumpers that Scott Roth is running things? No question. Is there any question that Brian Goorjian is running things? No question. Josh King? No question.”

That lack of a clear leader and singular voice was a constant issue for the Bullets. When Darryl McDonald was eventually brought in, he was thrown into a near-impossible situation – a team riddled with injuries and a season that was already slipping away.

While the coaching decisions were poor, the injury toll was equally cruel. Casey Prather suffered a season-ending injury after just 12 games. Tyrell Harrison was also limited, appearing in 23 games. Sam McDaniel managed only 10 appearances across the season.

The import rotation was equally chaotic. Javon Freeman-Liberty played just nine games after leaving the club mid-season before later returning. Replacement imports Dakota Mathias and Terry Taylor appeared in eight and 15 games respectively, with Taylor finishing the season, while Hunter Maldonado – one of the few bright spots – has played just eight games so far.

The numbers reflect the chaos. Brisbane are10th in offensive rating and ninth in defensive rating. They average a league-low 82.5 points per game, rank second-last in rebounding, and sit in the bottom three for turnovers.

Defensively, the story was no better. The Bullets rank bottom three for opponent points per game, are the worst team in the league for opponent steals and allowed the most assists per game.

The low point came late in the season, when Brisbane lost four consecutive games by more than 30 points – an average margin of 36.7 points – becoming the first team since 1987 to endure such a stretch. Across the season, the Bullets have been outscored by 427 points over 31 games, an average losing margin of 13.7 points per game.

For lack of a better word, the Bullets were horrible. Injuries, poor decision-making and consistently bad basketball combined to sink a franchise that has struggled for stability for years – and one that now desperately needs an injection of hope for its fan base.

WHAT WENT RIGHT

Sitting last on the ladder with two rounds remaining doesn’t suggest there were many positives for the Brisbane Bullets this season – but one clear win came through the development of their young core.

Injuries forced the Bullets to hand genuine opportunities to players such as Jacob Holt, Tristan Devers, Taine Murray and Alex Ducas, with all four gaining valuable minutes and experience at NBL level.

“Those guys playing now, they’re bench players right now,” Wright said.

“In four or five years they won’t be bench players, but right now they are – and they got minutes this year.

“So how great is that? You bring those guys back, add some players with less injury history – because that’s part of it too – and you’re in a much better place.”

Wright believes that exposure has positioned Brisbane well if the club gets its offseason decisions right, particularly around imports and roster balance.

“What I’d be thinking is: I’ve got a great group of young guys who got minutes last year,” Wright said.

“Now let me go add three dynamic imports to go with them, and hopefully Tyrell and Sam McDaniel can stay on the floor next year.

“They could be really good, really quickly. The positives are the young guys are legit, you’ve got two really good local players if you can manage their injuries, and then you add three imports and you’re as good as anybody.”

Beyond that, positives were hard to come by in a season defined by disappointment and frustration. But uncovering young players capable of competing at NBL level is no small thing – and if Brisbane can retain and continue to develop that group, it may prove to be the foundation the franchise has been searching for.

WHAT THEY NEED

The Brisbane Bullets’ list of needs is short – but critical. Above all else, they must appoint a strong head coach capable of setting a clear direction, establishing authority and building sustained success over multiple seasons.

Several names have been linked to the role, including Will Weaver, Chase Buford and Trevor Gleeson, but the club has remained silent publicly on its plans.

For Wright, the coaching discussion is layered.

“When you look at everything considered, I love D-Mac and what he’s done, and I’ve never thought he’s been given a fair shake as a head coach,” Wright said.

“But has he done enough to warrant it? I’ve probably only seen two games he coached, and at that time there was no hope – there was probably nothing anyone could’ve done.”

If McDonald is not retained, Wright believes the next appointment must come with full control – regardless of which candidate is chosen.

“You’ve got to get the right coach who puts their foot down and runs things their way,” Wright said.

“There can’t be any question about who’s running it – and it’s got to be the coach if you want to be successful.

“Trevor would obviously be excellent because of his winning experience. Will, I don’t know if he has the reality of the league the same way Trevor or D-Mac would. When you’ve coached with a high budget for a short period, you don’t really understand this league until you’ve coached with a small one.”

Getting that decision right will shape everything that follows. Nail the coaching hire and half the battle of returning the Bullets to relevance is already won.

The other major area of improvement is roster construction – specifically, attracting a high-level Australian marquee player. Wright believes that must be central to Brisbane’s offseason strategy.

“Going forward, it’s important you build your Australian contingent,” Wright said.

“Anytime you can get a great Australian player, you take them, fit them in, and then manage your imports around that.

“Mitch Creek’s out there. Taran Armstrong’s out there. Will McDowell-White’s out there. There are guys who could really boost that squad – then you pick the imports.”

Crucially, those imports must be durable. After a season derailed by injuries, Brisbane can no longer afford to gamble on availability.

If the Bullets can retain their young local core, add a strong Australian marquee and surround them with three healthy, system-fit imports under a decisive head coach, a climb back up the ladder in NBL27 is realistic.

But if the club accepts the poor judgement and instability of recent seasons, the outcome may look uncomfortably familiar.

GRADE: D-

RECORD SO FAR: 6-25 (85.7%)

CONTRACTED FOR NBL27: Tyrell Harrison, Sam McDaniel, Mitch Norton, Tristan Devers, Jacob Holt, Taine Murray and Jensen Bradtke.

UNCONTRACTED: Casey Prather, Javon Freeman-Liberty, Lamar Patterson, Terry Taylor, Hunter Maldonado, Alex Ducas, Tohi Smith-Milner, Jack Purchase and Callum Dalton.