Illawarra Hawks to Cut Darius Days After Opening Loss

One game. That’s all it has taken for the Illawarra Hawks to move towards a major call on a key piece of their championship past.

According to ESPN’s Olgun Uluc, the Hawks are preparing to part ways with import forward Darius Days, the American who played a role in their NBL25 title run. The decision comes on the back of Sunday’s 95–81 defeat to the New Zealand Breakers, where Days barely figured.

He logged less than seven minutes in the loss, finishing with three rebounds and no offensive imprint to speak of. For a player with his résumé and expectations, the limited floor time said plenty.

The message off the court has been even louder. Uluc reports Days was informed of the club’s intention on Tuesday, with Illawarra now weighing up a move for an import centre to bolster the frontcourt and give starting big man Sam Froling more support.

It’s a sharp pivot in Week 1 of the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 season, and a clear sign the Hawks don’t intend to wait for problems to fix themselves. The balance of the roster is under the microscope, and the front line is the first area being reshaped.

Illawarra’s next test comes quickly: a trip to face the Brisbane Bullets on Friday, September 25 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. By then, the Hawks may already be turning the page on a championship contributor and ushering in a new anchor in the paint.