They need a centre, a shooter and a point guard — that is all.
They might have two of those three waiting in one package on the bench, though.
Don Carey jun watched his new team struggle in their first outing for 2025 from the pine.
The American guard only arrived in Dunedin on Wednesday and sat out the match.
But the word is he can shoot, he can pass and that will help and understrength Nuggets unit.
They desperately need help on the inside as well. That is the third piece of the American import puzzle still to be resolved.
The Sharks had no such problems. America centre Josiah Allick got an armchair ride in the paint.
He strolled his way to a double-double of 26 points and 11 rebounds.
Alonzo Burton drained 19 points and Tukaha Cooper was deadly from range with 19 points as well.
Jose Perez and Christian Martin top-scored for the Nuggets with 16 points apiece.
Perez showed his array of skills early. He grabbed the first rebound of the game and drilled a jumper over the top of Sharks forward Josiah Allick.
Matthew Bardsley took a hard tumble in the paint moments later. He earned that foul the hard way.
Perez showed another nice part of his game with a fine pass to Mac Stodart, who was waiting under the hoop.
Midway through the opening stanza the Nuggets had a 15-10 lead.
But the Sharks finished the period strongly.
Keylan Boone drilled a tough shot from the corner and Allick slammed in a dunk and followed up with a triple.
They led 28-21 at the break.
The Nuggets struggled to get back on defence in transition and fell further behind.
They could not find the key to unlock the Sharks' defence either.
Perez was the only player causing the orange wall much problem until Christian Martin hit a long three to help lift the home team’s spirits.
He tapped in a put-back to prune the gap a little further.
But Allick got inside again for another cheap two and Alonzo Burton hit a bailout three from the corner — his fourth triple of the game.
Caleb Asberry brought up the team 50 with a spin-around jumper shortly after the resumption. He made it look easy.
Allick pocketed another rebound and popped it in. He was getting too much traction under the rim and the 12-point deficit quickly blew out to 20.
Allick brought up his fourth foul shortly after, though, and had to watch the rest of the period from the bench.
The fourth quarter was another comfortable points victory for the visitors.
In the Rapid League, the Nuggets posted a 27-18 win.
On Thursday night the Tauranga Whai stunned the Canterbury Rams 86-70 in Tauranga.
The Rams are strong favourites to collect a third consecutive NBL banner. But they trailed 47-24 at halftime and could not get back into the match.
Kruz Perrott-Hunt top-scored for the Whai with 27 points.
