After nearly ten years with the Auckland based Breakers in the NBL basketball competition centre Alex Pledger is moving to Melbourne United.
The New Zealand international played a part in all four of the championship titles having been with the club since 2009..
The 31-year-old was granted a release from the final year of his contract as the Breakers roster undergoes change under Kevin Braswell.
"In planning for next season, it became clear that we are going to play a particular way and we are assembling a roster to suit. Those plans include the acquisition of an athletic import big, with that player almost certainly of a quality to feature in our starting rotation and play the bulk of the minutes in the 5-spot," club general manager Dillon Boucher.
New coach Braswell has this month snapped up two players from defending champions Melbourne, adding Tai Wesley and Majok Majok to his forward line.
Pledger is highly rated by Melbourne coach Dean Vickerman, who held assistant and head coaching roles at the Breakers.