Illawarra coach Matt Flinn has revealed the NBL club is close to finally adding another import as a replacement for the injured Aaron Brooks.
The struggling Hawks have been scouring the market for another player after losing their former NBA player in Brooks to a season-ending Achilles injury.
"We've been down the path with two candidates and they've fallen through at the eleventh hour," Flinn said after Sunday's five-point loss to the Sydney Kings.
"So very frustrating from that standpoint."
A number of ex-NBA players have been linked to the club, including Mario Chalmers, Tyler Ulis, Quincy Miller, Okaro White, John Jenkins and Kadeem Allen.
The last-placed Hawks are in desperate need of more talent after starting the season with just two wins from their opening 10 games.
Flinn said team fit would be his priority.
"The other thing I don't want to do is just go out and just say, 'You'll do', and just put someone into the group that's really building chemistry," he said.
"So whoever comes in has got to have the right skill set and right attitude as well because I was employed here, I've got a three-year contract and we're building.
"So this process we're going through is very important for building for the future."
For now, Illawarra will rely on star LaMelo Ball and veteran swingman Todd Blanchfield, who paced the Hawks with 22 points against the Kings.
They next host Cairns on Monday week.
"There's no question in a game like (Sunday night) where we maybe lacked a little bit of scoring punch and a guy that can get you buckets, I thought this guy (Blanchfield) was huge and we're finding betters ways to get him the looks that he needs," Flinn said.
"We are in talks with some people. We're just trying to iron out the final details. We'll know more about that (on Monday)."
Australian Associated Press
