Illawarra Hawks to Cut Darius Days After Opening-Round 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 recent title run.

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 the club’s NBL25 championship triumph. The decision, per the report, was communicated to Days on Tuesday, just 48 hours after Illawarra’s 95–81 defeat to New Zealand.

On Sunday, Days barely figured. He logged less than seven minutes in the loss, finishing with three rebounds and no offensive imprint to speak of as the Hawks were outplayed by the Breakers. For a player with championship pedigree and import expectations, the limited floor time was a clear warning sign. The axe now looks set to follow.

The move would mark a sharp and ruthless pivot from Illawarra so early in the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 Season, but it also underlines where the club believes its biggest need lies. Uluc reports the Hawks are giving strong consideration to bringing in an import centre to bolster the frontcourt and provide support for starting big man Sam Froling.

Froling remains the anchor inside, yet the opening-round performance exposed a lack of size and presence around him. Illawarra’s brain trust appears convinced that if they are to defend their NBL25 crown with any conviction, they need more heft, more rim protection, and more reliability in the paint than the current roster construction offers.

Days, for all his previous value, suddenly looks like the casualty of that strategic shift.

There’s no word yet on who might fill the import centre role, but the timing is tight. The Hawks are back on court on Friday, September 25, when they face the Bullets at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. It’s an early-season fixture that already carries a sharper edge.

One game down, one championship to defend, and Illawarra are wasting no time deciding who fits their future — and who doesn’t.