The Launceston Tornadoes are set to be contacted over the coming weeks to join the revamped 2020 State League season after the North West Thunder rejected the offer.
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The NBL1 men's club had advised Basketball Tasmania that its players would revert back to their NWBU sides for the post-season competition.
Basketball Tasmania boss Chris McCoy floated the idea in May for all of the state's three professional clubs that included both Hobart Chargers sides play this year after the NBL1 seasons had been called off in March at the start of the coronavirus outbreak.
"We've had feedback from the Thunder saying that their players will play for the local clubs - they just won't play for them, which is fair enough because a lot of those sides on the North West coast are looking at it," McCoy said.
The LBA each year has put out representative teams in the State League, but McCoy said the invitation was there for the Tornadoes to also join without their NBL1 imports.
McCoy is expecting greater interest in the State League after government restrictions has reduced the length of the club competitions.
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"Usually it comes together off a deep regional season and then the clubs come into State League at the end of the year without wanting to play too many rounds," he said.
"But now they've basically missed their regional season to some extent, so we think there is an appetite there for an enhanced State League."
How the format looks for this year remains in the air.
But Basketball Tasmania is pushing for teams to host home fixtures for the first time since 2016 instead of the regional gala weekends.
The proposal would be for roads trips to contain games on Saturdays and Sundays.
"The clubs after a few years have enjoyed central venues for all games," McCoy said.
"We still think it will be ideal to have a real home and away structure where teams play twice on the weekend.
"We think either way, it will work well, but it will come down to feedback from clubs as to what they prefer."
McCoy said an earlier start has been taken off the table in favour of an October tipoff.
"We're really still exploring that option on the NBL1 teams, just making sure that all of those top players that want to play have the opportunity to do so," he said.
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Andrew Mathieson
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
