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Kings confident of keeping bulk of team

The Sydney Kings are confident they can retain the majority of their NBL championship squad as they look to build long-term around leader Xavier Cooks.

Sydney Kings management are confident they can retain the majority of their star-studded NBL championship-winning squad without becoming the biggest spenders in the competition.

The Kings on Wednesday night ended a 17-year stretch since their last title as they swept competition newcomers Tasmania JackJumpers 3-0 in their best-of-five series.

Among their off contract players is co-captain and inspirational forward Xavier Cooks, the grand final series MVP and the league's leading rebounder this season.

"We've been making X a priority for the long future here at the Kings and we've told him from the get go that we want to build this team around him," Kings CEO Chris Pongrass told AAP.

"We've been in discussions to try and keep this group for a number of months now, so I think we're in a very good place to retain the majority of the squad."

With first-year coach Chase Buford already locked in for next season and the free agency period looming, Sydney want to re-sign their trio of imports and former NBA players Jarell Martin, Ian Clark and 21-22 NBL MVP Jaylen Adams.

"As much as we want them back, we know that their intent is to get back into the NBA," Pongrass said.

"If they are not in the NBA, we are putting ourselves in the best position to retain them and I think it starts with Jaylen.

"We know being the MVP in the league there's a lot of eyes on him, but I can't picture him wanting to be anywhere else or play anywhere else in Australia than with the Kings with (coach) Chase (Buford).

"We are going to put our best foot forward to keep him.

"Jarell has been with me now for two years here and we want to make it three and I've already been on Ian's case about wanting to come back."

While owner Paul Smith acknowledged he would have to spend more on wages to keep his stars he believed the strength of the program would help retain players.

"We're not going to be the biggest spending team In the league by any measure but we believe there's a value to players to be involved in our program and that value represents a discount on what they probably take in salary," Smith told AAP.

Smith welcomed the news that NBL owner Larry Kestelman is looking at a second Sydney team as part of his plans to expand the competition in coming years.

"We fully support it, we believe that you've got to put programs in markets that are big enough to sustain them, Sydney can sustain two teams," Smith said.

Smith has allocated a bigger budget for the Sydney University Flames, as he attempts to add a WNBL title to his NBL championship.

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