THE Adelaide 36ers have put a new multi-year contract to reigning NBL MVP Jerome Randle in a bid to further secure the team’s long-term future.

Keen to retain as many members of the young roster which this season swept the Sixers to their first regular season championship since 2000 and to a record raft of individual league honours, bringing Randle back is the top priority.

“We are optimistic it will get done but we’re still in negotiations,” 36ers coach Joey Wright said.

Randle left on Wednesday night to take up a late-season contract in France with Limoges Cercle Saint-Pierre.

It has no bearing on what he will do next season in the NBL or elsewhere, players such as Brad Newley and Jason Cadee of the Sydney Kings and Tom Abercrombie of the NZ Breakers currently concluding their summers playing for teams in Europe.

Last season when the 36ers missed the play-offs, Randle took up a contract in Lithuania with Zalgiris Kaunas.

media_camera The 36ers are keen to sign Jerome Randle on a long-term deal.

The dynamic point guard led Zalgiris to the Lithuanian championship and was named finals MVP.

As also is the case currently, when he left to take up his European contract, he was in negotiations with the 36ers for the following season.

“Rome is a priority signing for us,” Wright said.

“We want to sign him to a multi-year deal.”

Wright also will be looking to replace import Terrance Ferguson, who has returned to the US and is expected to be a high NBA draft pick in June.

“I expect him to go in the first round, between 15-20, in which case he’d be on the (NBA team) roster,” Wright said.

“If that happens, we’ll probably be looking for a scoring wingman.”

Eric Jacobsen’s future as Adelaide’s third import also is not assured.

“We don’t know with Eric at this point,” Wright said.

“We have interest in bringing him back.”

Centre Matt Hodgson also is a free agent.

“We want to try and get that done,” Wright said of retaining the 211cm big man.

“We felt he did a great job.”

Captain Mitch Creek, Daniel Johnson, Nathan Sobey, Brendan Teys, Anthony Drmic and Majok Deng all are signed for next season, Adam Doyle the remaining player out of contract.

Wright plans to again coach in the Worldwide Invitational in Las Vegas, a tournament which runs concurrently to the NBA’s Summer League.

The tournament gives him a chance to see and work with further import prospects.