The NBL will tip off in late September or early October and today marks the start of an intense period of player recruitment for the new club.

Although they admit they will not spend up to the new league's $1 million salary cap, the Hawks will be picking from a talented free-agent list.

Players and clubs were not able to officially negotiate before today, and the announcement of the format of the new league will spark a frenzy of player signings.

"It's literally a free-for-all out there in the marketplace," Hawks spokesman Mat Campbell said.

"It's open slather now - everyone's going to be on the market.

"It's going to be interesting to see; obviously some of the top-tier players are going to be snapped up pretty quick by some of the teams around that have a bit better budget than us."

Two fewer teams means more talent per team, and although limited financially, coach Gordie McLeod will be given free reign to build the roster he wants.

"I guess it's really up to the coaching staff to decide what sort of mix we put together to make sure we're competitive because that is a big part of where we go," Campbell said.

"It's no good having a good campaign and launching a good membership drive like we've done and not being able to back that up by being good on the court."

Campbell said the identity of the Hawks - traditionally the battlers of the league - would not change.

"I think from our standpoint, we've always been a hard-nosed, hard-working team, fitter than most teams and stronger.

"That's surely going to be a part of the way we move forward. We're going to be below the salary cap as far as money spent and we'll walk into this season as underdog as per usual, and I think that suits what we want to be and it suits the town to always overcome those hurdles."

With so many talented Australians on the free-agent list, Campbell said the Hawks had considered the idea of competing without an import for the upcoming season.