Illawarra were swept 2-0 by the Kings in their semi-final series, the side falling to their rivals 99-87 in game two at Qudos Bank Arena.

The defeat came on the back of a 10-point loss in game one at WIN Entertainment Centre on Friday.

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The focus will now turn to what the Hawks look like moving forward, with a number of players off-contract.

The front office is also set for a shake up, with President Dorry Kordahi standing down last month.

The biggest question mark, however, surrounds the status of their coach, Goorjian yet to commit to a third season at the club.

"I'm taking a deep breath," Goorjian said. "I look at it every day and it's all about timing. Other than that, it's about what's the best for the organisation, for the staff.

"I'm at an age now where I don't want to stand on anybody's toes. I've been the right person to this point, but I have tremendous people around me and I have a big decision about what's best for the organisation.

"I can say in finishing, I love the Gong. Whichever way it goes, whether I'm coaching or on the side, I'll still be around."

NBL MVP Jaylen Adams led the way for the Kings on Sunday, with 29 points, while Jarell Martin and Ian Clark came up with vital plays in the big moments.

The result sent the 9824 fans at Qudos Bank Arena into raptures, Sydney returning to the grand final for the first time since 2020.

As they have all season, Tyler Harvey and Duop Reath were the Hawks best, however Illawarra's depth again proved an issue.

It's flaw that proved glaring when Harvey fouled out with 3:29 remaining, having played more than 30 minutes of the contest.

The Hawks top six barely received a breather and their fatigue became clear as the match wore on throughout the second half.

While the Kings, with a nine-man rotation, remained full of energy at both ends of the court, Illawarra began to waver.

Goorjian said his side made the decision pre-game to rely on their big guns and it's one he feels gave the Hawks the best chance of winning on Sunday.

"It's one game, that's what this whole thing's about. The conversation about recovery, that's out the window in a game like tonight.

"It's a decision and you can question it. We did get fatigued towards the end of the game. It may have played to their advantage but it's a decision we made prior to the game."

While Sunday's loss exposed a handful of gaps in the roster, Goorjian remains confident this team is just a piece or two away from winning a championship.

The biggest challenge facing Hawks management is retaining the current squad and finding the right players to bolster the side's depth.

Goorjian knows how tricky that will be, but he urged officials to continue the pursuit of a title that began when he arrived two season ago.

"We've got some nice pieces in play. We have Duop Reath, Sam Froling is back, Tyler Harvey's back. We've got a good foundation, good ownership, a great location. It's in a different place than it was two years ago.

"They've got to get this group of guys back. There is the ability to sign some more pieces to grow this thing."

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