The power forward shocked the NBL with his off-season move to join former coach Andrej Lemanis, general manager Richard Clarke and teammate-turned assistant CJ Bruton at the Bullets.

Vukona has spent all but two of his 17 seasons in Auckland and won four of his five NBL titles at the Breakers, who became a force thanks to his trademark grit.

At odds with the club's new owners, Vukona jumped at the chance to reunite with Lemanis and is confident he can drag the club off the canvas after back-to-back wooden spoons.

"I still don't really understand it to be honest," Vukona told AAP of the shock around his switch.

"I've always got to put myself in a position where I know I can grow ... to leave New Zealand for me is a big deal, but not too big a deal."

Remembering former Bullets champion Leroy Loggins as "a beast", Vukona'said the club's history made it an easy sell.

"You want to honour those guys ... growing up, the Bullets really stood out for me," he said.

"It's an old new for me.

"I feel like a 21-year-old and I'm on a two-year contract and I 100 per cent plan to honour that just by being me and doing what I've done for years."

Vukona is just part of the club's significant off-season rebuild ahead of October's season tip-off, with Cairns captain Cameron Gliddon, Japanese guard Makoto Hiejima and Boomers Jason Cadee and Matt Hodgson.

Former NBA big Cameron Bairstow is also back on the roster after a serious knee injury ended his campaign in the club's return season.

Australian Associated Press