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- Posted on: Thu, 04/24/2014 - 11:28am #55051
PHXSUNDREAMPICK13ParticipantThe D League in todays NBA is a place that only late draft picks and unsigned players go to compete for a single position or maybe two on their parent NBA team. Competition is only as good as the players playing in the league. As for MLB minor leagues the players develop in three stages, single, double, and triple A. Some of the players become so desired by their parent team that a star player making bigger money is traded to make room for the up and coming. This saves the team $$$ and also adds further players to their minors. Also, teams who bring up minor leaguers send down roster players who are struggling and can regain their swing or form in the minors. With the minors being such an asset to MLB teams, why not make it this way for the D League?
The Phoenix Suns could be a good example of doing this as they have multiple picks for 2014 and 2015, If they keep all their picks they will have 6 first rounders and 2 or more second rounders. So heres what their D league team could look like with 2014 and 2015 projected picks.
PF Dario Saric 14/ Austin Nichols (from Minnesota 15)
SF Doug McDermott14 /Terran Petteway 15
C A. Len/ S. Randolph/ 2nd rd pk
SG Markel Brown/Caris Lavert (from Lakers 15)
PG A. Goodwin/ D. Christmas/ 2nd rd pk
Why not make their D League team an allstar team. Atleast they can improve by playing each other in scrimmage. Also, players who struggle or if the team need rebounding or defense can drop a player such as Marcus Morris or Ish Smith to the D League for one of these players. Just like the MLB I see so much potential for this especially if other teams start to do the same. Here are some reasons why:
1. Realize full potential sooner rather than later or too late. G. Green sat the bench for the Pacers, T.Wolves, and Celtics before exploding for Suns. Should have been full time D. League and would have been great for Pacers team this year. Same for Mi. Plumlee.
2. Savings can be continual. Instead of trading up for expensive picks or packaging picks for stars, more teams especially small market teams can depend on their "farm system" to give them what they need. Less expensive mistakes made. Case in point: Detroit signing J. Smith, B Jennings. Should have developed first and traded second. Better results
3. Finding stars in later picks. 2014 draft is supposed to be deep from beginning to end. What picks will be playing for their team, sitting the bench, or developing the D. League? Why not just start in the D League for nearly all? Instant playing time and building your team there is really building your team in the NBA. With Andrew Wiggins playing for the Magic next year make them a contender? Doubtful. Play him in the D. League and continue to draft in 2015. Developing on the bench just keeps their talent sparcely used. Play them full time when they’re ready or when the team is ready to give them time to play.
4. NBA D League can serve players opting into the draft after just a year or two. Some early entrants are just not ready physically or mentally. Give them better competition in the D League and they will be better prepared for elite competition of the NBA.
5. NBA D league can compete with NBA Europe as a destination for fringe players. Keep them close and also provide more entertainment for citys who have the D League teams.
Finally, teams can invest in the D. League more than bringing in free agents. Really works in small markets for baseball. Unlike Minor leagues, D League should be short term plans such as 2 or less years for players and not kept long term like the minor leagues. Players then can be released for other D League or NBA teams to acquire sooner. Also, the D League team should have some of the luxurys of the NBA teams when it comes to travel, hotel stays, and overall experience. Bring the D League closer to the NBA level in talent and competition and the NBA as a whole will improve.
0 - Posted on: Thu, 04/24/2014 - 12:07pm #892966
ChewyParticipant1. For the D-League to be truly relevent, they would have to shell out a lot more cash to players and coaching staff, then what they are giving now. Any idea where more money goes to players and more risk goes to organizations will be hard to pass.
2. Fringe players make more money overseas. It’s nice to say you want to keep them close, but your chances of keeping these "free agents" is significantly hurt when you offer them a lot less money.Dee Brown could easily have been a bench guard. But no NBA or D-League team is paying him over a million a year to be a bench guard. There are quality leagues around the world that are in place that would compete with the D-League.
3. If the Suns had both McDermott and Saric, I find it hard to believe that ethier player spends significant time in the D-League.
4. Small Market teams can’t afford to run their own D-League team. They need to partner up with 2 or 3 other teams and share the cost. It would be great if every team has a minor D-League team like the Lakers or Sixers, but at this point in time it’s not realistic.
5. Gerald Green has sat on the bench for good reason. He wasn’t getting screwed over. He has just been wildly inconsistant. His season PPG go from 5 to 10 to 5 to 12 to 7 to 15.
I wish there was a better system in place for the young basketball players in our country and the NBA SHOULD be leading that change in culture. But why would they do that when AAU and NCAA is doing it for them at no cost to the NBA. NCAA makes players a household name and then the NBA cashes in on them. A true change to developing American youth basketball won’t happen until we stop dominating international competitions….. so not for awhile.
0 - Posted on: Thu, 04/24/2014 - 12:07pm #893077
ChewyParticipant1. For the D-League to be truly relevent, they would have to shell out a lot more cash to players and coaching staff, then what they are giving now. Any idea where more money goes to players and more risk goes to organizations will be hard to pass.
2. Fringe players make more money overseas. It’s nice to say you want to keep them close, but your chances of keeping these "free agents" is significantly hurt when you offer them a lot less money.Dee Brown could easily have been a bench guard. But no NBA or D-League team is paying him over a million a year to be a bench guard. There are quality leagues around the world that are in place that would compete with the D-League.
3. If the Suns had both McDermott and Saric, I find it hard to believe that ethier player spends significant time in the D-League.
4. Small Market teams can’t afford to run their own D-League team. They need to partner up with 2 or 3 other teams and share the cost. It would be great if every team has a minor D-League team like the Lakers or Sixers, but at this point in time it’s not realistic.
5. Gerald Green has sat on the bench for good reason. He wasn’t getting screwed over. He has just been wildly inconsistant. His season PPG go from 5 to 10 to 5 to 12 to 7 to 15.
I wish there was a better system in place for the young basketball players in our country and the NBA SHOULD be leading that change in culture. But why would they do that when AAU and NCAA is doing it for them at no cost to the NBA. NCAA makes players a household name and then the NBA cashes in on them. A true change to developing American youth basketball won’t happen until we stop dominating international competitions….. so not for awhile.
0 - Posted on: Thu, 04/24/2014 - 12:27pm #892982
Mr. HookShotParticipantAnother problem is that in the NBA, unlike MLB, has teams of just 12 players making developing talent different. In principle, you only need one good draft (e.g. 2 good picks) and a good haul in free agency (e.g. 3 players) to build a good team, which is impossible in MLB (where you have 8 fielders and two hands full of pitchers).
0 - Posted on: Thu, 04/24/2014 - 12:27pm #893093
Mr. HookShotParticipantAnother problem is that in the NBA, unlike MLB, has teams of just 12 players making developing talent different. In principle, you only need one good draft (e.g. 2 good picks) and a good haul in free agency (e.g. 3 players) to build a good team, which is impossible in MLB (where you have 8 fielders and two hands full of pitchers).
0 - Posted on: Thu, 04/24/2014 - 3:53pm #893207
he_gets_bucketsParticipantI dont think any team with a draft pick as high as Andrew Wiggins would ever even consider putting him in the D-League. It isnt that it makes them a contender, it gives the fans something to watch. You’ve just watched your team struggle for multiple seasons, not be able to land a stud in the draft, then finally you land a high flyer like Wiggins, and the management slings him into the D-League? Thats the way to lose fans and revenue.
0 - Posted on: Thu, 04/24/2014 - 3:53pm #893096
he_gets_bucketsParticipantI dont think any team with a draft pick as high as Andrew Wiggins would ever even consider putting him in the D-League. It isnt that it makes them a contender, it gives the fans something to watch. You’ve just watched your team struggle for multiple seasons, not be able to land a stud in the draft, then finally you land a high flyer like Wiggins, and the management slings him into the D-League? Thats the way to lose fans and revenue.
0 - Posted on: Thu, 04/24/2014 - 4:58pm #893245
PHXSUNDREAMPICK13ParticipantAndrew Wiggins as used in example of playing should start in the NBA just because of his following and hype. Agreed it wouldnt be fair to "d league" him before Orlando or other team could see him play. He might be ready for the NBA but if he struggles he quickly goes from no. 3 draft pick in famed draft to "what happend to Wiggins"? After players get drafted its boom or bust. Getting back on track is from the bench, traded, or foreign play. The D League just has a stigma attached to it that you failed or didnt live up to hype and you play with and against players who dream of making it to an NBA bench.
The NBA seeking to find balance in large and small markets should share its tax revenue to remake the D league. First give it a more attractive name thats a little better than a bad grade on a school paper. Also, expand the D League for each team to have its own affiliate. It could expand to states that dont have the NBA and would grow its interest. Another idea which has already been explored was making the D League an option instead of going to college. H.S. stars could file again for the NBA draft and would have to play the D League for atleast a year if not two. Since education is a sensitive subject for H.S. stars skipping college the D League could become a educational institute and be good as a two year program and an associate degree. The NBA draft would as interesting as it was when Kobe and KG were drafted. I know nbadraft would enjoy an even bigger following : )
0 - Posted on: Thu, 04/24/2014 - 4:58pm #893135
PHXSUNDREAMPICK13ParticipantAndrew Wiggins as used in example of playing should start in the NBA just because of his following and hype. Agreed it wouldnt be fair to "d league" him before Orlando or other team could see him play. He might be ready for the NBA but if he struggles he quickly goes from no. 3 draft pick in famed draft to "what happend to Wiggins"? After players get drafted its boom or bust. Getting back on track is from the bench, traded, or foreign play. The D League just has a stigma attached to it that you failed or didnt live up to hype and you play with and against players who dream of making it to an NBA bench.
The NBA seeking to find balance in large and small markets should share its tax revenue to remake the D league. First give it a more attractive name thats a little better than a bad grade on a school paper. Also, expand the D League for each team to have its own affiliate. It could expand to states that dont have the NBA and would grow its interest. Another idea which has already been explored was making the D League an option instead of going to college. H.S. stars could file again for the NBA draft and would have to play the D League for atleast a year if not two. Since education is a sensitive subject for H.S. stars skipping college the D League could become a educational institute and be good as a two year program and an associate degree. The NBA draft would as interesting as it was when Kobe and KG were drafted. I know nbadraft would enjoy an even bigger following : )
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