It's time for the Clippers to realize the importance of the D-League
The "D" in D-League doesn't just stand for developing because of the work the league does with players anymore. The NBDL is also developing on its own, progressing into a legitimate minor league system.
It's happening slowly. Maybe slower than it should. But it's happening. Don't turn a blind eye to it like some teams have.
After the Pacers' purchase of the Fort Wayne Mad Ants on Wednesday, all 19 D-League teams now have direct NBA affiliates for the first time. The Mad Ants used to be a hybrid team, used as recently as last year by 12 different NBA squads to bring up and send down players. The Clippers were one of those 12.
Not anymore.
L.A. used Fort Wayne to get C.J. Wilcox some playing time a season ago. It also called up Dahntay Jones from the Mad Ants. Now, the Clips have a new D-League setup, as do the 11 squads who don't have an official D-League affiliate.
Here's more from Rowan Kavner of the Clippers' official website:
Steve Ballmer talks about being a progressive owner, and people like to label him as someone who is willing to spend whatever it takes to win. Maybe this should be his next step. Maybe purchasing an NBDL for the Clippers would be a savvy (and overdue) move.
Teams like the Spurs, Mavericks and Rockets use the D-League in such calculated ways to develop their prospects. It's not a coincidence that those are three of the best organizations in the NBA. It's the Clippers turn to toss some money in an organizationally tangential investment that can help a lot more than people might think.
You can hire your own guys. Bring in your own coaches. Take some more risks on young players whom you have the opportunity to look at and evaluate from the inside. And if you truly are fine with spending the extra money, it's worth it.
(h/t Clippers)
The Pacers, Cavaliers, Warriors, Lakers, Knicks, Thunder, 76ers, Spurs, Jazz and Raptors own their respective D-League affiliates. Another eight teams – the Celtics, Pistons, Rockets, Grizzlies, Heat, Magic, Suns and Kings – have hybrid affiliation agreements, allowing an NBA team to control a D-League team’s basketball operations while local ownership controls the team’s business and community efforts. The Mavericks and Texas Legends have a one-to-one affiliation.
The D-League’s flexible assignment system will continue to allow the 11 independent NBA teams – including the Clippers – to assign players to the D-League for development or rehab from an injury. Here’s what the league had to say on that front:
“Upon receipt of an assignment from an independent NBA team, the NBA D-League will identify any NBA D-League team willing to accept the assigned player. The assigning independent NBA team will then choose the destination for assignment between those teams. If no NBA D-League team is willing to accept the assigned player, he will be assigned to one of the hybrid affiliate teams pursuant to a lottery. The 19 NBA teams with single affiliations will be able to assign players to their NBA D-League partners.”
