D-League Making Strides As NBA's Top Minor League Affiliate
Since its creation in '01, the NBA D-League has "made itself the NBA's top minor league, forcing all others into insignificance by essentially becoming the only funnel for players to be called up to the NBA," according to Julian Benbow of the BOSTON GLOBE. The league took its "biggest steps the past four years, expanding from eight to 16 teams, developing an assignment system, and most recently creating an assistant coach development program that allows teams to send coaches down with players." D-League President Dan Reed indicated that the league is "not at all like the minor league systems in baseball or hockey." But he said, "Ultimately, we want to be the perfect minor league for the game of basketball." Benbow noted the Spurs, Lakers and Thunder own a D-League franchise, and the Spurs view it as a "way to keep tabs on their draftees rather than letting them sit idle on the bench or be misused overseas." Spurs Dir of Pro Player Personnel Dell Demps, who also serves as the GM of their D-League Austin Toros affiliate, said, "We wanted to find a way we could develop our talent. Where we can find an alternative method to developing players." Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge said that the "perfect basketball scenario" might be to have all 30 NBA teams "own their own D-League teams, but it wouldn't be good business." Ainge: "I'm not sure if that's what I'd want if I were an owner of a team. It's got to be a profitable business. You've got to be able to make it work."
MAKING PROGRESS: D-League Utah Flash coach Brad Jones said that when the NBA and NBPA negotiate the next CBA, the league will have "more credibility." Jones: "The NBA has a comfort level, and more importantly the Players Association has a comfort level so that when we have this [CBA] come up, it can bolster the D-League and put it in a bigger role." Benbow noted one possibility would be "rehab assignments for veterans, something that isn't possible now because the CBA only allows first- and second-year players in the D-League." Jones said of the idea, "You talk about the revenue-producing things, then the merchandising, and then, if nothing else, just the ability for those young players to be around that guy for a day" (BOSTON GLOBE, 1/11).
ROUTINE CHECK UP: In Charlotte, Cliff Mehrtens reports the ECHL Charlotte Checkers are "in good financial shape, and are considered a stronghold in a league where two teams folded in December." Checkers Owner Michael Kahn: "We're healthy and we're comfortable. Does that mean we're making money? No, but we're well within where we need to be. We could always do better." The Augusta Lynx disbanded December 2 and the Fresno Falcons folded December 22, but Kahn said the ECHL "as a whole, is solid." He added that perhaps the league "tried to have too many teams operating" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 1/13).
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