Rebranding & Revamping the D-League

[Andrew]

Some interesting comments from Carmelo Anthony about the D-League:

Carmelo Anthony thinks the NBA should "rebrand" the D-League and invest more in "developing our own players" in the next collective bargaining agreement.

"If I had it my way, I'd rebrand the whole D-League," Anthony told ESPN. "I'd rebrand it so it's not seen as a punishment."

As vice president of the National Basketball Players Association, Anthony said he has been pushing for a major investment in and overhaul of the D-League to create more jobs for young players and strengthen the NBA's player development system.

Anthony said a major issue he has been emphasizing in collective bargaining talks is increasing the number of "two-way contracts" that allow players to play for both D-League and NBA teams, thereby creating 44-60 more jobs. He said he also has been addressing increasing pay for D-League players to make it as lucrative to play domestically as abroad, and language that will encourage all 30 NBA teams to have a D-League affiliate.

The D-League will grow from 19 to 22 teams this year, but the players eventually would like to see all 30 teams with their own affiliate, Anthony said.

"I'm a big advocate of developing our own players. If you look at soccer, for example, a lot of those clubs have top-notch academies," said Anthony, who co-owns a professional team in Puerto Rico. "By me being in soccer now, I've started to understand the dynamics of developing your own players. We've got to keep our players here. We don't want them to have to go overseas."

Good thinking, in my opinion. I also feel that the D-League - or whatever a more fitting name might be - should be an option for players coming out of high school, in addition to college, or playing overseas. Let them enter the D-League out of high school, and allow them to be eligible for the Draft when they hit 19, if the NBA is going to keep the age limit. If they go undrafted, they're already there in the D-League, and can keep trying to work their way up. Perhaps they could even reenter the Draft in the following years, up to the age of 21.

As far as renaming it, I'm not sure that "D-League" really has negative connotations, especially as it's just a shortening of NBA Development League, but perhaps that is a feeling among some players since Melo has made a point of mentioning it. If renaming it would help remove any stigma and further emphasise the league's purpose, fair enough I suppose.

[air gordon]

Should raise the salary to make it worthwhile to stay in the states. Comp and salary make it an easier decision to play overseas than the d league

[Sauru]

just rename it minor league basketball and add the slogan "like the wnba except with dunks"

[Jackal]

just rename it minor league basketball and add the slogan "like the wnba except with dunks"

"New & improved WNBA, now with more D & definitely more balls."

[NovU]

Development league somewhat is a distraction to me in terms of entertainment. We've done just as fine without d-league in 80s, 90s, up until teams started taking advantage of it. I'd rather see teams sharing and investing niceness in customer relations with lowering ticket/gear price, tv packs, etc.

[Andrew]

Back in the 80s and 90s, the Continental Basketball Association basically filled the role that the D-League does now. Now there are just closer ties to NBA teams and more stability, since Isiah Thomas can't buy the D-League and run it into the ground.

[Valor]

I reckon they should expand the draft for a few more rounds, allow for high school entrances, and let teams put them in their minor league team like they do in baseball to serve as an alternative to college. This way the teams can develop the prospects themselves and teach them how to play their brand of basketball instead of taking gambles on one and done players and hoping they pan out.

This will also be an incentive for the NCAA to stop treating their athletes like crap because the farm system will provide an alternative pathway for players and the juniors/seniors coming out will obviously be picked in the first rounds again due to their readiness to play immediately.

[NovU]

Back in the 80s and 90s, the Continental Basketball Association basically filled the role that the D-League does now. Now there are just closer ties to NBA teams and more stability, since Isiah Thomas can't buy the D-League and run it into the ground.

Good point.

I just don't think NBA ties is not all positive. D-League in literal sense is not anything about competition but about development of players specifically the ones that have contract with NBA teams. Calling this a league(since there's little purpose of competitiveness) is overrated itself.

[Andrew]

It's an organised, professional sporting competition. It's a minor league, but a league nevertheless. Just because it's not the highest level of competition, and a place for developing younger talent, doesn't mean that it isn't competitive or legitimate sport.

[[Q]]

I don't know if a whole lot of players develop in the league, especially going up against inferior talent. To me it's a showcase for fringe NBA talent to try to get a team to pick them up. Everyone else is just filler.

[Andrew]

Or folks who aren't quite good enough to make the NBA, but good enough to have a shot at playing professionally. Nothing wrong with minor leagues, and they can help pave the way to the big time for the cream of the crop.

[Valor]

The current D-League is not so much for development as it is for showing off and putting up individual numbers. It's seen as a disgrace for NBA players to be put down there and they are told to just put up numbers so they can come back (basically). I think that's what Melo's pointing out in his comments.

[NovU]

I would rather not have D-League at all. Perhaps third party would make a better league with no ties to the NBA at all. D-League still pretends to have entertainment value as they sell tickets, promote D-League stars, and such. But at the end of the day its ultimate purpose is to develop a specific players and existence entirely revolves around them. This in many ways is a monopoly by NBA in terms of holding able-basketball players at price of pennies aka cheap emergency labor.

[Lamrock]

As far as renaming it, I'm not sure that "D-League" really has negative connotations, especially as it's just a shortening of NBA Development League, but perhaps that is a feeling among some players since Melo has made a point of mentioning it. If renaming it would help remove any stigma and further emphasise the league's purpose, fair enough I suppose.

Uh, they be ballin' in the D-League
Uh, I be speakin' Swaghili

[Andrew]

NBA Preliminary League it is!

[[Q]]

Using "D" makes it sound like a shitty league. They should call it the "A-League" lol

[koberulz]

Or folks who aren't quite good enough to make the NBA, but good enough to have a shot at playing professionally.

Those people can earn far more money playing in Europe, China, or even Australia.

[Andrew]

Using "D" makes it sound like a shitty league. They should call it the "A-League" lol

Probably what Melo is driving at. Funnily enough, our major soccer/football league here in Australia rebranded/reformed as the A-League about a decade ago.

Or folks who aren't quite good enough to make the NBA, but good enough to have a shot at playing professionally.

Those people can earn far more money playing in Europe, China, or even Australia.

In some cases, definitely. Others may not be big enough names to land fat contracts overseas, they may not want to play abroad, or they're holding out hope that they might still make the NBA, thus the D-League remains the most attractive (or only) option.

[koberulz]

Big enough names? James Ennis? Greg Whittington?

[Andrew]

Do they have fat contracts, though? Even if they do - by NBL standards or otherwise - there would be others who haven't distinguished themselves enough at some point in time to earn big bucks overseas, or like I said, some who would just rather not live and play abroad, when there's a domestic option available to them.

[koberulz]

You don't have to earn "big bucks" or a "fat contract" overseas. The average NBL player earns way more than the average D-League player, and there's far more money available in Europe and China than there is in Australia (outside of Sydney, at least). It was talked about quite a bit when Ennis signed with Perth, the money being cited as his major reason. I think $50k was mentioned as what he would've earned staying in the US; there are Aussies coming off the bench here for more than that.

[Andrew]

Sure. But those opportunities aren't going to be there for everyone, and again, not everyone is going to want to go overseas to play. That's also something that Melo is getting at: making the D-League a more viable option for those who don't have those opportunities, or would prefer to remain in the US.

He said he also has been addressing increasing pay for D-League players to make it as lucrative to play domestically as abroad

[koberulz]

Sure, and they could do that, but until they do this remains true:

I don't know if a whole lot of players develop in the league, especially going up against inferior talent. To me it's a showcase for fringe NBA talent to try to get a team to pick them up. Everyone else is just filler.

[Andrew]

And a chance to play professionally.

[air gordon]

Average D league salary is $20-25,000. That is getting close to the poverty level. While it does remain an option to still play "professionally" and in the US, it's hardly An incentive

May as well tour with the globetrotters