I think they need to change the name of the NBA minor league. When you hear "D" league it sounds like an A-F grade right below C and almost a fail. What players want to be part of an almost failure? What fans want to watch an almost fail? Yes its supposed to be short for development but thats not how people think of it. If they called it the NBATWO or ABA or something else I think it could be the first step in improving the league. Eventually it could become a real good minor league if more rookies were down there. There are a number of improvements that could come to the league. Having players who don’t want to go to college be able to earn money in the league. That would give teams better information at the draft. They could have some shorter seasons before or after the NBA season to give fringe NBA players opportunities. I’d much rather watch that league than WNBA basketball in the summer. But step 1 should be changing the name.
I never liked D-League name. I agree that a different name would been better but they should done that from the start. It would be interesting if they called it ABA and played with the ABA ball.
The problem is that nobody is using the D League for its intended purpose. Example: Crabbe, Leonard, and Barton should all be playing in the D League right now. If it were truly a developmental league, we would be sending our young guys down so they could get some PT. We don't though, and most teams are exactly the same. I think coaches would rather have their young guys with the team so they can learn from the pros, learn the offense, and work with the coaches. So if the best guys that aren't getting PT aren't playing in the D League, the competition suffers and the league is a joke. This might be different in the team was located in Portland. Have our guys practice with the pro team, but play with the D League squad. Have one of the assistant coaches lead the D League team, so the offensive sets are all the same. Maybe even share a practice facility, so the pro team can practice against the D League squad. In fact... that's exactly what Paul Allen should do. Move the D League squad to Portland and have it practice with the Blazers.
The D-League doesn't have only one "intended purpose". When it was started, all the teams were in the deep South in states where there were no NBA or CBA (remember that?) teams. Then, when the CBA died (and killing it might have been part of the original point of the NBADL) it expanded geographically. But it's still supposed to put teams in places where there aren't any (and that couldn't support NBA teams - like, y'know, Idaho) while at the same time encouraging people in those places to feel a commitment to NBA teams. It's also a place to try out new rules and even new balls. But moving the team to Portland would undermine many of the points of the D-League. And the reason Crabbe et. al. have not been sent down, presumably, is that they've actually got a chance of PT, so it's better for them and the team if they practice with their fellow Trail Blazers. Now, why hasn't Claver been sent down, when he's not even active? Probably because he and his agent objected.
Exactly what I was going to say. But then the cheap tickets would compete with the Big League expensive tickets. Compromise: Locate the Minor League team 2 hours away.
Speaking of... Richard Howell continues to beast: 21.2 PPG | 11.5 RPG | 59 FG% I think he'd be putting up at least 25 PPG if he could hit his free throws! He's shooting an atrocious 57% from the line.
