Why the NBA needs a TRUE minor league

I agree, it would be great to see the D-League develop into more of a “feeder” system for the NBA. They’ve been working on improving the D-League for several years now as it has moved across the country to different markets and different audiences. The hard part is the players are so hyped now when they come into the NBA, it would be tough to convince any owner, GM, or coach that your first round draft pick has to spend a year or two in the D-League. Just look at John Wall in the summer league. The place was packed to see him play. The fans aren’t going to want to see John Wall in the D-League. I don’t know how the NBA would ever get teams to actually utilize the D-League in a “true” minor league type of system. It would be a huge culture change for the NBA, that is for sure.

jpage and I virtually never agree on anything, but he’s 100% right on this and I’ve been advocated for a true minor league system for years. Just imagine if Skita had played 40 minutes a night for the “Colorado Springs Nuggets” – maybe he wouldn’t have been such a bust after all? Instead, he had to ride the pine and never got any playing experience.

This is always a good topic to bring up.

Give the the GM’s the chance to play their new talent if its top picks otherwise make them go to the minor league.

I’ve asked NBA GMs about why the D-League isn’t better utilized by most teams as a minor league system. Usually the answer stems from the urgency in the NBA to win now. Coaches are on the hot seat, GMs are all on the hot seat, etc. While hockey coaches are hired and fired faster than NBA coaches, the impact of a single player isn’t the same in hockey (with a few exceptions, of course). The perception in the NBA is that there just isn’t time to wait for players to develop in the minor leagues.

To be honest, just think if the Nuggets had drafted someone this year in the draft between 10-25 in the first round. If that player was a center, do you think we (the fans) would want to wait for him to develop in the minor leagues? We’d be screaming at the FO to get him on the team now. We would be reading 100 posts claiming “No time to wait, our window to win is closing quickly” and “we need help now”.

I think if we do get a better organized minor league system, it may have to start with second round picks and unsigned free agents. But at that point, you are getting close to what the D-League already offers.

It will be interesting to see what Mr. Stern tries to put through in the new CBA. As Melo would say, we shall see.

would be better to have young rookies who aren’t good now play, then some older scrubs who prob won’t improve play

Is expand the minimum roster size to 15, and have each team sign and contribute up to 2 players to the D-league. There needs to be some kind of league sanctioned pay scale for 2nd rounders or developmental “minor league” players. There is already NBA talent in the D-league it’s just not supported by the league or the teams trying to get around the strict financial regulations imposed.

When you force teams to integrate with the D-league a little more, the talent will be more recognizable and paid fairly versus going overseas to play. More second round picks will get signed, and the D-league will serve its purpose as lots of guys will have contracts, more call ups will happen and the players will have much more to play for. Plus, every team gains some added depth as they’ll have young talent available immediately in case of injuries. The draft should even be expanded to allow each team to take a prospect into the D-league they otherwise might not have drafted. I guarantee you make this rule competitive to what the teams get compensated for vet minimum contracts and everybody wins

and the draft would need to be expanded an additional two in order to compensate for a minor league system. A minor league would reduce “start up” salaries of prospects/draftee’s and increase the value of performing vets.

This would also, most likely, eliminate the TPE’s and the bi level exceptions because prospects become more valued as assets….I can see the mid level staying. Dumping second rounders into the minors won’t legitimize the league. All drafted assets would need to be circulated through (unless proven there’s an ungodly talent) for a period of one to two years (like what Jennings did in Europe). Otherwise there’s no point in having a legit D Leauge (minors)

The draft used to be much longer but little more was accomplished.

What needs to change is the committment by the league, and sadly it won’t change because there’s no money in if for the Commish and teams would rather risk sittng their draft picks on the bench rather than send them to develop in the DLeague.

Whether it’s the current DLeague or the previous CBA that Isiah pissed away, there’s been the framework, but the league has refused to embrace it.

A sad thought is if MLB & NHL didn’t already have minor league systems in place well established for decades; would they too blow off development the same way the NFL & NBA has because it’s not cost effective?