R.I.P. G-League Ignite

[FarBeyondDriven]

It's shutting down as many people predicted. I'm somewhat surprised but understand why. While it seemed to have some success getting players drafted it was clearly not deemed a success or maybe they just saw the writing on the wall with NIL impacting it going forward.

[Chuck Everett]

Every team (Phoenix) now has a G-League team. Wouldn't shock me if the draft system gets revamped a bit at some point.

[Braggins]

This is just a thought that popped into my head, but I wonder if there is any merit to getting rid of the one and done rule to allow players to enter the draft immediate after high school (or for their age 18 season), but on the condition that they are not actual eligible to play for the NBA team for their first season and can only play for the GLeague team of the franchise that drafts them.

Could this potentially balance the incentive of drafting players straight out of high school to prevent too many teams from taking shots on less known/reliable high school prospects high in the draft, while still allowing players the freedom of entering the draft a year earlier than they currently can and also providing an alternate path from NCAA?

I guess ideally the thinking is that with a prospect like Cooper Flagg, they could enter the draft immediately after high school and teams would be willing to take them as high #1, but with prospects that aren't as obviously good they might be put off by having to wait a year to play for the actual NBA team and so you maybe wouldn't get so many high school busts taken really high in the draft.

This years draft would probably be an extreme example because of how awful the 2024 class is compared to the 2025 guys that could enter under this rule. I'm guessing there are multiple players in the 2025 class that would go ahead of all the players from the 2024 class if they could enter this year. In normal years it might be more balanced.

[TheSuzerain]

I think ideal would be like hockey where drafted players can stay in school

[clyde21]

allow the players to pick and choose which G League team they want to go to and open the market, that's the best solution.

[azcatz11]

allow the players to pick and choose which G League team they want to go to and open the market, that's the best solution.

Why would anyone go that route though? I know some guys did this past year but what’s honestly the point when you can get a huge bag from a college team and get more exposure?

[K_chile22]

G league is too much of a fun house mirror and the ignite program made it worse. I'm not gonna miss it

[clyde21]

allow the players to pick and choose which G League team they want to go to and open the market, that's the best solution.

Why would anyone go that route though? I know some guys did this past year but what’s honestly the point when you can get a huge bag from a college team and get more exposure?

because the G League is still valuable, you focus 100% on basketball and get coached up by NBA level coaches. allow GL teams to make their pitch to college players just like NCAA or NBL teams make their pitch, players can choose to go wherever they want for a year or two.

[Catchall]

It's hard for 18 and 19 y.o. kids to compete against grown men fighting to keep their careers alive. Even more difficult for those young players to be featured. Ignite worked fairly well when there were really 1 or 2 main prospects with support from veterans, but that's really all they can deliver as a support system for young players.

[Big J]

This is just a thought that popped into my head, but I wonder if there is any merit to getting rid of the one and done rule to allow players to enter the draft immediate after high school (or for their age 18 season), but on the condition that they are not actual eligible to play for the NBA team for their first season and can only play for the GLeague team of the franchise that drafts them.

Could this potentially balance the incentive of drafting players straight out of high school to prevent too many teams from taking shots on less known/reliable high school prospects high in the draft, while still allowing players the freedom of entering the draft a year earlier than they currently can and also providing an alternate path from NCAA?

I guess ideally the thinking is that with a prospect like Cooper Flagg, they could enter the draft immediately after high school and teams would be willing to take them as high #1, but with prospects that aren't as obviously good they might be put off by having to wait a year to play for the actual NBA team and so you maybe wouldn't get so many high school busts taken really high in the draft.

This years draft would probably be an extreme example because of how awful the 2024 class is compared to the 2025 guys that could enter under this rule. I'm guessing there are multiple players in the 2025 class that would go ahead of all the players from the 2024 class if they could enter this year. In normal years it might be more balanced.

The NBA would rather these guys go to college for a year tbh. They get national exposure playing for a college team without the NBA having to promote them.

[Catchall]

Dink Pate is petitioning to enter the '24 draft in light of Ignite folding. He's not old enough to enter the draft by age, but he's seeking an exception. The alternative might be for Ignite to pay out his contract and give him the option to join another Gleague team via the Gleague draft.

[Chuck Everett]

Dink Pate is petitioning to enter the '24 draft in light of Ignite folding. He's not old enough to enter the draft by age, but he's seeking an exception. The alternative might be for Ignite to pay out his contract and give him the option to join another Gleague team via the Gleague draft.

He's going to be denied. However, they will probably give him the option of picking the G-League franchise he would like to be on for a season. Since he's a top prospect, I am sure several organizations would love to create that relationship.

[FarBeyondDriven]

Dink Pate is petitioning to enter the '24 draft in light of Ignite folding. He's not old enough to enter the draft by age, but he's seeking an exception. The alternative might be for Ignite to pay out his contract and give him the option to join another Gleague team via the Gleague draft.

He's going to be denied. However, they will probably give him the option of picking the G-League franchise he would like to be on for a season. Since he's a top prospect, I am sure several organizations would love to create that relationship.

we'll see. I think a compromise would be for him to be able to be drafted but forced to spend the full-season in the G-League for the team that drafts him. The NBA did him dirty. They should accommodate him. It wouldn't be fair for him to play for a G-League team without being drafted by them unless that team was prevented from drafting him a year from now, because they would have the scouting advantage over other teams since he'd be in-house. Ignite was its own entity and prioritized minutes for young prospects. Playing for a G-League team isn't apples to apples since he wouldn't necessarily get the treatment he signed up for with Ignite. He can't play in college and he shouldn't be forced to play overseas. They created this mess and should rectify it even if they have to bend some rules.

[Chuck Everett]

Dink Pate is petitioning to enter the '24 draft in light of Ignite folding. He's not old enough to enter the draft by age, but he's seeking an exception. The alternative might be for Ignite to pay out his contract and give him the option to join another Gleague team via the Gleague draft.

He's going to be denied. However, they will probably give him the option of picking the G-League franchise he would like to be on for a season. Since he's a top prospect, I am sure several organizations would love to create that relationship.

we'll see. I think a compromise would be for him to be able to be drafted but forced to spend the full-season in the G-League for the team that drafts him. The NBA did him dirty. They should accommodate him. It wouldn't be fair for him to play for a G-League team without being drafted by them unless that team was prevented from drafting him a year from now, because they would have the scouting advantage over other teams since he'd be in-house. Ignite was its own entity and prioritized minutes for young prospects. Playing for a G-League team isn't apples to apples since he wouldn't necessarily get the treatment he signed up for with Ignite. He can't play in college and he shouldn't be forced to play overseas. They created this mess and should rectify it even if they have to bend some rules.

They won't though because it would set a precedent that the 19 year old rule can be challenged in court down the line (by other players). NBA legal doesn't mess around. Since he signed a two year deal, he will still receive the money he's owed since the shuttering of the program is not his fault, however, he will more than likely be able to seek out the organization in the G-League or go to the NBL or take a year off and train if he so chooses. There's no legal precedent his team could cite to get this overturned. His reps will try because that's what they're paid to do, but ultimately it will be futile.

And the NBA can easily cite that before the G-League Ignite existed, players like Latavious Williams played as 18 year olds and went through the G-League draft instead.