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The Pacers are buying the Ft Wayne Mad Ants nbdl franchise. As such, we would have primary access to coaching staff and sending players down. Other teams players can still be assigned on a space basis, if possible.

Looks like we'll see some long term development and I would assume that many of our last cuts in camp will be placed in Ft Wayne as well.

I like that idea, development is where it is at.

I think the big change here is that we'll be hiring the coaches. We tended to keep the bottom of the roster here in Indy so that they'd be working with our assistants, but everything could change if the Ant coaches report to Vogel or Bird.

Good Idea. Now the guys like Robinson III, maybe Joe Young and Christmas can go down there and play big minutes and still be under the direction of the coaching staff.

Joe Young will tear up the DLeague.

Yeah this could be great for all the young guys we just signed. They can be under our coaching picks and style and can develop some chemistry between Young, Christmas, GRIII, and Whittington.

This is a very logical move for Simon and Bird. I look forward to having a farm system in place because I think our organization is very good at developing talent.

pacers33granger wrote:Yeah this could be great for all the young guys we just signed. They can be under our coaching picks and style and can develop some chemistry between Young, Christmas, GRIII, and Whittington.

That, and we'd have the right to get any of the guys that are "last cut" in training camp to be assigned to Ft. Wayne in the D-League as opposed to having them randomly assigned. It's what San Antonio has done with Danny Green and a BUNCH of other guys.

basketballwacko2 wrote:Joe Young will tear up the DLeague.

I can't wait to see Joe Young dominating the D-League and making a name for himself. But we are pretty thin at the PG spot so maybe it would be Rakeem and GRIII that will spend most of the time in the D-League.

Given the point guard options I wonder if the Pacers can afford to send Joe Young to Ft. Wayne for any length of time? Wittington, Robinson and Christmas would all seem to be great candidates for extended D League time though. Full utilization of the D League just seems to be another piece of the puzzle of a good organization.

Locking these types of prospects up so that you're not spending time and energy developing them for someone else is another synergy that complements owning the D League franchise.

8305 wrote:Given the point guard options I wonder if the Pacers can afford to send Joe Young to Ft. Wayne for any length of time?

I agree. I don't see us trying to shorten the rotation and unless we use a 3 man back court rotation, I think Young and Stuckey are our second unit back court. I think he'll be given every opportunity to earn that spot and will only be sent to Ft. Wayne if his point guard skills prove totally inadequate. pairing him with Stuckey though should work as both are at least 1/2 point guards. as long as his ball handling skills are sufficient to get the ball up court against pressure, I think he'll be fine particularly playing against back up point guards.