What's the point of the G-League

GrindCityHustle · Post #1 » by **GrindCityHustle** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 5:56 am

All three guys who finished top 3 in MVP voting i doubt will ever be contributors in the NBA.

What is the real point of the g league? I see some star player practice there back from injury but that's about it.

In 2k you can use it to bring a 68 level to a 81 level in 2 seasons if you do it right

Explain to me because I think I am missing the boat somewhere. It seems the minor leagues were better back in the day somehow.

NBA_is_cringe · Post #2 » by **NBA_is_cringe** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 5:57 am

it's got what plants crave

BigGargamel · Post #3 » by **BigGargamel** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 6:13 am

Seemed to be developing quite a few contributors 10+ years ago, but now you have 15 man rosters and three 3 way contracts. Unless your whole team is wiped out by injuries that's usually enough to get you through the season.

Jellybeans · Post #4 » by **Jellybeans** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 6:21 am

JD just won MVP and been shooting lights out.
Every time he gets some minutes with big team he seems lost.He doenst know what to do.Its like its 2 different sports

UcanUwill · Post #5 » by **UcanUwill** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 7:28 am

It was called development league (before sponsors), and thats the idea, a place you can send young players who wouldn't play NBA minutes, so they could play and develop. How effective it is is up to the debate, but we had good NBA players who started their jumps in G league, like Pascal Siakam for example.

Also, its a league for players who want straightest way to NBA, but do not have NBA offers, and also want to play in USA. Problem is G league is low level with low paying wages, so NBA material there is very minimal, but we had instances where guy bet on himself by declining serious Euro money, went to G league just to showcase himself to the NBA first row, and got the job. Stank face Alan Anderson did exactly that, if he extended his Barcelona offer, he never would have gotten NBA job most likely, he went to G league and got it.

To me, USA sports system is fascinating, where there is 1 PRO league, thats it. At least Basketball (and I believe Baseball too) now has another pro league these days for players to play and fans to have, and the fact its under NBA umbrella, doesn't hurt.

ejftw · Post #6 » by **ejftw** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 7:40 am

It's goal is to try to be a farm system, but Adam Silver ruined that with the three two-way deals and not making it more of an exclusive connection from the big club to the G League side.

Mike Taylor is still my G League GOAT. First player drafted from said league and was an absolute one man fast break with some sick hops. Too bad off court issues rendered his career short.

Triple M · Post #7 » by **Triple M** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 8:04 am

From a Celtics perspective i think it's been hteat the last few years. Because of our cap position it's help us in regards to developing cheap talent. Maybe not star guys but a number of our bench guys have come through Maine.

I alsi remember the Raptor 905 was big for the Raptors in the mid to late teens and it benefited their championship team.

I think teams like Mia and Cleveland have found their share of gems too

FarBeyondDriven · Post #8 » by **FarBeyondDriven** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 10:48 am

it's a farm system. Isn't that obvious? It allows guys to keep their cardio and stay ready in the hopes they get called up. Meanwhile, really raw players can get professional training and a place to practice those skills during games.

Post #9 » by **BBallFreak** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 11:34 am

I don't know, a few teams know how to use it well. Miami and San Antonio come to mind. They regularly find gems.

JujitsuFlip · Post #10 » by **JujitsuFlip** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 11:59 am

ejftw wrote:It's goal is to try to be a farm system, but Adam Silver ruined that with the three two-way deals and not making it more of an exclusive connection from the big club to the G League side.

Mike Taylor is still my G League GOAT. First player drafted from said league and was an absolute one man fast break with some sick hops. Too bad off court issues rendered his career short.

What do you mean? All 30 teams now have their own G League affiliate, how much more exclusive do you want it to be?

Gant · Post #11 » by **Gant** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 12:33 pm

60% of current NBA players have played in the G league.

The NBA champions have six players who developed in the G league, including three in the regular rotation: White, Hauser, and Kornet.

brackdan70 · Post #12 » by **brackdan70** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 1:22 pm

It’s a farm system (Development league) and it works better than you might think in that respect.
Also provides a hoop career potential stepping stone in the US for guys not quite good enough for theNBA

Dan33185 · Post #13 » by **Dan33185** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 2:45 pm

MN is a team that has used the G-League exactly how it's supposed to be used. Naz Reid, Jordan McLaughlin, Luka Garza (I'm sure I'm missing some) have all signed multi year NBA contracts after playing in the G League. Nick Nurse was also a coach for the Iowa Energy (later to become the Iowa Wolves), so it's not just for player development.

TheNG · Post #14 » by **TheNG** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 2:59 pm

It's like the G-Spot. Most people know it exists, but very few actually care to find out what it's about.

Post #15 » by **eyriq** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 3:07 pm

Every team has an affiliate now. It'll increasingly be a true development league. The g-league rising star team was loaded with first round picks. I think we'll increasingly see draft and stash as a key player development strategy.

LuDux1 · Post #16 » by **LuDux1** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 3:09 pm

TheNG wrote:It's like the G-Spot. Most people know it exists, but very few actually care to find out what it's about.

Post #17 » by **Doctor MJ** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 3:13 pm

GrindCityHustle wrote:All three guys who finished top 3 in MVP voting i doubt will ever be contributors in the NBA.

What is the real point of the g league? I see some star player practice there back from injury but that's about it.

In 2k you can use it to bring a 68 level to a 81 level in 2 seasons if you do it right

Explain to me because I think I am missing the boat somewhere. It seems the minor leagues were better back in the day somehow.

The NBA started their own minor league because a successful minor league, the Continental Basketball Association, existed which the NBA did not own.

The NBA did it to kill anything resembling competition in one sphere of basketball.

This is also why the NBA created the WNBA.

The success/profit/usefulness of these leagues was always secondary in purpose to monopolizing pro American basketball.

Additionally, the Scoot Henderson era of the G-League was about trying to further that monopoly at college basketball’s success. That’s why they hyped Scott as a rival to Wemby.

Unfortunately for them, when Scoot got to the pros it became clear he got a much worse basketball education than you’d expect him to get in a good college program, so between that and NIL I think college ball remains safe.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

ejftw · Post #18 » by **ejftw** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 3:26 pm

JujitsuFlip wrote:
ejftw wrote:It's goal is to try to be a farm system, but Adam Silver ruined that with the three two-way deals and not making it more of an exclusive connection from the big club to the G League side.

Mike Taylor is still my G League GOAT. First player drafted from said league and was an absolute one man fast break with some sick hops. Too bad off court issues rendered his career short.

What do you mean? All 30 teams now have their own G League affiliate, how much more exclusive do you want it to be?

Teams owning a G League side in itself doesn't make it exclusive. Making it something similar to how MLS does it with the Next Pro League would be a better way to go.

I mean, if the Stockton Kings sign someone and develop him or he ends up being a gem that fell through the cracks, the Wizards being able to swoop them right away takes away from any sort of exclusivity. While in Next Pro, if Los Dos have a player that Inter Miami want, they can't just sign him, they would need to make an offer to Los Dos for said player.

kodo · Post #19 » by **kodo** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 3:30 pm

The MVPs aren't going to translate to the NBA well, because nobody is looking to the G-League for their next #1 option.
Guys like Caruso who can continue their role on the NBA level is what the G-League is useful for.

Also useful for young guys who can't find burn on the rotation. Bulls drafted Gafford but had no minutes, so he played in the G-League for a while.

JujitsuFlip · Post #20 » by **JujitsuFlip** » Sat Apr 5, 2025 3:52 pm

ejftw wrote:
JujitsuFlip wrote:
ejftw wrote:It's goal is to try to be a farm system, but Adam Silver ruined that with the three two-way deals and not making it more of an exclusive connection from the big club to the G League side.

Mike Taylor is still my G League GOAT. First player drafted from said league and was an absolute one man fast break with some sick hops. Too bad off court issues rendered his career short.

What do you mean? All 30 teams now have their own G League affiliate, how much more exclusive do you want it to be?

Teams owning a G League side in itself doesn't make it exclusive. Making it something similar to how MLS does it with the Next Pro League would be a better way to go.

I mean, if the Stockton Kings sign someone and develop him or he ends up being a gem that fell through the cracks, the Wizards being able to swoop them right away takes away from any sort of exclusivity. While in Next Pro, if Los Dos have a player that Inter Miami want, they can't just sign him, they would need to make an offer to Los Dos for said player.

I mean... They run the exact same offense and defense as the NBA parent club.

And its not like there is no protection for G League, they're just called two-way contracts, each NBA team gets 3 of them. There are also exhibit 10 contracts that keep prospects in the pipeline for 60 days.

What you're describing limits the players potential. Keep in mind, the NBA is a player driven league. If the Kings only see a player as a G League prospect and the Wizards see him as a NBA player, by all means that guy should go get his money and opportunity.

Purpose