Leonsis, Wizards consider St. Elizabeths site for practice facility

[doclinkin]

The proximity to Barry Farms is intriguing, with guys like KD showing up to play in summers Inside Da Gates. Maybe the Goodman League standouts will audition for a local D-League squad and tap into some of that untouched under represented local DC BMore talent.

[montestewart]

Wizards should have its own D-League team there, and they should make a big gesture, directly addressing the rising violence in DC in general and particularly in Anacostia. Name the team the Peacemakers and get the D-League and A-Teams more heavily involved in fighting the violence. Plus, Peacemakers would be a stealth reference to Bullets.

[manifested]

This is great news. I've never heard of a D-League affiliate being so close to the NBA team, but I think it could have some advantages sharing the space. Hopefully that translates into a real development pipeline. I'd much rather we call up a D-League affiliate player to late season 10 day contracts than our annual 35 year old vet with nothing left.

That kind of setup reminds me more of a European soccer club where they've got their reserve team practicing along with their top players. The schedules won't match up as well in the NBA, but anytime you can get the young guys around the pros (training camp, a few practices here and there) it's a positive.

[closg00]

“Obviously, it’s not the optimum type of situation for us,” Wizards General Manager Ernie Grunfeld said. “But down the road we’ll look into that. Obviously we’re looking into having our own D-league team and if we do have one it’ll be playing” at St. Elizabeths.

If Leonsis waits until the complex is built to field a D-League team, that club likely wouldn’t begin play until the 2018-19 campaign.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wizards-insider/wp/2015/09/17/wizards-to-start-serious-discussions-about-securing-d-league-team/

[dobrojim]

I was a lot more impressed hearing about this before I heard about the publicly financed
aspects of it. Yes, Ted is putting up some money but it seems like he's getting a sweetheart
deal. I probably shouldn't be surprised.

[closg00]

Ernie must be very pleased, with no Wizard D-League affiliation for the next 4 years probably, he can dump those 2nd round picks like a boss.

[AFM]

Renderings
http://dc.curbed.com/archives/2015/09/washington-wizards-practice-facility-rendering.php