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Iowa Wolves/G League talk

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Iowa Wolves/G League talk 

Post#1 » by Klomp » Thu Oct 27, 2016 6:53 am

I've been considering starting a topic like this for a while. The topic seems to come up off and on, and a D-League affiliate for the Timberwolves isn't far off.

Read on Twitter


There was also this from a week ago:

3. Sacramento on Thursday became the 15th NBA team to own or operate a D League franchise when they bought control of the Reno Bighorns. In time, all 30 NBA teams likely will have their own D League team. That, of course, would include the Wolves, who right now have no affiliation with such a team. Potential cities for them to strike such an arrangement include places like Rochester, St. Cloud, Fargo, Sioux Falls, Des Moines and Omaha.

“We’re still studying,” said Thibodeau, also the Wolves’ president of basketball operations. “The way we are now, the way we’re built, our young players are playing here. Eventually down the road, you’re going to see most teams will have one. It’s on the horizon, but it’s not immediate.”

When asked if it will happen in the next year or two, he said, “Probably.”


http://www.startribune.com/wiggins-muhammad-return-possible-for-friday-s-preseason-finale/397817801/

Two of the cities mentioned by Zgoda above currently have NBADL teams: Des Moines and Sioux Falls. However the affiliation agreements for both franchises only run through the end of this season. Theoretically, the Wolves could take over control of one of the franchises, either from Memphis (Iowa Energy) or Miami (Sioux Falls Skyforce) if a new D-League franchise pops up down in their regions.

To me, that's the best-case scenario, especially if it's Sioux Falls. Sioux Falls embraces the Skyforce and Sioux Falls has a good chunk of Wolves fans, so I'm sure they'd welcome a tie-in to the organization. It's where Flip Saunders spent a season before joining the Wolves front office in 1995. And frankly, Miami doesn't make sense as a majority of franchises are linking up with an NBADL affiliate in their regions. Sioux Falls and Miami have next to nothing in common. The D-League needs to hopefully expand towards the southeast and Miami is a perfect choice to start that push.

Something to keep an eye on over the next year or two.
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk 

Post#2 » by Klomp » Thu Oct 27, 2016 6:53 am

There's also the recent talk of roster expansion in the new CBA to allow for two two-way contracts per team.

Tucked away at the bottom of that scoop were a few nuggets sure to make D-League junkies rejoice. Wojnarowski reports that under this new CBA, there would be provisions for two-way contracts and extra roster spots for players on these hybrid deals, features that push the D-League forward towards being a true minor league system.

Two-way contracts are essentially a no-brainer addition to the system, and probably should have been put in sooner. These types of deals, which Wojnarowski reports will be signed with the NBA and NBADL, would pay players based on whether or not they were in the D-League or on a call-up to their NBA team.

There would be also be 16th and 17th roster spots added for these contracts, meaning teams wouldn’t have to worry about the calculus between keeping a developing player versus a proven contributor at the end of their bench when finalizing their roster at the end of training camps.

For example, say in a hypothetical scenario a team like the Los Angeles Lakers had to trim their roster down to the league mandated 15 players entering the regular season and were deliberating between keeping a developing player or a veteran for the final spot.

Under the current system, the Lakers would have to either keep a player they didn’t think could give them minutes yet but might have longer term upside, or cut them in favor of a more league-tested player and hope the younger prospect would stay with their D-League team. Even if the prospect didn’t head overseas instead of making a pittance in the D-League, under the current system any other NBA team could call them up.

With the changes Wojnarowski is reporting, however, this would no longer be a concern. The Lakers could keep their veteran insurance policy on the roster and let their potential diamond in the rough ply his trade with the D-Fenders, all without having to stress over another team swiping him out from under their noses if he plays well.

If the team decides they want to call him up to give him some run with the big boys, then they also wouldn’t have to think about the added variable of only being able to offer two 10-day contracts per season before either keeping the player for the season or letting them go for the year like under the current system, either. They could pay the player an NBA rate for the games he plays with the team, and he would return to making his D-League salary again if sent back down.


http://www.ridiculousupside.com/2016/10/20/13354546/nba-cba-lockout-details-news-d-league-players-association-la-lakers-d-fenders
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk 

Post#3 » by minimus » Sat Jan 14, 2017 6:32 pm

Do we have a free spot now? Should we sign somebody from D-League to test?
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk 

Post#4 » by Klomp » Sat Jan 14, 2017 6:40 pm

minimus wrote:Do we have a free spot now? Should we sign somebody from D-League to test?

Guessing the plan is to keep the open roster spot for max flexibility as we approach the trade deadline.
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk 

Post#5 » by Klomp » Mon Jan 23, 2017 8:07 pm

Read on Twitter
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk (Wolves to purchase Iowa Energy) 

Post#6 » by C.lupus » Mon Jan 23, 2017 8:19 pm

:thumbsup:
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk (Wolves to purchase Iowa Energy) 

Post#7 » by Sugarless » Mon Jan 23, 2017 8:55 pm

Excellent news for the franchise.

The NBA is going to benefit a lot in the coming years as the NBDL gets a more prominent role and the CBA continues to include new ways to take advantage of the development league.
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk (Wolves to purchase Iowa Energy) 

Post#8 » by Klomp » Mon Jan 23, 2017 8:59 pm

Strong feeling that Tyus Jones will be assigned to the club next year.

Any thoughts on head coaches? Would it be a slap in the face for Ryan Saunders to be HC? Personally, I think he'd be a great choice.
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk (Wolves to purchase Iowa Energy) 

Post#9 » by Killboard » Mon Jan 23, 2017 9:24 pm

Klomp wrote:Strong feeling that Tyus Jones will be assigned to the club next year.

Any thoughts on head coaches? Would it be a slap in the face for Ryan Saunders to be HC? Personally, I think he'd be a great choice.


I dont think is a slap at all. Great organizations (instert Spurs) are running their own offensive and defensive schemes in their D-League affiliates to
1) ease the transition of young talent
2) develop players in those systems before go up in the level of skill/athleticism
3) find high upside/low risk guys who can flourish in those schemes.

A young coach with good player development skills is an need, and if he can add 1 guy to the rotation of the wolves for season it will talk a lot about his coaching skills.
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk (Wolves to purchase Iowa Energy) 

Post#10 » by King Malta » Mon Jan 23, 2017 10:44 pm

I think Saunders would be the clear choice if you're talking about the current staff, I don't feel it'd be a slap in the face at all. If he has aspirations of being a head coach himself one day then this would be a good step in that direction.
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk (Wolves to purchase Iowa Energy) 

Post#11 » by Calinks » Mon Jan 23, 2017 11:56 pm

Great news, I think it would be a good assignment for Saunders as well. Don't think Tyus needs to go down there though next season.

Do they re-brand the the bought franchises or will it stay the energy?
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk (Wolves to purchase Iowa Energy) 

Post#12 » by My Main Man » Tue Jan 24, 2017 12:01 am

Dumb question but what happens to the current Energy's players contracts? I assume some of them were sent there by an NBA team that still have them signed. Do those players get moved to an unaffiliated team or do they stay? Kind of excited to take a trip down and check them out.
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk (Wolves to purchase Iowa Energy) 

Post#13 » by C.lupus » Tue Jan 24, 2017 12:16 am

My Main Man wrote:Dumb question but what happens to the current Energy's players contracts? I assume some of them were sent there by an NBA team that still have them signed. Do those players get moved to an unaffiliated team or do they stay? Kind of excited to take a trip down and check them out.

The Energy are currently affiliated with Memphis. I guess the team is a mix of Grizzlies-associated players and regular D-Leaguers. I'd imagine the Grizzlies guys would be gone along with coaching staff.
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk (Wolves to purchase Iowa Energy) 

Post#14 » by Klomp » Tue Jan 24, 2017 12:42 am

My Main Man wrote:Dumb question but what happens to the current Energy's players contracts? I assume some of them were sent there by an NBA team that still have them signed. Do those players get moved to an unaffiliated team or do they stay? Kind of excited to take a trip down and check them out.

Not a dumb question, as I asked the same on Twitter today.

The DLeague operates a bit differently in that the player contracts are one-year deals with the league, not a specific team. However, when a player stays in the league from one season to the next, he stays with the team he played for. Since the Iowa Energy simply transferred ownership and Memphis is getting an expansion team, players on the roster that aren't on assignment from the NBA should stay a part of the franchise if I'm understanding it correctly.

That being said, if these players are still in the DLeague next year, they should still be on the Iowa roster:
11 Quinton Chievous F 6' 6" 225 Hampton/United States
18 Perry Jones III F 6' 11" 235 Baylor/USA
20 Cartier Martin F 6' 7" 220 Kansas State/USA
4 DeAndre Mathieu G 5' 9" 165 Minnesota/USA
32 DeAngelo Riley F 6' 9" 235 Azusa Pacific/United States
9 Wes Washpun G 6' 1" 175 Northern Iowa/USA
6 Terry Whisnant G 6' 3" 185 East Carolina/United States
34 Amir Williams C 6' 11" 250 Ohio State/USA

One of them stands out as intriguing, at least to me anyways.
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk (Wolves to purchase Iowa Energy) 

Post#15 » by Klomp » Tue Jan 24, 2017 1:02 am

The Energy GM did a radio interview today, and answered some questions about the transition: http://kxno.iheart.com/onair/the-sports-fanatics-with-chris-williams-55984/listen-iowa-energy-gm-chris-makris-15495533/
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk (Wolves to purchase Iowa Energy) 

Post#16 » by Klomp » Tue Jan 24, 2017 1:08 am

Reminder about the new two-way contracts, starting next season:

With two-way contracts between the NBA and NBA Development League, teams can control the development of younger players in the D-League without the fear of losing them to other teams. The union gets more jobs for players with each team able to have 16th and 17th roster spots for players shuttling between leagues. For some players, this will make it more financially feasible to pass over more lucrative overseas contracts to stay in the NBA/D-League.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba-players-association-agree-to-new-seven-year-cba-012903335.html
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk (Wolves to purchase Iowa Energy) 

Post#17 » by andyhop » Tue Jan 24, 2017 3:37 am

Klomp wrote:Any thoughts on head coaches? Would it be a slap in the face for Ryan Saunders to be HC? Personally, I think he'd be a great choice.


Seems like a guy who is reputed to be a good player developer is exactly the type of guy the Wolves need on their coaching staff not their D-League team given its make up.
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk (Wolves to purchase Iowa Energy) 

Post#18 » by minimus » Tue Jan 24, 2017 4:34 am

This is very important step forward. I hope to see us developing players like Miami and SAS do.
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk (Wolves to purchase Iowa Energy) 

Post#19 » by karch34 » Tue Jan 24, 2017 4:50 am

It's about time!
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Re: Minnesota D-League Talk (Wolves to purchase Iowa Energy) 

Post#20 » by My Main Man » Tue Jan 24, 2017 4:55 am

Klomp wrote:
My Main Man wrote:Dumb question but what happens to the current Energy's players contracts? I assume some of them were sent there by an NBA team that still have them signed. Do those players get moved to an unaffiliated team or do they stay? Kind of excited to take a trip down and check them out.

Not a dumb question, as I asked the same on Twitter today.

The DLeague operates a bit differently in that the player contracts are one-year deals with the league, not a specific team. However, when a player stays in the league from one season to the next, he stays with the team he played for. Since the Iowa Energy simply transferred ownership and Memphis is getting an expansion team, players on the roster that aren't on assignment from the NBA should stay a part of the franchise if I'm understanding it correctly.

That being said, if these players are still in the DLeague next year, they should still be on the Iowa roster:
11 Quinton Chievous F 6' 6" 225 Hampton/United States
18 Perry Jones III F 6' 11" 235 Baylor/USA
20 Cartier Martin F 6' 7" 220 Kansas State/USA
4 DeAndre Mathieu G 5' 9" 165 Minnesota/USA
32 DeAngelo Riley F 6' 9" 235 Azusa Pacific/United States
9 Wes Washpun G 6' 1" 175 Northern Iowa/USA
6 Terry Whisnant G 6' 3" 185 East Carolina/United States
34 Amir Williams C 6' 11" 250 Ohio State/USA

One of them stands out as intriguing, at least to me anyways.


That's the one that jumped out to me. If he were on another NBA team right now, I'd trade Payne for him in a heartbeat.

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