All about the Fort Wayne Mad Ants

[Pacers Forever]

I’m hoping I can get a little more involved. My biggest problem is that I get so involved in following the Colts. I’m interested to see if the Mad Ants staff are developing future talent, acquiring good talent from other G league teams, or drafting good talent. I was looking at some info and it was interesting to see that the Mad Ants drafted Brissett after he had been on the Raptors G league team and was not brought back by them. I’m hoping the Pacers can continue to utilize the Mad Ants to an advantage although I realize a lot of that talent doesn’t make the NBA.

[Wizop]

I’m hoping the Pacers can continue to utilize the Mad Ants to an advantage although I realize a lot of that talent doesn’t make the NBA.

We use it for our two ways and the last cuts from our training camp. We own the team and hire the coaches who use our system. Locked on Pacers did a podcast a while back with their coach. It's worth a listen.

https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/lockedonpacers?selected=LKN9895978011

Sent from my phone.

[Pacers Forever]

I’m hoping the Pacers can continue to utilize the Mad Ants to an advantage although I realize a lot of that talent doesn’t make the NBA.

We use it for our two ways and the last cuts from our training camp. We own the team and hire the coaches who use our system. Locked on Pacers did a podcast a while back with their coach. It's worth a listen.

https://cms.megaphone.fm/channel/lockedonpacers?selected=LKN9895978011

Sent from my phone.

Thanks for the link I’ll check it out. I knew all about the uses of the Mad Ants and that we own the team.

What I was looking for is does anyone here go to the Mad Ants games when they play in Fort Wayne or elsewhere ? Or does anyone watch the Mad Ants in any broadcasts ?

Also if anyone lives in a different state do they go to their local G league games ?

[Pacers Forever]

Ok this question goes to Skoot or anyone more knowledgeable than him about the G league. Of course maybe one of the good things to come out of hiring Nate 2 is obtaining and /or calling up Brissett. I’m pretty sure the Pacers are taking notice of what Toronto is doing using their G league team to develop and promote players. They won the bubble this year I believe. Their young Center Boucher was a recent example. He started as a GS warrior and they cut him. Toronto signed him to either a 2 way or exhibit 10 and he eventually made it out of G league and onto Raptors roster.

My question is can the Mad Ants start signing a few experienced G league players who might break out to build a better roster for the Pacers to eventually promote from ? I know all G league players are free agents to the NBA. Just not sure how easily we could pilfer talent from other G league squads

Of course I know the Pacers can invite undrafted players to summer league and send their drafted rookies to summer league. I also know that they could send other bench players but that’s not relevant to strengthening the Mad Ants. A stronger Mad Ants can make for a stronger farm system.

Second question is how do they catch up to the top G league teams ? I don’t care for G league titles as much as having good talented players ready to break out getting developed and be worthy of getting a shot at strengthening the Pacers bench at minimal salary. I hope the Pacers are trying more to improve from the G league.

[Wizop]

Of course I know the Pacers can invite undrafted players to summer league and send their drafted rookies to summer league.

you can bring a player into training camp on an Exhibit 10 contract. if you then waive him, your G-League team can sign him without the player having to go through the G-League draft.

I was reading (or listening to a podcast) just today where it was said that college coaches are paid to win not to develop players. the G-League should be the opposite where winning isn't the object.

[Pacers Forever]

Of course I know the Pacers can invite undrafted players to summer league and send their drafted rookies to summer league.

you can bring a player into training camp on an Exhibit 10 contract. if you then waive him, your G-League team can sign him without the player having to go through the G-League draft.

I was reading (or listening to a podcast) just today where it was said that college coaches are paid to win not to develop players. the G-League should be the opposite where winning isn't the object.

Exactly they should develop players and the wins will come from the improved play.

[Scoot McGroot]

Ok this question goes to Skoot or anyone more knowledgeable than him about the G league. Of course maybe one of the good things to come out of hiring Nate 2 is obtaining and /or calling up Brissett. I’m pretty sure the Pacers are taking notice of what Toronto is doing using their G league team to develop and promote players. They won the bubble this year I believe. Their young Center Boucher was a recent example. He started as a GS warrior and they cut him. Toronto signed him to either a 2 way or exhibit 10 and he eventually made it out of G league and onto Raptors roster.

My question is can the Mad Ants start signing a few experienced G league players who might break out to build a better roster for the Pacers to eventually promote from ? I know all G league players are free agents to the NBA. Just not sure how easily we could pilfer talent from other G league squads

Of course I know the Pacers can invite undrafted players to summer league and send their drafted rookies to summer league. I also know that they could send other bench players but that’s not relevant to strengthening the Mad Ants. A stronger Mad Ants can make for a stronger farm system.

Second question is how do they catch up to the top G league teams ? I don’t care for G league titles as much as having good talented players ready to break out getting developed and be worthy of getting a shot at strengthening the Pacers bench at minimal salary. I hope the Pacers are trying more to improve from the G league.

I’m not super in on G-League stuff, but Tony East is a good twitter follow for that. However, there are some things I know.

G-League teams can retain talent they’ve had in the past. Teams trade rights to players somewhat often. These trades aren’t always based on value, but mostly fit. As teams change directions on the NBA level, they’ll change directions or systems on the G-League level to better train their players, and the G-League teams will adapt by trading bad fits for better fits.

Teams also can gain the rights to players by having players in the NBA training camp, or being the last team to waive someone. This is the reason you’ll see some teams cycle through waiver claims during the last cuts of training camp. If you are the last team to waive a guy, you generally get priority placement for them in assignment to your G League team. You’ll see some teams claim a guy and immediately waive them, even if it means you have to pay them 1 day’s worth of NBA salaries. Team’s can claim up to 4 players per year as an “affiliate player” where they get to steer training camp cuts into their G-League team.

Teams can sign guys for the NBA big league camp with what’s called an Exhibit 10 contract, where, if you give them a bonus of no more than $50k, they can receive that bonus payment if they are with that teams G-League affiliate for 60 days. Players who sign contracts with the G-League directly are drafted each year. Vets who haven’t signed with the G-League directly before (though may have been assigned from the NBA for injury rehab), undrafted rookies, and national G-League tryout guys are all eligible for the draft (this is how we acquired Brissett).

Teams can also hold local tryouts each year and invite up to 4 players to join their G-League team. These players don’t have to go through the draft since they tried out locally, and this is an effort to help get maybe missed prospects from local areas to play with a local team and help sell tickets for the G-League team.

This is where the random workouts you’ll see the Pacers have in (like Mangas) come into play. They may be getting a better look for the benefit of the G-League team, even if they’re not inviting the player to the NBA camp.

[Scoot McGroot]

Parking this here as it could be kind of a GLeague catch all.

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Also, the Mad Ants will be playing a handful of games in Indy and practicing in Indy for part of the season, in an attempt to maximize the practice time.

[Wizop]

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[Pacers Forever]

Will be interesting to hear if the attendance will spike playing in Indy vs Ft Wayne for a few games. I’m sure there’s many benefits for the Mad Ants players training and practicing in Indy at the new Pacers facility.

[Pacers Forever]

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[Scoot McGroot]

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[Pacers Forever]

Mad Ants also took York, Allen, and DuBose in the draft Saturday.

Daxter Miles Jr. is the only returning player.

Anderson they acquired rights from last season trade.

Summer league participants
Boatwright got hurt
Washington -Pacers drafted for 2 way deal
Jarreau 2 way deal
Sykes
Taylor

Pacers Training camp
Hinton

Have no idea where these dudes are from
Bandoo
Craig
Crews
Culver
Domingo

[Wizop]

Have no idea where these dudes are from

Anderson, Boatwright, and Culver were signed on the 15th and waived on the 16th allowing the Ants to sign them without using draft picks.

[Pacers Forever]

Have no idea where these dudes are from

Anderson, Boatwright, and Culver were signed on the 15th and waived on the 16th allowing the Ants to sign them without using draft picks.

I knew there was 3 players but couldn’t remember which ones. Some of these others could be camp bodies trying to catch on.

[Scoot McGroot]

Have no idea where these dudes are from

Anderson, Boatwright, and Culver were signed on the 15th and waived on the 16th allowing the Ants to sign them without using draft picks.

I knew there was 3 players but couldn’t remember which ones. Some of these others could be camp bodies trying to catch on.

Yup. You’ll notice most of them have “Tryout” listed as their course of affiliation with the team.

[Scoot McGroot]

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