Not too long ago, our TrueHoop Network brethren from the aptly named NBA D-League blog D-League Digest asked us for our take on how the Pacers have used the developmental system since it was founded in 2001.
Here’s what my partner in crime Tim Donahue had to say.
To my knowledge, the Pacers have never used the D-League at all. If I remember correctly, their original affiliate was Albuquerque, and now it’s Fort Wayne. They have never called anybody up. They have never sent anybody down. I suppose D-League supporters would give this approach an F. I give it an A+. As currently constituted, I see no value in the D-League, and I don’t think it is helpful for the Pacers’ young players to play there.
Fair enough. I’m not really on-board with that stance and think that the farm system has plenty of value even if it isn’t exactly as perfect as the MLB brand. Then again, there are definitely some flaws and Tim makes some good points, which you should go over there and read in full. (It’s only like two more paragraphs.)
Matt Moore’s pro-D-League stance runs much deeper than mine, however, and he is diametrically opposed to the veritable Mr. Donahue, as you can see immediately from the grade he gives.
Matt Moore’s Explanation: F. FAIL.
Along those lines, here’s D-League Digest’s final assessment for the Pacers, the Central Division team that got the lowest overall grade.
I couldn’t disagree more with my TrueHoop Network colleague on this one. While I understand Tim Donahue’s point about the Pacers sharing their affiliate with other NBA teams, I don’t think that’s a viable excuse for a franchise like Indiana to essentially boycott the D-League. And if that’s what’s holding them back, then they should take the lead from a fellow small-market former ABA franchise, the Spurs, and purchase their own affiliate. Basically everything that the Spurs do right with personnel and player development, the Pacers do wrong — or at least less successfully.
If D-League Digest take is one extreme (there’s more to it, including a Jonathan Bender mention) and Tim’s take is the other extreme, my assessment probably falls almost exactly in the middle.
What say you, Pacers fans?
Related Posts:
- Looking at VORP with Colorful Charts, Vol. 3: Matt Moore on Usage and PER
- The Pacers Are a Summer League “Winner”
- Free Agency Begins, Pacers Pick Up Purdue’s Chris Kramer for Summer League
Jared Wade founded 8 Points, 9 Seconds in 2009 and has written about the NBA at outlets including ESPN.com, Hoopspeak, Both Teams Played Hard, and Hardwood Paroxysm. Follow him on Twitter @Jared_Wade or @8pts9secs.
{ 1 trackback }
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Hmmm. This is tricky but interesting. Every team, not just Indy, should desire some sort of remedial league to help salvage the value of players. However, if you’re looking just looking to give a guy and all-around second chance to prove himself, you’re probably better off to send him to a good overseas league where he can play into a team organically, rather than a U.S. scrap league full of guys simply playing out their NBA contracts till they can go overseas anyway. Therefore, I think the D-League should not be structured to have specific affiliates of NBA teams. The whole DL should be a tool for every NBA team. Coaches should be hired to help with specific types of development projects. For example, a player needing to work on the low-post should be sent to a team with a coach who has a strong background in this area. A PG needing to work on passing might go to another team with an experienced PG coach. NBADL coaches should not worry about W-L records (who cares anyway?), but they should get bonuses based on developing guys who get called back up by their NBA teams. These guys (maybe gals, too?) should get paid like NBA assistant coaches who have real value. Coaching in the NBADL is mostly considered exile. Not conducive to success. The D-League needs totally different incentives. It’s sort of a “Bull Durham” approach, for lack of a better term. I’ve watched a few games on Versus but couldn’t see the point in slop ball. I would tune in to see if a Pacers 3rd round prospect–or an injured Tyler Hansborough–is progressing toward a return to the NBA, regardless of the team or whether it is winning.
In Indiana’s semi-defense, they did try to call up Marcus Williams last season, but he refused it. Still not sure why, he may have been expecting to get one plus a training camp invite from the Spurs, but he ended up with Indiana’s Summer League team anyway, minus the money he would’ve made being on their roster at the end of last year.
That said, there’s definitely a lot more they could do. As to Tim Donihue’s comment, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants have a fantastic coaching staff with a good track record of improving players’ games. Ramon Sessions is the one most often mentioned with FW’s coach Joey Meyer, but they also were able to mold Oliver Lafayette into a call-up-able player last season, and please believe me when I say he was really, really terrible two years ago. Rob Kurz also developed a low post game last season under Fort Wayne’s watch after being nothing but a three-point shooter two years ago, and he got a call-up with the Bulls (and had a few other teams interested in him).
It would be a good place to stash those second rounders or other rookies we’re not sure of. Wouldn’t it be great if we’d gone through the Lance Stephenson revelation with him a Mad Ant rather than a Pacer? Or have a chance for a player to show they’re unwilling to lay off the smoke down in the D-League rather than in ‘the bigs?’
I know we don’t use the D-League as baseball franchises traditionally use their farm systems, but I wouldn’t mind seeing a move towards it. It’s a controlled environment, to some extent, that lets you see if some kid’s ‘tremendous upside’ is going to pan out or blow out. It would let you speculate on a lot more players…tie them to a D-League deal, and see what happens.
Not only do we not use it to develop talent, but we should use it to fill roster spots. I guess we feel McBob is going to be good, but I would rather see us just have a revolving door on roster spot 15 of guys trying to prove they are assets, much like Warriors.
often i look at the moves made by nba teams –the timberwolves and the grizzlies, most obviously– and think: how can these full-time professionals being paid millions of dollars to effectively run a billion dollar business know less about basketball and make worse moves than any regular nba fan would preside over? how does such institutionalized idiocy get a pass?
and then i read comments like tim donahue’s, and realize that there actually are nba fans out there who have the same idiotic ideas as front-office goons. the d-league isn’t of use? think of the teams that best utilize the d-league: the spurs, thunder, rockets, and jazz jump out. aren’t those, y’know, the best-run, most creative organizations in the league?
clearly the pacers should continue ignoring the d-league; they’ve been such a rousing success over the past five years, haven’t they…
Unless I missed it in this article, or from recent memory, are there any success stories worth mentioning concerning D-league call ups? I’m reading how the Spurs have used it successfully, but to what extent? Does anybody know any good stories? If not then I’d say it’s an open and shut case.
Kevin,
There are plenty of great stories and typically players become just 7-10th men, but they are productive. There have been many players start in the DLeague.I believe Stephen Jackson is one such story (though it was the CBA not DLeague back then). Currently, Reggie Williams for Golden State is an example. Kelenna Azubuike and C.J. Watson are a few former Warriors who have had success. Matt Barnes, Will Bynum, Sundiata Gaines, Von Wafer are just a few more and all the aforementioned could have been signed by ANY team.
Then there is the fact that the DLeague could be used to develop players. Who is the last guy we have sent down? I can’t remember. Guys like Aaron Brooks and Bill Walker are two good examples.
Granted, there are not going to be any All Stars, typically, come from the DLeague, however, there is plenty of benefits to be gained by being a proactive team when it comes to cycling in players.