D-League Affiliations For 2014/15
The system of partnerships between NBA and D-League teams will take on a new look this year, with 17 of the D-League’s 18 clubs in one-to-one setups with their NBA parents. For the 13 NBA teams without a direct affiliate, new rules will help them accommodate the players they wish to send on D-League assignment this season, the league announced.
The Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the only D-League team that’s not in a one-to-one partnership, serve as the affiliate for those 13 NBA teams. They’re allowed to carry a maximum of four NBA players on D-League assignment and two at any one position. Should the Mad Ants be unable to accommodate a player on assignment from one of their 13 NBA partners, the D-League will allow the NBA team to pick from a pool of other D-League clubs that volunteer to accept the player. If no D-League teams volunteer, the D-League will hold a lottery to determine the player’s destination.
It appears to be a complex system that could slow the process of sending a player on assignment and make it especially difficult for any NBA team without a one-to-one affiliate to liberally shuttle players back and forth. Still, there’s a wide dichotomy in the use of the D-League, as some NBA teams pull players back and forth multiple times each week while others go entire seasons without sending anyone down.
As we wait to see how the revamped system works out, here’s each NBA team and its affiliate for the coming season. Teams without a one-to-one affiliation are marked with an asterisk.
- *Atlanta Hawks — Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- Boston Celtics — Maine Red Claws
- *Brooklyn Nets — Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- *Charlotte Hornets — Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- *Chicago Bulls — Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- Cleveland Cavaliers — Canton Charge
- Dallas Mavericks — Texas Legends
- *Denver Nuggets — Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- Detroit Pistons — Grand Rapids Drive
- Golden State Warriors — Santa Cruz Warriors
- Houston Rockets — Rio Grande Valley Vipers
- *Indiana Pacers — Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- *Los Angeles Clippers — Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- Los Angeles Lakers — Los Angeles D-Fenders
- Memphis Grizzlies — Iowa Energy
- Miami Heat — Sioux Falls Skyforce
- *Milwaukee Bucks — Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- *Minnesota Timberwolves — Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- *New Orleans Pelicans — Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- New York Knicks — Westchester Knicks
- Oklahoma City Thunder — Oklahoma City (nickname TBA; former Tulsa 66ers moved to Oklahoma City)
- Orlando Magic — Erie BayHawks
- Philadelphia 76ers — Delaware 76ers
- Phoenix Suns — Bakersfield Jam
- *Portland Trail Blazers — Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- Sacramento Kings — Reno Bighorns
- San Antonio Spurs — Austin Spurs
- *Toronto Raptors — Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- Utah Jazz — Idaho Stampede
- *Washington Wizards — Fort Wayne Mad Ants
Pistons Work Out Denzel Bowles
The Pistons are putting free agent center Denzel Bowles through a workout today, and there’s a distinct possibility the former James Madison standout will be auditioning for the Bulls, too, a source tells Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter link).
The 6’10” Bowles has played overseas each of the past three seasons after going undrafted in 2011, with stops in Lithuania, the Philippines and China. He joined the Nuggets for summer league in July, averaging 5.0 points and 4.2 rebounds in 17.7 minutes per contest. His numbers were more impressive in China last season, when he put up 26.0 PPG and 8.6 RPG in 32.5 MPG in 34 appearances with the Jilin Northeast Tigers.
The Pistons wouldn’t offer Bowles much opportunity to make the opening night roster if they were to add him for training camp, since they’re already carrying 16 guaranteed deals, as our roster counts show. It’s possible that the Pistons envision bringing Bowles to camp so they can get an extended look at him for down the road and so that they can retain his D-League rights for their new one-to-one affiliate. The Bulls have only 12 guaranteed pacts, but they haven’t carried more than 13 players on opening night in any of the last three seasons, as I pointed out. Chicago is among a host of teams targeting Ray Allen, and it would make sense that the contending Bulls would prioritize adding a veteran.
Teams Without Full Rosters On Opening Night
The Bulls have deals with 12 players, fewer than any other team in the NBA, as our roster counts show. They’ll surely make additions in the two weeks that remain before the start of training camp, but it would be somewhat surprising to see any more than one of the players they’ll be signing soon remain on the roster come opening night. Chicago is the only team in the NBA to start each of the last three regular seasons with the NBA-minimum 13 players on the roster.
Financial concerns are often at the root of a team’s decision not to carry a full complement of 15 players. There’s little call for the 14th and 15th men on a team’s roster, especially considering that only 13 players can be active for any single game, and rather than shoulder the cost of their salaries, teams like the Bulls have cut corners. Of course, rarely do players occupying spots Nos. 14 and 15 on a roster make more than the minimum salary, but as Chicago’s tightrope-walking with the luxury tax line demonstrated last season, every dollar counts.
Short opening-night rosters don’t preclude a team from success. The ever-contending Spurs carried 13 players to begin the 2011/12 season and have had just 14 as each of the last two regular seasons has begun. The Spurs have 14 fully guaranteed deals for this coming season, so history bodes poorly for Bryce Cotton, Josh Davis and JaMychal Green, each of whom has a partial guarantee of less than $100K. San Antonio’s reluctance to carry 15 players in recent years is also an ominous sign for the prospect that restricted free agent Aron Baynes will be back in black-and-silver. Still, the team continues to scour the market, having shown interest in Allen, Julyan Stone, Ryan Hollins and others, so it seems a distinct possibility that the Spurs will buck their trend and carry 15, or perhaps stay at 14 and shed one of the fully guaranteed deals on their books to make room for someone else.
The Clippers have carried 14 players on opening night each of the past three seasons, whether it was former GM Neil Olshey, a triumrivate of Gary Sacks, Vinny Del Negro and Andy Roeser, or current president of basketball operations Doc Rivers in charge of player personnel. The difference this year is that Donald Sterling is no longer around, replaced by Steve Ballmer, who’s already demonstrated a willingness to spare no expense, having dropped $2 billion to buy the franchise and having committed more than $50MM over the next five years to Rivers. That gives rise to the idea that the Clippers, who have 13 known fully guaranteed deals plus one for Hedo Turkoglu that’s presumably fully guaranteed, will make room for one more.
Other teams have carried fewer than 15 twice in the last three years. Oklahoma City has begun each of the past two regular seasons at 14 players, a foreboding precedent for Lance Thomas, who’s the only one of the 15 players the Thunder are currently carrying who’s without a fully guaranteed deal. The Pacers, who have only 13 fully guaranteed deals as it stands, have started the regular season with 14 players in each of the last two seasons that president of basketball operations Larry Bird has been at the helm. The Grizzlies have entered the regular season with only 13 players in both of the past two seasons, but after an offseason shakeup restored GM Chris Wallace to power, there’s reason to suspect that Memphis will at least keep the 14 players on fully guaranteed deals whom they currently possess. The Celtics have twice carried 14, but their roster is bloated with 21 deals, a logjam that’s prevented them from officially signing Evan Turner. A handful of other organizations have also kept an open roster spot on two of the last three opening nights, but all of them have seen regime changes in the front office over that time.
The 2011 lockout appeared to have an effect on the opening-night rosters for the 2011/12 season, when nearly half the league started with fewer than 15 players. Still, nearly a third of the league has done so in each of the past two seasons, and surely there will be open roster spots when the regular season commences late next month, to the disappointment of many camp invitees. Here’s a look at each team to have started the regular season at less than the 15-man roster maximum over the past three years. Those that began with 13 have (13) by their names.
2013/14
- Boston Celtics
- Chicago Bulls (13)
- Golden State Warriors
- Indiana Pacers
- L.A. Clippers
- Memphis Grizzlies (13)
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Phoenix Suns
- San Antonio Spurs
2012/13
- Atlanta Hawks
- Charlotte Hornets (then known as the Bobcats)
- Chicago Bulls (13)
- L.A. Clippers
- Memphis Grizzlies (13)
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Sacramento Kings
- San Antonio Spurs
2011/12
- Boston Celtics
- Charlotte Hornets (then known as the Bobcats)
- Chicago Bulls (13)
- Dallas Mavericks
- Detroit Pistons (13)
- Golden State Warriors
- Indiana Pacers (13)
- L.A. Clippers (13)
- New York Knicks
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Phoenix Suns (13)
- Sacramento Kings
- San Antonio Spurs (13)
- Utah Jazz (13)
RealGM was used in the creation of this post.
Cavs Audition Lou Amundson
The Cavs worked out Lou Amundson last week, a source tells Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype (Twitter link). They’re among the teams that the Mark Bartelstein client is considering with training camps set to open in two weeks, Sierra adds.
Amundson has been a free agent since the middle of July, shortly after the Bulls released his non-guaranteed deal. That was no surprise, since the Bulls signed him late last season chiefly so he could serve as a trade chip, and it never appeared as though Chicago had any intention of keeping him into this coming season. The 31-year-old has bounced around quite a bit, having played for five teams in the last four seasons after a successful run in Phoenix’s rotation. He’s been exclusively on minimum-salary contracts the past two seasons, and it’d be surprising to see him land more than that for this year. Cleveland is limited to giving out no more than the minimum.
The Cavs have been looking for rim protection of late, and though he’s listed at just 6’9″, Amundson has recorded 2.0 blocks per 36 minutes over the course of his eight years in the NBA. Cleveland already has deals with 18 players, but only 12 of them have fully guaranteed pacts. Anderson Varejao, who’s set to play a prominent role in the team’s frontcourt rotation as usual, is one of four Cavs with partially guaranteed deals.
Hoops Rumors On Facebook/Twitter/RSS
Eric Bledsoe has hesitated to sign a new deal all offseason, but he’s going to have to do so within the next two weeks if he intends to go to training camp. The same goes for Ray Allen and every other desirable free agent still on the market. There are a handful of ways you can follow us to keep tabs on the latest news and rumors as these players finally make their decisions.
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And-Ones: Rubio, Ayon, Garnett, Karasev
Wolves guard Ricky Rubio told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports that he never tried to talk Kevin Love out of asking for a trade. “If he wanted to leave, there’s no reason to talk to him about it,” Rubio said. “I really liked playing with him, but I’ll play with the players who want to be there. Kevin wants to win. That’s normal. He’s been there six years without the playoffs. I understand. If I was in the same situation – being one of the best players in the league – and not being able to be in the playoffs, I’d have a lot of frustration, too.” When asked about his own future, Rubio said that he is “loyal” and wants to give back to the organization. The guard can be a restricted free agent next summer if he doesn’t sign an extension. Here’s tonight’s look around the Association..
- The Spurs continue to eye center Gustavo Ayon, tweets Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops.net. Ayon is reportedly on his way to play for Spain’s Real Madrid, but no deal with the team can become official until he comes up with the equivalent of about $376K to pay off Spanish rival FC Barcelona, which holds his European rights, according to Javier Maestro of Encestando (translation via HoopsHype).
- There has been some retirement speculation surrounding Kevin Garnett but the veteran has been one of “about ten” players who have already been working out at the Nets‘ East Rutherford, New Jersey practice facility, team insiders tell Robert Windrem of Nets Daily.
- Anthony Puccio of Nets Daily ran down the best pickups made by the Nets this offseason. Trade acquisitions Sergey Karasev and Jarrett Jack make the list as well as 2011 first-round pick Bojan Bogdanovic. Bogdanovic, 25, may be an NBA rookie but he comes with seven seasons of international experience and should be ready to hit the ground running.
- According to his Pistons preview, Adi Joseph of USA TODAY has the franchise improving their win total slightly, but still missing the playoffs.
Q&A With Bucks Guard Elijah Millsap
After signing a non-guaranteed deal with the Bucks last week, well-traveled guard/forward Elijah Millsap is hopeful that he’s finally found an NBA home. Millsap has put up star numbers in the D-League and has shown serious scoring ability from Israel to the Philippines. Now, he wants to fulfill his lifelong dream by playing on the world’s biggest stage. Hoops Rumors caught up with the Hazan Sports Management client late last week to discuss his journey and what he hopes to bring to Milwaukee this season.
Zach Links: What do you feel like you can bring to an NBA team and, specifically, the Bucks?
Elijah Millsap: I think what I bring is maturity, I’ve been a professional for over four years so I’m not really a rookie, I’m a professional and I think that’ll be an asset for any NBA team. I’ve been around the system for a while and that’s one thing I can bring to a team. My versatility is also a major asset. I can play the 1, the 2, or the 3 and I can guard multiple positions. 
ZL: What’s your best position?
EM: I don’t really have one, I can do it all. I’ve been working at the 2 and 3 this summer though.
ZL: How many other teams were you getting interest from before you signed a non-guaranteed deal with the Bucks?
EM: I don’t deal with that stuff directly so I think I’ll let my agent answer that.
Daniel Hazan (agent): We were talking with numerous teams, even before the summer league got started and I think what was most appealing to us, was the idea of being a part of a young team and being able to add a maturity to that group of guys. I think the Bucks are a team that could benefit from Elijah, not just because of his ability to play D and get to the rim, but they can benefit from his leadership skills.
ZL: Is there another player currently in the NBA that you would compare your skillset to?
EM: Not really. There are a lot of guys that I look up to on the defensive end that have been in my situation though. Guys like P.J. Tucker, guys like Wesley Matthews. Tucker was a second round guy, Matthews went undrafted, and they were able to find a niche with their team. I continue to try and keep hope alive for myself and I want to do what they were able to do in the NBA.
ZL: You played some tremendous basketball for the Lakers’ D-League affiliate during your time there, how close were you to getting called up and do you know why you weren’t?
EM: I was very close but I dont’ know if you can really say how close I was. It’s always a numbers game and all I can do is do all I can and have fun playing basketball.
ZL: You’ve had stints in China, Israel, and the Philippines. How does the international game differ from basketball here?
EM: Overseas, I would have to compare it to more like a college environment. The crowd is a little more rowdy but it’s fun. I think the game is a lot more physical over there, they let their guys get away with a lot more than Americans. It’s a great experience and it’s fun to experience different cultures though.
ZL: Did it make you more of a physical player?
EM: I’ve always been a physical player but it made me a better all-around player because I wasn’t able to get in the lane as much as I do over here in the states. Because of that it forced me to work even harder on my jump shot and that made me a complete player offensively. I appreciate the experience I got [overseas].
ZL: Did you eat the local food when you were playing overseas? Is there one dish you crave from time to time that you wish you could get in the states?
EM: In Israel they made really, really good home fries, actually. In the Philippines the way they cook their food is a lot different that what I was used to but it was all really good food out there.
ZL: There are a ton of agents out there to choose from. What made Hazan Sports Management the right agency for you?
EM: Daniel and Andrew [Hoenig] and all of them, they’re hard workers. They’re young and they’re ready to work. Going with these guys, I knew I was going to get specific attention from them. They’ve been to all of my summer league games and that’s what I was really looking for, somebody that would give me the attention that I needed. I work hard every day and so do they.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Southeast Notes: Hawks, Heat, Ferry
The Heat may take a step back this season, but on an individual level, Mario Chalmers‘ father says that his son is excited about his role for the coming season, writes Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “As sad we all are to see LeBron [James] go, Mario’s excited to go back to his natural position. He loves being a playmaker. And there will be more opportunities to score,” said Ronnie Chalmers. Here’s more out of the Southeast Division..
- Despite the controversy surrounding the Hawks and the racist comments made by owner Bruce Levenson and GM Danny Ferry, Atlanta will continue to be a free agent destination, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com opines. Blakely believes that the organization will distance themselves from the incident and people involved as quickly as possible, and players will use the departures of those involved as justification for signing with the team.
- The Heat are still looking at backup veteran centers, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). Miami recently signed undrafted power forward Khem Birch but their search for size is not yet through.
- The Hawks‘ issues are a matter of league-wide importance, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Beyond the very obvious problems with what went on in Atlanta, former union executive director Charles Grantham wonders aloud if teams are sharing negative information on their players to reduce their worth. Ferry reportedly received negative information on Luol Deng from another club and then mentioned it on the now infamous conference call.
Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.
Hoops Links: Spurs, Patterson, Nets
Roughly three years ago today, Ron Artest legally changed his name to Metta World Peace. This summer, MWP signed to play with the Sichuan Blue Whales of the Chinese Basketball Association and he told his fans on Twitter that he’ll be changing his name to The Pandas Friend.
Got a great basketball blog post that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Send it to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s look around the basketball blogosphere…
- Red Rock Basketball looks at the Spurs from a fantasy perspective in their latest podcast.
- Fantasy Basketball Money Leagues has ten games to watch this year.
- Raptors HQ has some kind words for Patrick Patterson.
- Nylon Calculus runs down the greatest int’l players we never saw.
- Nets Daily says Jerome Jordan could be a good fit in Brooklyn.
- Hot Hot Hoops wonders which version of Danny Granger will show up in Miami.
- At The Hive looks back on the best live Bobcats game they’ve ever seen.
- Upside & Motor talks Jordan Adams.
Please send submissions for Hoops Links to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Hoops Rumors Originals
Here’s a look back at the original analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this week..
- Big man Ryan Hollins seems likely to land with a playoff team, writes Chuck Myron.
- Cray Allred checked in on the free agent stock of big man Emeka Okafor.
- Eddie Scarito looked back on the trade that sent James Harden to Houston.
- Nearly 60% of you say the Raptors will win the Atlantic Division.
- Chuck rounded up the best of your comments in this week’s edition of Hoops Rumors Featured Feedback.
- We all know who had the best offseason, but Alex Lee asked you to choose the team that had the second-best offseason.
- Chuck evaluated the player option decisions of Chris Bosh, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and more.
- Chuck looked at Nikola Vucevic as an extension candidate.
- Is Chauncey Billups a Hall of Famer? Charlie Adams asked Hoops Rumors readers and nearly 60% of you said he probably won’t be in Springfield, Massachusetts.
- Here are the players who took the largest pay cuts this offseason. Dirk Nowitzki leads the way.
- Did you miss out on this week’s chat? Get caught up here with the transcript. Chuck will now host his chat on 3pm CT on Wednesday afternoons, so mark it on your calendar.