<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Lakers are on the verge of becoming the first NBA franchise to own a team in the NBA Development League, with the possibility that minor league games could precede some Laker home games next season at Staples Center. Ownership would let the Lakers control who coaches and who plays on their minor league team, much as a Major League Baseball team controls personnel on its minor league affiliates. D-League teams select their coaches and players, with NBA franchises given the option to send first- or second-year players to a designated D-League team. The Lakers have received tentative approval from the NBA Board of Governors, D-League President Phil Evans said Tuesday. NBA Commissioner David Stern said he anticipated the announcement of a Los Angeles team at next week's owners' meetings. The D-League season starts in November. For its first season, Evans said, the Laker affiliate probably would play its 25 home games at Staples Center, preceding Laker games. "Beyond that, they would be looking to move into another facility," he said. With the D-League establishing a California core, one option could be Ontario. Dana Warg, AEG senior vice president, said an arena there is scheduled to open in 2008 and would be suitable for a D-League team. At a news conference in Anaheim, Evans announced that a D-League expansion team would play in the Anaheim Convention Center arena and receive players from the Clippers. The first game is tentatively scheduled Nov. 25, against the new Los Angeles team. Roy Englebrecht, part of a six-member Anaheim ownership group that paid the $300,000 franchise fee, said the team's nickname and coach have not been decided. The city of Anaheim can terminate the lease of the D-League team at the request of an NBA franchise moving into the Arrowhead Pond. Stern, speaking on a conference call, said the D-League's presence in Anaheim would not hamper the city's pursuit of an NBA franchise. "The D-League will give people in Orange County an opportunity to express their support for the sport of basketball," Stern said. "It can only be positive. There's no negative impact whatsoever."</div> Source YES! This is forward thinking by the Laker organization to take control of it's own DLeague team. They can bring in a coach to teach the players the Triangle offense and really use this team to develop their players the right way.
Excellent! Hopefully this will allow more quality basketball players to have an oppurtunity in the NBA.
This is a step in the right direction for the NBA in general. Eventually every team should have their own DLeague affiliate. This is going to create a better product on the court for the NBA, because players will actually come from the DLeague and be able to contribute right away.
Obviously Phil is sick and tired of all those coaches. So we might see KAJ as the coach of the d-league. Good move Phil!
