<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Hornets, as expected, took advantage of the ability to assign players to the NBA Development League by sending rookie forward Sean Banks on Thursday to Tulsa, Okla., where he will begin play tonight for the 66ers. Banks has not been active in any of the Hornets' seven games this season, but will continue to be on the team's roster and will remain on the inactive list. As part of the new collective bargaining agreement with the players, NBA teams can assign individuals with fewer than three years' experience to the D-League and still retain their rights, giving the teams an option to place a player who might not get an opportunity to play in the NBA a chance to gain experience in a professional league. "Sean is a very talented player, and we want to see him continue to develop his skills as part of our organization," Hornets general manager Jeff Bower said in a statement released by the team Thursday afternoon. "Assignment to the D-League will allow him to see much more time on the court and allow him to grow as a professional while we monitor that development." Banks, an undrafted free agent who played a year and a half at Memphis University before being declared academically ineligible, played with the Hornets in the Las Vegas Summer League. He averaged 4.3 points and one rebound in three preseason games this year. The 66ers, who play Albuquerque tonight, are coached by former DePaul coach Joey Meyer. </div> New Orleans Times-Picayune This is a good move by the Hornets. Sean Banks is a very talented kid, but there simply isn't any space for him on the active roster. What will be better: being able to develop your skills against competition that's better than the NCAA, or sit on the bench, never play, and let your skills rot? This might also influence Banks, a player whom I've heard can get lazy at times, to play harder. We will probably see the benefits of this move in a couple of years, though.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting MrJ:</div><div class="quote_post">New Orleans Times-Picayune This is a good move by the Hornets. Sean Banks is a very talented kid, but there simply isn't any space for him on the active roster. What will be better: being able to develop your skills against competition that's better than the NCAA, or sit on the bench, never play, and let your skills rot? This might also influence Banks, a player whom I've heard can get lazy at times, to play harder. We will probably see the benefits of this move in a couple of years, though.</div> Lazy? The kid plays when he wants to. He has to get some work ethic. I remember when he was in high school, he would come out and have 12 points against a terrible team, and then go drop 34 on the #3 team on the nation. Never should of been in this situation. Had he finished out his sophomore year, he would have been a first round pick, and probably would not be in the NBDL. Banks has the raw talent, just needs to work on some things.
