Last season set an impressive standard for NBA-D-League relations, but a change in the D-League’s allocation rules has reinforced those bonds with steel...or at least some strengthening putty, or something.
According to Scott Schroeder of NBA FanHouse, the D-League’s new rules allow each NBA team to designate up to three of their final training camp cuts as candidates for their D-League affiliate team. As long as the selected players agree to sign the standard D-League contract (as opposed to going for a bigger payday overseas), this rule affords NBA teams added influence in the roster construction of their D-League counterparts. From Schroeder’s report:
“The new allocation process is a big change and it will alter our league drastically,” said one D-League coach, speaking to FanHouse on the condition of anonymity as the rule change has not yet been officially announced by the league. “Very often, the best players in the D-League attended training camp with an NBA team. It’s great from an NBA team’s perspective since the players they like, and want a longer look at, can stay with their affiliates.”
..."For the D-League, allocation now becomes as much or more important than the draft,” the coach continued. “Teams that have a close NBA affiliation will have an advantage year in and year out, but if your affiliate NBA teams have open roster spots in a given year, they will attract some of the best available free agents so there can be a lot of luck involved.”
Under the new framework, NBA teams can flag the fringe roster candidates they find the most intriguing, and keep a close eye on those prospects’ progress while instructing D-League coaches to focus on specific aspects of their development. That’s power.
Previously, some NBA teams may have been skeptical of the D-League’s benefit due to the lack of customization in their affiliate’s roster, but the evolution of the D-League’s rulebook has made the D an increasingly valuable part of savvy team-building strategy.
