Minneapolis/St.
Paul – The NBA today announced
that the Minnesota Timberwolves will be among 13 independent NBA teams
affiliated with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants for the 2014-15 NBA season. This is the
first season the two teams have been paired as affiliates to develop young
players. The Wolves had been paired with the Iowa Energy last season, and the
Sioux Falls Skyforce for the previous seven seasons.
Minnesota will be
able to send players to Fort Wayne for development or rehabilitation as part of
the NBA D-League’s new flexible assignment system which will enable the 13
independent NBA teams to continue to assign players to the NBA D-League.
To accommodate
assignments to Fort Wayne, the lone independent NBA D-League team, a flexible
assignment system will be utilized when an independent NBA team assigns a
player at a time when the Mad Ants already have either the maximum of four NBA
players on assignment or two assigned players at the position of the NBA player
who is being assigned. In either event, the NBA D-League will identify to the
assigning NBA team any singly-affiliated NBA D-League team that is willing to
accept the assigned player, and the independent NBA team assigning the player
will choose a team from among those teams to assign the player. If no
singly-affiliated NBA D-League team is willing to accept the assigned player,
he will be assigned to one of the non-NBA-owned single affiliate teams pursuant
to a lottery.
During the 2013-14
season, an all-time high 62 NBA players were assigned to their NBA D-League
affiliates a record 187 times. Twenty-five players drafted in 2013 spent time
on assignment in the NBA D-League last season, including 10 first-round
selections. Portland Trail Blazers’ rookie C.J. McCollum, selected 10th
overall, and Wolves rookie Shabazz Muhammad, selected 14th overall, headlined
the group of 2013 NBA draftees who honed their skills in the NBA D-League last
season.
The NBA
Development League is the NBA’s official minor league, preparing players,
coaches, officials, trainers, and front-office staff for the NBA while acting
as the league’s research and development laboratory. Featuring 18 teams with
affiliations with NBA franchise for the 2014-15 season, the league offers elite
professional basketball at an affordable price in a fun, family-friendly
atmosphere. One-third of all NBA players at the end of the 2013-14 season
boasted NBA D-League experience. In fostering the league’s connection to the
community, its teams, players and staff promote health and wellness, support
local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA
D-League Cares programs. Fans can watch all NBA D-League games on
nbadleague.com
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