D-League writers

I cover some games and it's something to cover in a town with no other pro sports. But for the Anaheim and LA teams, there's not a point in covering those teams.

 

Why? I know we got the Lakers but covering the D-League got to be worth something.

 

Why? It's the JV game -- who comes to Staples Center four hours before the Lakers game to check it out?

If there's a good feature, sure. But even the Lakers aren't pretending they care ... and they own the team.

 

Our GA guy and a stringer (mostly the stringer) cover the D-League team here, a place with no major pro sports. What's interesting is that the minor-league hockey team gets two to three times as much coverage as either the D-Leaguers or the baseball team.

 

Stern's made some noise about putting a D-League team in Harlem (Rhoden had a column on this a couple months ago), and they're talking about expansion into the Northeast (Manchester, N.H., also is on the radar, apparently).

 

I would say the quality of play in the D League is on the upswing. Every year, more NBA teams are sending more players down to get some playing time. Like any minor league, though, there is going to be little continuity with the best players down for a week or two and then back up to the NBA. Morris Almond of Utah was averaging something like 25 ppg in the D League. When he gets called up to the Jazz, you are losing a third of your points per game. There is no replacing that.

This NBA draft is going to have more underclassmen than ever, and many of those guys are talented but not-ready-for-the-NBA players. So they will be in the D League next season and the league should be pretty good.

 

Does the D League still have the rule about only playing in the league a couple years? Last I recalled, there was an experience cap.

 

Any paper worth its salt will prioritize coverage. If South Dakota wants to go D-League happy with its two teams, it should. Los Angeles? There are many things more worthy of gracing the pages of the sports section than the D-Fenders.

 

You may be right, but I always throught it would be like a college/training ground for future NBA writers. Go cover the D-league team for a few seasons and if you get any good clips come and write for the big boys. I guess some can say the same about the Arena football league.

 

Not a chance. The same issues don't exist in the minor leagues as they do in the pros (unhappy with contracts, trade demands, etc.) Anyone who's in the minor leagues is they're because they're young or are looking to prolong their career - and if they're unhappy with that role, they're out of touch.

 

It's not even the same type of experience. A good writer can go from baseball to hockey to foosball and still put out good stuff.

D-League writers don't travel with the team and probably don't hit practice every day. I think in most places, D-League coverage is given to stringers or a GA writer.

 

Is there still a team in Fayetteville, N.C.? There was two years ago when I was in a d-league city.