The Suns are planning to have a G League affiliate, possibly by the 2024/25 season, writes Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Once the Trail Blazers launch their G League team this fall, Phoenix will be the only NBA franchise without a direct affiliate in the league. The Suns used to operate a team in Northern Arizona, but former owner Robert Sarver sold it to the Pistons in 2020.
“Bringing a G League team to the Valley has been a priority for us, and I am excited that we have begun the process and the wheels are in motion to have a team in Phoenix as early as the 2024/25 season,” owner Mat Ishbia announced. “Not only will this allow us to develop young players within our winning culture, but also will serve as an opportunity to expand our reach and connect with even more basketball fans across the region. This investment further strengthens our connection with the community and continues to elevate Phoenix as the epicenter of basketball.”
The new franchise will be located somewhere in the Phoenix area, sources tell Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. During their four seasons in operation, the Northern Arizona Suns played in Prescott Valley, which is about 90 minutes away from Phoenix.
There are several criteria an NBA team has to meet to acquire a G League affiliate, Rankin adds, including having a lease agreement with an arena that complies with league standards. Those standards involve having enough locker rooms, approved ceiling clearance and available dates for 24 regular season home games. The G League doesn’t designate a minimum number of seats for its arenas.
Before they can begin their new franchise, the Suns will have to hire coaches, staff members, a team president and a general manager.
Without a direct affiliate, any Phoenix players who get sent to the G League are assigned to another team. That affects control of how the players are used and removes the potential benefit of developing them in a system that’s similar the one that the Suns operate.
Ishbia teased the announcement Monday during an appearance on the Burns and Gambo radio show, per Kellan Olson of Arizona Sports 98.7.
“We believe in developing young players,” Ishbia told the hosts. “… In the very near future, hopefully we’ll be able to announce a different strategy on that.”
Olson notes that the Suns have rarely sent their two-way players to the G League since selling the Northern Arizona franchise.
About time. Once each franchise has a G league team, go to a true minor league system. (Ex: Each NBA team still has their 15 standard … but also gets exclusive rights to their G league players.) No different from baseball having a 26 man active roster but an additional 14 on the 40 man that can be called up as active players go on an injured list or get cut.
Why did they sell the G League franchise in 2020? Please don’t tell me operating costs were a concern, not in a league in which most teams happily go way over the actual salary cap virtually every year, a league with teams that exuberantly give 30-something-year-old players a $60M/year extension. I know that was before Ishbia owned the Suns but but why they ceased to own a team is a head-scratcher. “Without a direct affiliate, any Phoenix players sent to the G League were assigned to a team…” So, other teams were forced to accept the Suns players, affecting the development of the players on their G League teams, without the Suns bearing the cost of running a G League team? That doesn’t seem fair. They should have not been allowed to send their players to the G League. Well, experts keep telling us the Suns are going to win the title in 2023-24 with only 4 players, so maybe they don’t need G League players anyway.
I know the Pistons G-League team in Grand Rapids had no interest in relocating to downtown Detroit near where the Pistons training facility is located. They had good crowds and were profitable. The arena there in Grand Rapids also holds the Red Wings AHL team. Tom Gores and Troy Weaver wanted the G-League team near their headquarters to make it easier to send them back and forth. So Grand Rapids decided to be an independent team and take on players from teams that didn’t have a G team. Then they reached an agreement with the Nuggets to have their G League team play there. The Grand Rapids team wasn’t owned by the Pistons. I think it was easier and cheaper to buy an existing team and relocate then to be an expansion team.
Probably because Sarver was too cheap. He was already reluctant to spend money during the Nash era when the team had a chance to win a title. He probably lost 2 pennies somewhere and sold the G League team to make up for this huge tragedy.
NBA LOVES LOSING MONEY
If they’re looking for a cheap lease, they could play in a rodeo arena like the Magic G League team. They were booted out of the Lakeland civic center basketball gym because they couldn’t meet attendance. Renvironments, the g league is a mess. It’s just players running up-and-down the floor shooting. Trying to impress the NBA. Now that teams have two way players very few get called up anymore
Oh, and also franchises Can’t stop a player being offered a year long contract from another team
I think you just look for things to cry about.
I love how ishbia makes it sound like a big deal considering every other team has one.. such an attention seeker. Building a 60 k square foot home. With a stock price under seven bucks and mortgage rates at 7!
Don’t blame Ishbia for that. Blame the Government.
Blame the government for Phoenix finally adding a g league team?
Lol thanks obama!
For nothing
Finally Ishbia has created a job for his buddy IT who will no doubt have a cushy job as executive of the basketballs operation