Everything Christian Koloko

[DanH]

Banton was just as raw, more raw in my opinion, yet he got 64 games and 696 minutes with the big club.

Nurse loves to experiment during the regular season to see what he's got and what guys need to work on. He will give Koloko minutes just to give him minutes since it's crucial for development that he feel the game at NBA speed.

There's also a short window at the start of the season before the G-League season starts where there's essentially a zero development-cost opportunity to try Koloko out for a decent chunk of backup minutes. Then if needed (or desired) you send him down to stretch his game and work on the individual offence, etc.

[Shredder]

That's the benefit of having the G-League affiliate so close. You can have a player that needs more time on court, essentially playing in two leagues.

How many times have players that float between the two teams are playing back to backs or even on the rare occasion 2 games in a day.

It would be great if the next CBA allowed us to treat it even more like a farm team system (more 2 ways, even a few G-League only contracts but allow us to retain their rights). Allow us to retain more players and keep them in our system.

Such a valuable asset.

[golden]

That's the benefit of having the G-League affiliate so close. You can have a player that needs more time on court, essentially playing in two leagues.

How many times have players that float between the two teams are playing back to backs or even on the rare occasion 2 games in a day.

It would be great if the next CBA allowed us to treat it even more like a farm team system (more 2 ways, even a few G-League only contracts but allow us to retain their rights). Allow us to retain more players and keep them in our system.

Such a valuable asset.

The NBA Player's Union doesn't want franchises to have more players under contractual control. It increases the talent pool & creates more competition with the existing players for salaries.

[DanH]

The NBA Player's Union doesn't want franchises to have more players under contractual control. It increases the talent pool & creates more competition with the existing players for salaries.

Not sure about this. More jobs is generally better for a players union. But it's certainly less money on average for each player, though not a significant impact.

[golden]

^^^ More players does not create more jobs. The actual number of “jobs” are capped by available minutes in NBA games… which is fixed. More players just means more competition for those precious minutes.

That’s bad for the current NBA vets, who vote on such things. The last thing they want are more hungry bucks snapping at their heels, wanting desperately to eat their lunch.

[planetmars]

^^^ More players does not create more jobs. The actual number of “jobs” are capped by available minutes in NBA games… which is fixed. More players just means more competition for those precious minutes.

That’s bad for the current NBA vets, who vote on such things. The last thing they want are more hungry bucks snapping at their heels, wanting desperately to eat their lunch.

If we're talking about more 2-way contracts, or being able to hold a G-league player's rights through the year without losing them... then those players won't really be eating into other players minutes. The back of the bench depth is typically recognized to be there in case of injury only, or to be a practice buddy for the stars. If we had a healthy roster last year, I'm sure Isaac Bonga would not have stolen anyone's minutes.

[SkywalkerAC]

Banton was just as raw, more raw in my opinion, yet he got 64 games and 696 minutes with the big club.

Nurse loves to experiment during the regular season to see what he's got and what guys need to work on. He will give Koloko minutes just to give him minutes since it's crucial for development that he feel the game at NBA speed.

You're right, Koloko will almost definitely get his allotment. Nurse is good about giving almost all his (young) guys their chances over the course of a long season. We are a bit deeper this year, but I'm pulling for sizable winning margins that should keep the top guys' minutes down and the minutes up for our 10/11/12th guys to shine, game by game.

Where would you put his over/under for dunks on the season...37.5 (?). Could be way over that, judging from preseason guys find him around the rim. It's just hard to say if he gets into games - he'll really have to prove himself with hustle-impact (and that jumper might not hurt either) to get the 7-foot nod (vs Nurse looking for his 6'9 death-lineup).

[DanH]

^^^ More players does not create more jobs. The actual number of “jobs” are capped by available minutes in NBA games… which is fixed. More players just means more competition for those precious minutes.

That’s bad for the current NBA vets, who vote on such things. The last thing they want are more hungry bucks snapping at their heels, wanting desperately to eat their lunch.

The number of jobs is the number of players getting a paycheck. That would inarguably go up.

[golden]

If we're talking about more 2-way contracts, or being able to hold a G-league player's rights through the year without losing them... then those players won't really be eating into other players minutes. The back of the bench depth is typically recognized to be there in case of injury only, or to be a practice buddy for the stars. If we had a healthy roster last year, I'm sure Isaac Bonga would not have stolen anyone's minutes.

Minutes aren't as readily available for Raptors, especially the way Nurse likes to run his starters into the ground. But for a rebuilding (*cough* tanking) team like OKC, who are auditioning a ton of players, there is more competition for minutes. From there it's all about making the best of the opportunity. OKC had 23 players see 100+ minutes playing time & 15 players had 500+ minutes played. For the Raps is was 15 (100+) & 11 (500+).

[golden]

The number of jobs is the number of players getting a paycheck. That would inarguably go up.

Ok sure...you got me on semantics. But the actual opportunity (i.e. minutes) to earn a real NBA contract is still capped.

[planetmars]

Minutes aren't as readily available for Raptors, especially the way Nurse likes to run his starters into the ground. But for a rebuilding (*cough* tanking) team like OKC, who are auditioning a ton of players, there is more competition for minutes. From there it's all about making the best of the opportunity. OKC had 23 players see 100+ minutes playing time & 15 players had 500+ minutes played. For the Raps is was 15 (100+) & 11 (500+).

Do the Thunder even have vets that would complain? They are in a situation where young guys are threating already young guy's jobs. Like Champagnie threatening Yuta's job in Toronto. The Yuta's of the world would be upset.. but not so much real vets like Thad Young or Goran Dragic.

[DanH]

Ok sure...you got me on semantics. But the actual opportunity (i.e. minutes) to earn a real NBA contract is still capped.

If anything, having more spots dedicated specifically to young developing players would in theory free up more regular NBA spots for veterans where teams would lean towards experience over youth if they have somewhere else to put their youth.

[TrueTorontoFan]

^^^ More players does not create more jobs. The actual number of “jobs” are capped by available minutes in NBA games… which is fixed. More players just means more competition for those precious minutes.

That’s bad for the current NBA vets, who vote on such things. The last thing they want are more hungry bucks snapping at their heels, wanting desperately to eat their lunch.

yup its bad for the players union in a sense yes unless they allow for additional roster spots... so say you also increase the amount of spots that a team can have by one as well perhaps to go along with the next increase in cap. At the end of the day both the players and owners want to do one thing above all. Put the best product of entertainment on the floor possible.

[TrueTorontoFan]

Minutes aren't as readily available for Raptors, especially the way Nurse likes to run his starters into the ground. But for a rebuilding (*cough* tanking) team like OKC, who are auditioning a ton of players, there is more competition for minutes. From there it's all about making the best of the opportunity. OKC had 23 players see 100+ minutes playing time & 15 players had 500+ minutes played. For the Raps is was 15 (100+) & 11 (500+).

I don't know if he likes to run his starters into the ground i think he gives ppl early chances and if they don't produce they have to really fight hard to get that chance again. I don't think the bench was good enough to warrant more minutes unless people wanted us to lose. Our record had us 10th in the east at the time and in order for us to ensure making the playoffs and especially getting seeding above the playing it was necessary to cut the rotation. It was either that or .... you know be in the playin.

[G__Deane]

Minutes aren't as readily available for Raptors, especially the way Nurse likes to run his starters into the ground. But for a rebuilding (*cough* tanking) team like OKC, who are auditioning a ton of players, there is more competition for minutes. From there it's all about making the best of the opportunity. OKC had 23 players see 100+ minutes playing time & 15 players had 500+ minutes played. For the Raps is was 15 (100+) & 11 (500+).

It remains to be seen if Nurse was running his starters into the ground (40+ MPG) because our bench was trash though ....