I could be wrong but I think it's because Charles Lee is going to become CHA's new HC and that's why G-Will and Brandon Miller were there too. Maybe to also support Lee?
Mark Williams too. Not sure what Harry Giles was doing there though.
Loved seeing Tacko wearing Celtics green.
I think Giles and Tatum are really close, they both went to Duke
You're right about that, and here's an interesting story about the CBA I was unaware of:
https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2023/06/30/harry-giles-nba-cba-harry-giles-iii/
Kudos to Tatum for pushing this. I feel like a lot of reforms are needed for the G-league system. I'd like to see a proper minor league where fringe guys stay under team control for a number of years but are better-compensated.
To improve the G-League I think you need to first improve the motivation to pay and invest on veterans in the NBA. As far as I see, a lot of the problem has to do with salary and investment you take on potential, which usually take up roster spots for people who aren't ready to play in the NBA yet.
So the on the floor product suffers, and the developmental league suffers as well.
I'm not sure the how to approach fixing it, but I think that's one of the things that needs to be looked at. How to keep veteran talent in the NBA, veterans that would out play younger players, but can't find a contract in the NBA.
Just make it so guys in the g-league don't count against the salary cap. So you can give them a decent contract and retain their rights but not have them hogging roster spaces and cap room.
Which means more veteran contracts at the NBA level. Which means these developing guys have the chance for a longer career themselves when they're actually ready. A 26-year old g-league vet polishes his game and gets his shot later on instead of some kid who is in way over his head. It is ridiculous that teams have to carry useless players on their roster, guys who would benefit from the structure of a true minor league system.
Baseball has spent over a century perfecting their system, it is astonishing to me that the NBA and NFL have not followed suit.
Sidebar to the thread, but given the recent controversy around baseball's farm system, I don't think it's that difficult to understand.
Everyone knows minor league baseball players are underpaid. But in basketball players drafted in the first 2 rounds already have guaranteed NBA contracts and those would not change. They could still earn their money in the minors while someone more seasoned gets their shot in the big leagues.
The players association and owners could and should negotiate something fair, it would create jobs, revenue, and would improve the quality of the product and of organizarional branding. The amount of money at stake isn't huge.
If I'm an NBA owner I'd gladly pay an extra couple million per season to invest in expanding my own product.