It is unlikely that this will ever become an equally familiar spot for the Boston Celtics' top prospects, but the announcement Thursday that the Celtics and Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League had entered into a single affiliate agreement could have a significant impact on the way the Celtics approach player development.
"Our focus has always been on development," Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said. "This year, I think it'll be increased just a little more."
When the D-League was established in 2001, each club was shared among several NBA franchises. Almost two-thirds of NBA franchises still use that model, but that is rapidly being replaced by the one-to-one relationship the Celtics and Red Claws will now have. Eleven NBA teams now have a one-to-one affiliation with a D-League club.
Under the previous arrangement, the Red Claws were placed in the conflicting position of having to cater to three different sets of bosses — the Celtics, Bobcats and 76ers — when there was any coordination between the D-League team and the NBA teams at all. Under the new, so-called "hybrid" affiliation, the Red Claws' basketball operations staff will not merely coordinate with the Celtics. They will be one in the same.
The Red Claws' head coach, who will not be named until later this summer after the draft and free agency are complete, will be a member of Celtics head coach Doc Rivers' staff and take part in training camp with the Celtics. The coach will also be an extension of the Celtics front office, in communication with director of player personnel Austin Ainge, assistant general manager Ryan McDonough and assistant general manager and team counsel Mike Zarren.
The Red Claws will run the same offensive and defensive sets as the Celtics, making it more likely the Celtics could make a "call-up" with confidence that the D-League player is already familiar with the system and terminology. Next season, there will be no limit to how many times a first, second or third-year player can be sent up or down, but it seems unlikely at this point that the Celtics would utilize Portland in the same way the Red Sox often utilize Pawtucket — for "spot starts" or an extra body off the bench in games. Ainge foresees bringing up a Red Claws player to help the Celtics field a full squad for practice in the event of injuries to the NBA team, for instance, as one major benefit to the partnership.
Outwardly, very little changes from a business standpoint for the Red Claws. The club retains independent ownership, something only five of the 11 current single-affiliate D-League franchises maintain, with team chairman Bill Ryan Jr. overseeing the marketing, ticketing and in-game entertainment of the team. The Red Claws and Celtics will share the responsibility of coordinating other things like player community appearances.
Yet the move was not painless for the Red Claws. They begin the new arrangement without Jon Jennings, the team president and general manager who helped spearhead the club's founding in Portland. Jennings left the team last week, just as rumors of the new affiliation began to circulate, although it is unclear what role the organizational change had in his departure.
"Jon made his decision to leave and we are really grateful for everything Jon did to get us to this point," Ryan said Thursday. "Jon had the kernel of the idea here to have a team someplace in New England and it turned out to be Portland. He was certainly instrumental in getting us to this point, but he decided to move on in a different direction with his career. We obviously wish him the best and I know I appreciate the relationship I've had with him."
Whereas the Red Claws will mimic much of the Celtics' playbook, fans should not expect the teams to be mirror images. The talent disparity will remain large. In Ainge's words, "it's tough to mirror Rajon Rondo." Rivers' staff may also ask the Red Claws to implement new sets in an attempt to experiment with ideas away from the pressure of actual NBA games.
For the first time, though, the Celtics will be able to set a development plan for their young players to follow each season from training camp through the D-League and (in some cases) into the NBA. Players like Gerald Green, Bill Walker, J.R. Giddens, Greg Stiemsma and Avery Bradley would have arrived well-prepared physically and well-versed in the Celtics' system, without the crash course that was necessary for them as past D-League call-ups for Boston.
Again, it does not appear for now that Portland will be the regular way station for future Celtics lottery picks. With NBA rosters permanently expanding to 15 players per team, there are more roster spots than ever to stockpile young players and introduce them to the NBA lifestyle. For some players, though, there will be more options for the Celtics beyond merely shoving them to the end of the bench.
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