Report: Hornets tab Greensboro as home of new D-League team
The Charlotte Hornets have chosen Greensboro as the host city for their new NBA Development League franchise, the Greensboro News and Record's Jeff Mills reported Sunday.
The Hornets' new D-League affiliate will play its home games at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, and will start its inaugural season next fall.
A year out from its official launch, the new franchise has time to hire front office and coaching staff and decide on a name for the team.
The Hornets used the Fort Wayne Mad Ants as a breeding ground for their NBA call-ups until recently. However, the Mad Ants were acquired by the Indiana Pacers this fall, forming an exclusive partnership between the two organizations.
The Hornets have sent several players to the D-League over the past few seasons, from Noah Vonleh to Jeff Taylor to P.J. Hairston.
As Mills notes, 38 percent of NBA players in 2014-15 had spent time in the D-League, and 63 of its players were called up to the NBA. Half of last year’s first-round draft picks also played in the D-League.
Having a minor-league team in such close proximity to Charlotte - Greensboro is approximately 90 miles away - will be a valuable and convenient resource.
The Toronto Raptors added an affiliate of their own - Raptors 905 - earlier this year, furthering the D-League's steady growth. With the news of the Hornets' new deal, the D-League expands to 20 teams.
The Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets are believed to want development teams of their own for the 2016-17 season.
The Hornets are expected to make a formal announcement Tuesday.