NBA rumors: Warriors-LeBron not dead, Nets Ben Simmons problem, G League Ignite in limbo

NBA rumors: Adam Silver casts doubt on future of G League Ignite

The G League Ignite program is currently in its fourth season. Developed by the NBA as a pathway for non-draft eligible players to get paid and sign endorsement deals, the Ignite program has attracted several highly-touted prospects. Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Dyson Daniels, and Scoot Henderson were all top-10 picks. Ron Holland and Matas Buzelis are likely to join that club in the 2024 NBA Draft.

And yet, the 2023-24 season has been a challenging one. The Ignite are 6-31, far and away the worst team in the G League. While Holland and Buzelis still profile as top-10 picks, their cases have been harmed by subpar developmental circumstances. Spacing in cramped, execution is poor — in short, the roster is not constructed to foster a positive growth environment.

On Saturday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver called into question the future of the program.

"I think given that that's happened, I think we are in the process of reassessing Team Ignite. Because now some of those same players who didn't want to be one-and-done players because they felt it was unfair and they wanted the ability not just to earn a living playing basketball but to do commercial deals that weren't available to them at college, to hire professional agents, an opportunity that wasn't available to them at college, they now — all of those same opportunities have become available to them." (via ESPN)

He is, of course, referring to the swift development of NIL — name, image, likeness — at the collegiate level. Players can now sign commercial deals and develop brand partnerships while in the NCAA. That renders the Ignite program a bit redundant, even if there's a difference between pro-level competition and college basketball.

While Silver isn't calling it quits on Ignite right now, he does appear to be shifting his focus to youth development.

"[Players are] coming into the league incredibly skilled. But that doesn't necessarily translate to being team basketball players. And then what I'm hearing from some of those same coaches that may be complaining about inability to play defense is that these players are not as prepared as I'd like them to be, particularly as very high draft picks."

He cites youth programs in Europe, with close to 30 percent of the league's players born outside the United States. The NBA Academy has already been established in Africa. Maybe the league plans to take a more hands-on approach to the development of kids around the country, with a clear goal to develop more well-rounded, "team" players.