The Toronto Raptors are getting their very own D-League team

By foxsports
Published

During Masai Ujiri's tenure at the helm of the Toronto Raptors, the team has taken great steps in terms of what could be called "basketball modernization," such as beefing up their analytics to department and placing a greater emphasis on player health. According to SportsNet, the Raptors are taking another step: getting their own D-League team. 

"During the press conference unveiling the logo for the 2016 NBA All-Star game in Toronto, MLSE President Tim Leiweke also unveiled the bombshell that the Raptors would be getting their own D-League team in place for the start of the 2015-16 season."

Most teams were slow to embrace the D-League when it initially launched, but over the past few years there's been an increasing realization that directly owning and operating a franchise can have massive, positive effects for the team's development. Teams can send down players knowing they'll be instructed in their specific system, giving them more opportunity to play and develop in real time. 

(h/t SportsNet CA)

Photo credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports