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CHARLOTTE HORNETS D-LEAGUE FRANCHISE FAQs

1. Where will the Hornets NBA Development League team be located? The Hornets D-League team will be located in Greensboro, North Carolina, and will play its 24 home games at the soon-to-be-renovated Fieldhouse at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. Seating capacity will be approximately 2,300.

2. When will the team begin play? The team will begin play in November 2016 when the 2016-17 D-League season tips off, becoming the league’s 20th franchise.

3. What will the team be called? The team’s nickname will be announced at a later date. Coincidentally, we have been conducting fan research across the region for quite some time with regards to team name concepts. The team name will be connected to the Hornets brand identity.

4. Will the team’s colors be the same as the Hornets? Yes, the team’s colors will be purple and teal.

5. How can I purchase tickets? Ticket information and pricing for the team will be announced in January 2016. Fans interested in gaining priority to purchase season tickets can make deposits of $25 per seat. This deposit is refundable less credit card fees.

6. Who will be the head coach of the team? The head coach and coaching staff will be announced at a later date.

7. What players will be on the team? When a new franchise joins the league, an expansion draft is held in which the new team selects 16 players from a pool of unprotected players among the league’s other teams. The expansion team will then hold that player’s NBA D-League rights for two seasons. Each returning team can protect up to 12 of its players from being selected. In addition, the Hornets will be able to assign and recall players at any time.

8. How many players are on an NBA Development League team roster? There are a minimum of 10 players on rosters, with two additional spots for players placed on the inactive/injury list. A team’s active roster may expand to up to 13 players if its parent club assigns players from the NBA roster.

9. How are the Hornets affiliated with the NBA Development League team? The Hornets own and operate the D-League team, meaning the Hornets dictate all and business operations for the team. The Hornets have a one-on-one affiliation with the D- League team, which allows the D-League team to share the same philosophies and run the same sets as the Hornets. This ensures a seamless transition when players are assigned or recalled.

10. When did the Hornets begin the process of launching an NBA Development League team? The Hornets announced their intent to launch a D-League team on May 4, 2015. The franchise sent an RFP to eight cities/counties throughout the Carolinas seeking the best home for the D- League club before selecting Greensboro.

11. Have any current Hornets players or coaches played or coached in the NBA Development League? Hornets guards Troy Daniels (2013-14 Rio Grande Valley Vipers), P.J. Hairston (2013-14 Texas Legends), Jeremy Lamb (2012-13 Tulsa 66ers) and Jeremy Lin (2010-11 Reno Bighorns) have all played in the D-League. Hornets assistant coaches Pat Delany and Steve Hetzel both joined Steve Clifford’s staff after spending the 2013-14 season as D-League head coaches with the and Canton Charge, respectfully. In addition, Hornets Community Ambassador Matt Carroll played for the Roanoke Dazzle from 2003-05, where he was named 2004-05 D-League MVP.

12. How can I try out for the team? The team will hold an open tryout for local players in October 2016, prior to the start of training camp.

D-LEAGUE FAQs

1. What is the NBA Development League? The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the NBA’s minor league, preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers and front office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory.

2. When was the NBA Development League established? The NBA Development League began play during the 2001-02 season and enters its 15th season in 2015-16.

3. How many teams are in the NBA Development League? There are an all-time high 19 NBA D-League teams heading into the 2015-16 season, each of which is singly affiliated with one NBA team.

They include: Austin Spurs (San Antonio Spurs), Bakersfield Jam (), Canton Charge (Cleveland Cavaliers), Delaware 87ers (), Erie BayHawks (), Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Indiana Pacers), Grand Rapids Drive (), Idaho Stampede (Utah Jazz), Iowa Energy (Memphis Grizzlies), Los Angeles D-Fenders (), Maine Red Claws (Boston Celtics), (), Raptors 905 (Toronto Raptors), Reno Bighorns (), Rio Grande Valley Vipers (), Santa Cruz Warriors (), Sioux Falls Skyforce (), Texas Legends (Dallas Mavericks) and ().

4. How many games are in an NBA Development League season? Each NBA D-League teams plays a 50-game schedule, including 24 home games, 24 road games and two games as part of the NBA Development League Showcase.

5. When do the regular season and playoffs begin and end? The regular season begins in November and runs into April. In April, the playoffs consist of three rounds, all of which follow a best-of-three series format.

6. How can I watch games? Most NBA D-League regular season games are streamed live on YouTube and NBADLeague.com and available on demand – both at no cost. Nationally televised games are not available live on YouTube, but are available for archive viewing.

7. How can I follow the NBA D-League? The official website of the NBA D-League is NBADLeague.com. You can also download the NBA D-League mobile app for iOs and Android devices. On social media, you can follow the NBA D- League on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine and Snapchat (“nbadleague”).

8. How many NBA Development League players have made it to the NBA? A record 170 players with NBA D-League experience were on NBA rosters at the end of the 2014-15 regular season, representing an all-time high 38 percent of the league.

This group includes both players who were assigned from the NBA to the NBA D-League and players who were called up from the NBA D-League to the NBA.

During the 2014-15 season, a record 47 players were called up to the NBA a record total of 63 times. A total of 56 NBA players were assigned to the NBA D-League a record 195 times.

9. Who are some of the best NBA players who have played in the NBA Development League? Top players who have been assigned to the NBA D-League include Suns guard , Jazz Rudy Gobert, Pistons guard Reggie Jackson and Rockets forward Terrence Jones.

Top players who were called up from the NBA D-League include Spurs guard Danny Green, Heat guard , Hornets guard Jeremy Lin and Heat center .

10. What is a Call-Up? A Call-Up occurs when a player under contract with the NBA D-League is signed by an NBA team to an NBA contract. Over the past three seasons, an average of 38 players have received a Call- Up.

11. What is an assignment? An assignment occurs when an NBA team sends a player to its NBA D-League affiliate. That player remains under NBA contract and the assigning NBA team has the exclusive rights to recall that player at any time.

Over the past three seasons, an average of 58 NBA players have been assigned to the NBA D- League an average total of 188 times (players with under three years of service can be assigned an unlimited number of times each season).

12. How many teams make the playoffs? The playoff rules have changed as the league has expanded. In 2015, eight teams made the playoffs – four in each conference. This included the winners of each of the four divisions and two Wild Card teams in each conference – the top two teams in each conference on the basis of regular season record regardless of division.

13. Is there an NBA Development League All-Star Game? Yes, the NBA D-League All-Star Game has been part of NBA All-Star Weekend since 2007. The league also puts on its own three- and contests.

14. How are All-Stars selected? The All-Stars are selected by a vote of all of the league’s head coaches. Players are eligible for All-Star voting if they play in at least half of their team’s games through a predetermined date in late January. Players must be on an active NBA D-League roster at the time of the All-Star Game in order to compete and the league replaces any ineligible players.

15. Who coaches the All-Star teams? The two spots go to the head coaches of the teams with the best record in each conference at the completion of All-Star voting in late January.

16. When is the NBA Development League Draft? The NBA D-League Draft is typically held in the last week of October or the first week of November. This occurs after NBA start-of-season rosters are finalized.

17. Who is eligible to be drafted? The league signs about 180 players each year to join the pool of draft-eligible prospects. They include college players who went undrafted in the NBA Draft, international prospects, and players who were recently waived by NBA teams following training camp. Players must be 18 years old to be eligible for the NBA D-League Draft, as opposed to the NBA’s age minimum of 19.

18. How many players are on an NBA Development League roster? There are a minimum of 10 players on rosters, with two additional spots for players placed on the inactive/injury list. A team’s active roster may expand to up to 13 players if its parent club assigns players from the NBA roster.

19. How do NBA Development League contracts work? NBA D-League players sign standard one-year contracts with the league, not individual teams, according to three different salary scales. (This excludes players on assignment from the NBA, who remain under NBA contract.)

20. Where do NBA Development League players come from? There are eight different paths a player can take to the NBA D-League: • NBA teams can assign players to their NBA D-League affiliate and recall them at any time. • NBA teams can draft players and sign them to NBA D-League contracts, thus retaining their rights through the “Draft Rights Player” rule. • NBA teams can designate up to four players that they cut during training camp as “affiliate players,” meaning those players will join that team’s NBA D-League affiliate (should the players choose to sign into the NBA D-League). These players are signed under contract with the league rather than the team, however, meaning they are technically free agents who can be called up to any of the 30 NBA teams. • NBA D-League teams hold local tryouts each offseason and can invite up to five players from these tryouts to their training camps. • The NBA D-League holds a draft every year consisting of nearly 200 players who have signed contracts with the league. In 2014, the draft consisted of eight rounds. • Players who return to the NBA D-League are, by rule, re-acquired by the teams that they played for within the last two seasons (Returning Players). • Once the NBA D-League season begins, players who sign NBA D-League contracts are placed into a rotating waiver pool so that teams can claim them. • If a player from high school, college or overseas enters the NBA D-League without ever having declared for the NBA Draft, he will also join the waiver pool. That player remains NBA Draft-eligible but is not eligible to be called up to the NBA.

When a new franchise joins the league, an expansion draft is held in which the new team selects 16 players from a pool of unprotected players among the league’s other teams. The expansion team will then hold that player’s NBA D-League rights for two seasons. Each returning team can protect up to 12 of its players from being selected.

21. How long are the quarters in an NBA Development League game? Like in the NBA, each quarter lasts 12 minutes. Overtime periods are three minutes compared to the NBA’s five minutes.

22. How long is the ? Like in the NBA, the shot clock lasts 24 seconds.

23. What are the measurements of the court and equipment? The rims hang 10 feet from the floor, sitting on opposite ends of a court that’s 50 feet wide and 94 feet long.

Both ends of the floor feature a line, 15 feet from the rim, and a 3-point arc that runs from 23 feet, 9 inches from the basket at the top of the perimeter to 22 feet at the baselines. The corner 3-pointer has become one of the league’s most popular shots because of the difference.

The basketball itself has a circumference within a maximum of 29 inches and a minimum of 28.5 inches and has a pressure between 7.5 and 8.6 pounds.

24. Are any of the rules in NBA Development League games different from the rules in NBA games?

Yes. The NBA uses the NBA Development League as a testing ground for new rules each season.

During the 2014-15 season, the following rules were in place in NBA D-League games: • The international rule: A player can knock the ball away when it is on the rim. • The coach’s challenge: Coaches can initiate instant replay review of referee calls of personal or shooting fouls, including offensive fouls, as well as those plays that have been identified as triggers for instant replay. To initiate a challenge, a coach must call a timeout and immediately signal to the referees that a play is being challenged. The referees will then review the event in question and determine whether to uphold or change the original call. The challenging team will retain its timeout if the challenge is successful and will lose its timeout if it is unsuccessful. Teams will be granted one challenge during regulation and another challenge in each overtime period. An additional challenge in regulation will be granted if the first challenge is successful. • The “advance rule”: A team with can stop play, substitute and advance the ball to the 28-foot mark in the frontcourt without using a timeout. Each team is granted one “advance” that can be used in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter as well as in the last two minutes of any overtime periods. • The away-from-the-play rule (also known as the rule that attempts to combat “Hack-a-Shaq”): An away-from-the-play foul is defined as any illegal contact by the defense which occurs either deliberately away from the immediate area of offensive action, prior to the ball being released on a throw-in, or both. If an away-from-the-play foul is committed at any point in the game, personal and team fouls will be assessed and one free throw attempt will be awarded to any player in the game at the time the personal foul was committed. • Team foul limits will be increased from four per period to five per period before free throws are rewarded.

25. Where can I buy tickets to an NBA Development League game? Tickets for every team are available on each team’s website.

26. Has an NBA Development League player ever been drafted into the NBA? Six players have been drafted into the NBA out of the NBA D-League. These players entered the NBA D-League either out of high school – the league’s age minimum is 18 rather than the NBA’s 19 – or as early entry college players.

They include: (2008), Latavious Williams (2009), Chu Chu Maduabum (2011), Glen Rice Jr. (2013), Thanasis Antetokounmpo (2014) and P.J. Hairston (2014). In 2014, Hairston became the first first-round NBA Draft pick the NBA D-League has ever produced, and Antetokounmpo became the first international prospect ever to be drafted out of the NBA D- League.

27. What do affiliations between NBA and NBA Development Leagues entail? There are two types of affiliations: one-to-one affiliation, in which the NBA team fully owns and operates its NBA D-League team; and “hybrid” affiliation, in which the NBA team manages and funds the basketball operations while local ownership maintains control of the business and community relations aspects of the team.

Currently, 10 NBA teams fully own and operate their NBA D-League affiliates: the Cavaliers, Jazz,Knicks, Lakers, Pacers, Raptors, Sixers, Spurs, Thunder and Warriors.

Eight teams have hybrid affiliations with their NBA D-League affiliates: the Celtics, Grizzlies, Heat, Kings, Magic, Pistons,Rockets and Suns.

The Dallas Mavericks and Texas Legends also have a one-to-one affiliation.

NBA teams primarily use their NBA D-League affiliates as a place to develop their young talent. Players with three years of service or less can be sent, or “assigned,” to the NBA D-League an unlimited number of times. The NBA team retains an assigned player’s rights and can recall that player at any time.

NBA teams often install the same offensive and defensive systems – including the same terminology and even some of the same plays – on their NBA D-League affiliates. The staffs within the organization are in constant communication about the development of their major- and minor-league talent.

28. How do NBA franchises not affiliated with an NBA D-League team assign players? With the Pacers’ acquisition of the Mad Ants, the NBA D-League’s flexible assignment system – which was instituted prior to the 2014-15 season – will continue to enable the 11 independent NBA teams to assign players to the NBA D-League for development or rehabilitation from injury during the 2015-16 season.

Upon receipt of an assignment from an independent NBA team, the NBA D-League will identify any NBA D-League team willing to accept the assigned player. The assigning independent NBA team will then choose the destination for assignment between those teams. If no NBA D- League team is willing to accept the assigned player, he will be assigned to one of the hybrid affiliate teams pursuant to a lottery.

29. What is the NBA Development League Showcase? NBA D-League Showcase is the NBA D-League’s annual in-season scouting event, when all of its teams converge in one city to play in front of NBA general managers and player personnel executives from all 30 NBA teams. The 2015 event marked the 11th NBA D-League Showcase. Showcase traditionally coincides with the time when NBA teams can begin signing players to 10-day contracts, since the majority of the players signed to 10-day contracts are GATORADE Call-Ups from the NBA D-League.

30. How do 10-day NBA contracts work? Each season, from early January to early April, NBA teams can sign free agents to 10-day contracts. A player can be signed to a maximum of two consecutive 10-day contracts before a team must either sign him for the remainder of the season or release him.

31. Which teams have won the most NBA Development League titles? The Asheville Altitude, Colorado 14ers and Rio Grande Valley Vipers are each tied for the most titles won with two. (Only the Vipers are still an active franchise.)

32. Who is the NBA Development League’s all-time leading scorer? Renaldo Major, an eight-year veteran of the (now the Santa Cruz Warriors) and Bakersfield Jam, is the league’s all-time leading scorer with 4,653 points through the 2014-15 season. He passed Fort Wayne Mad Ants veteran (4,324 points) in December 2014 after Howard had passed Major during the 2013-14 season.

33. How can I try out for the NBA Development League? The league holds a National Tryout once each year. Participants must fill out an application and make a $350 online payment. The event is limited to 220 players, and between 25 and 40 typically sign contracts and become eligible for the NBA D-League Draft.

Two players from the NBA D-League National Tryout have gone on to reach the NBA: Dennis Horner (Nets) and Dwight Buycks (Raptors, Lakers).

Additionally, each NBA D-League team holds its own local tryout(s) prior to the start of the season and can invite up to five of the participants to its preseason training camp.