Promotion/Relegation
Premier League
Promoted:
- Buffalo: The Braves arrive in the Premier League with the best record in the Championship and All-Star Bob McAdoo. What can they do for an encore?
- Philadelphia: The 76ers proved they belong with the elites with their young core and a hunger for a Premier League championship.
- Houston: The battle tested Rockets rose into the Premier League with momentum and a chip on their shoulders.
Relegated:
- Kentucky: The Colonels showed they aren’t quite ready for prime time just yet. Can they rebound in the Championship or wil they fall further?
- San Antonio: The Spurs face a building project in the Championship before they can challenge for a title in the Premier.
- Indiana: The last place Pacers probably have the most questions of any team going into the offseason. They can’t possibly keep together the team next year. Another relegations seems possible.
Championship
Promoted:
- Oklahoma City: The Stampede lived up to their name by wining 85% of their games in the Founder’s cup. The excitement around this team next year is feverish.
- Baltimore: The Ravens made a name for themselves with a balanced game. Several prominent players have expressed a desire to come to Baltimore.
- Memphis: Already proved themselves by defeating Portland in the Founder’s Challenge to earn promotion into the Championship.
Relegated:
- Portland: Probably the most surprising of the relegations. Bill Walton has no place on a Founder’s Cup team next year. Trade offers will be plentiful.
- Spirits of St. Louis: One of the gems of the former ABA ends the year on a down note. Can they find their identity again in the Founder’s Cup?
- Detroit: Of the three teams, even though they finished last, they probably have the best chance to rise again next year for another shot at the Premier.
We will keep a close eye on all teams that have been promoted and relegated. They will need to consider the new reality of their situation. New Premier League teams need to shore up their rosters against the increased competition of the new league. Relegated teams from the Premier to the Championship must balance their desires to rise back into the top tier with the reality that they may face some financial restrictions due to a decrease in ticket sales or a need to restructure their pricing model. The biggest shocks, however, come from the shift from Championship to Founder’s and vice versa. Teams face either a threefold increase or decrease in games and potential revenue that completely upends their financials. How do they navigate this change to remain or return to the championship and continue their rise into the Premier League.
Coaching, Roster, and Front Office Implications
Premier League
Buffalo (↑ Promoted)
- Coach: Safe – Promoted with best record
- Front Office: Expansion mode – Premier revenue means more scouts, analytics
- Key Roster Question: Can they keep Bob McAdoo happy long-term?
Philadelphia (↑ Promoted)
- Coach: Safe – Young core delivered
- Front Office: Upgrading – Premier demands deeper front office
- Key Roster Question: Which veteran joins to mentor the kids?
Houston (↑ Promoted)
- Coach: Safe – Battle-tested playoff winner
- Front Office: Growth – Time to add staff for Premier grind
- Key Roster Question: Does Calvin Murphy get a max extension?
Kentucky (↓ Relegated)
- Coach: Warm – Hubie Brown respected, but relegation stings
- Front Office: Downsizing – Premier-level staff on Championship budget
- Key Roster Question: Do they trade Artis Gilmore or build around him?
San Antonio (↓ Relegated)
- Coach: Hot – Relegated despite Silas’s All-Star year
- Front Office: Restructuring – New GM? New direction?
- Key Roster Question: Is James Silas part of the rebuild or trade bait?
Indiana (↓ Relegated)
- Coach: Hot – Last place, relegated, no identity
- Front Office: Overhaul likely – Full teardown expected
- Key Roster Question: Who stays? Anyone?
Championship
Oklahoma City (↑ Promoted from Founders)
- Coach: Safe – Dominated Founders Cup
- Front Office: Expansion – First real front office build
- Key Roster Question: Do they add veterans or trust the 17–3 core?
Baltimore (↑ Promoted from Founders)
- Coach: Safe – Balanced, effective, promoted
- Front Office: Growth – Time to hire a dedicated GM
- Key Roster Question: Can they find a Robin to Rocky Risien’s Batman?
Memphis (↑ Promoted from Founders)
- Coach: Hero – Won Founders Challenge
- Front Office: Thrilled – From lean to legit
- Key Roster Question: How do they celebrate a Cinderella promotion?
Portland (↓ Relegated to Founders)
- Coach: Hot – Lost Challenge, now Founders Cup
- Front Office: Crisis mode – Walton doesn’t belong in Tier 3
- Key Roster Question: Do they trade Bill Walton or beg him to stay?
St. Louis (↓ Relegated to Founders)
- Coach: Warm – Talent underachieved
- Front Office: Retooling – Keep core or cash in?
- Key Roster Question: Moses Malone trade rumors already swirling
Detroit (↓ Relegated to Founders)
- Coach: Safe (for now) – Thin roster, full rebuild
- Front Office: Blank slate – Building from scratch
- Key Roster Question: Who’s the first building block?