Tag: 1976

by abfcommish

1977 Season First Half

Founder’s Cup

The Founder’s Cup brought an exciting first half in their second season. Stalwarts from last year Salt Lake City, Mid Atlantic, and Tampa Bay are showing the relegated teams from last year just how different this tier is. The Spirits have adjusted to the pace of play and vintage ball. Portland and Detroit are both struggling in the tier and are in danger of repeating in the Founder’s again next year. The second half of the season promises to be even more exciting as those four teams fight for the three promotion spots. Portland still has an outside chance. Detroit just needs a win.

Championship

Oklahoma City and Baltimore both proved in the first half that they belong. They ran through the Founder’s last season with a combined 31 wins. In the first half of the Championship, they lead the tier by 6 games and are shoo ins for two promotions in two years to find themselves in the top tier of the league next year. Meanwhile, their promotion third, Memphis, is joined by Seattle and Atlanta on the bottom of the tier. None of them have double digit wins. If this continues, it’s going to be a long season for the three of them. Fire sales may occur sooner rather than later.

Premier

The Premier League saw a bit of a shake up in the first half as well. Phoenix, firmly in the middle of the pack last season, has rushed out to a scorching 29-4 pace to lead the league. Right behind them is Chicago, a team that finished below .500 last year. Last year’s co-leaders, Boston and champion Denver, are lurking in the top 5, ready to strike should either or both of the top teams falter. The race for the championship promises to be a fun one this year. Philadelphia, one of the members of the first class to promote to the top tier, is firmly at .500. They are only one solid piece or two away from being true contenders. Meanwhile, the other teams Houston and Buffalo are struggling in their new league. And the surprise of the league is served last. Los Angeles has won only 6 games and is on an inside track for relegation at the end of the season. The Lakers need to find Kareem some help soon or they could be looking at a full tear down and rebuild. Kareem will not accept multiple years in the Championship.

What To Watch For – Second Half

Founder’s Promotion: What three teams out of the four that are currently competitive for promotion will come through in the end? Also, can Portland maybe spoil the proceedings?

Winless Detroit: From last place, with only 20 wins, in the Championship to last and winless in the Founder’s, Detroit is facing a full blown crisis.

Can Baltimore and OKC pull off the double double? OKC looked prime in the offseason to become the first team to earn promotion twice in two seasons. Baltimore, right behind them last season, is showing that they are no fluke either.

Can Phoenix Finish? The Suns are running away from the league right now. But, some familiar faces wait in the wings. Will they be able to fight off the more established clubs or can they win their first championship this year?

by abfcommish

1976 ABF Offseason Moves

Three Blockbuster Moves Reshape the ABF

Houston acquires: Moses Malone
St. Louis receives: 1977 first-round pick, 1978 second-round pick, cash considerations

The Rockets made it to the Premier League the hard way , through the promotion playoff. Now they’re making sure they stay there.

Moses Malone, the 21-year-old rebounding machine, returns to the franchise that drafted him. Houston pairs him with Calvin Murphy and Rudy Tomjanovich, giving the Rockets a frontline that can bang with anyone. For St. Louis, it’s a painful but necessary move. The Spirits are headed to the Founders Cup and need assets. Malone would have been wasted in the third tier. Now they build around draft picks and cap space.

What it means: Houston isn’t just happy to be in the Premier. They’re building for keeps.

Denver acquires: James Silas
San Antonio receives: 1977 first-round pick, young player to be named

The ABF’s first champion just got better.

James Silas — “The Captain” — was the Premier League’s highest-scoring guard (28.7 per 48) despite playing for a relegated Spurs team. Now he joins David Thompson and Dan Issel in Denver, giving the Nuggets a backcourt threat to match their dominant frontcourt.

For San Antonio, it’s a gut punch. Silas was the face of the franchise. But with relegation to the Championship, the Spurs faced a choice: build around him or sell high and stockpile assets. They chose the latter. Denver’s first-round pick and a young rotation player give San Antonio a head start on their return bid.

What it means: The rich get richer. Denver just reloaded.

Buffalo acquires: Bill Walton
Portland receives: 1977 first-round pick, 1978 second-round pick, future considerations

This is the one that changes everything.

Buffalo already had Bob McAdoo, the Championship’s most dominant scorer. Now they add Bill Walton — a generational talent who somehow ended up in the Founders Cup after Portland’s shocking relegation. Together, McAdoo and Walton form arguably the best frontcourt in the Premier League.

For Portland, it’s a fire sale. Walton had no business playing 20 games in the Founders Cup. The Blazers extract what they can — future picks, cap flexibility — and begin a full rebuild from the third tier.

What it means: Buffalo isn’t just happy to be in the Premier. They’re immediate title contenders.

OKC Refuses to Wait

The Founders Cup champions (17–3) aren’t content to simply survive in the Championship. Oklahoma City has made two aggressive moves:

1. Signing veteran guard Geoff Petrie – The former Portland scorer brings Championship experience and perimeter shooting to a young Stampede roster.

2. Hiring head coach Tom Nissalke – The veteran tactician replaces the interim staff, giving OKC a system-minded leader for their 66-game grind.

“We’re not here to participate,” a team source said. “We’re here to win.”

What it means: OKC believes they can pull off back-to-back promotions. The Championship just got a lot more interesting.

Coaching Moves

Portland (↓ to Founders Cup)

  • Out: Lenny Wilkens (resigns to move to front office)
  • In: Jack Ramsay – Perfect for a rebuild; defensive mind, respected veteran

St. Louis (↓ to Founders Cup)

  • Out: Rod Thorn
  • In: Hubie Brown – Defensive genius for young roster with Moses Malone gone

Indiana (↓ to Championship)

  • Out: Bob “Slick” Leonard
  • In: Doug Moe – Run-and-gun style for a full rebuild; exciting, player-friendly

San Antonio (↓ to Championship)

  • Out: Bob Bass (steps down and moves to front office)
  • In: Stan Albeck – Disciplined, system-oriented; perfect for a retooling team

Oklahoma City (↑ to Championship)

  • Out: Interim staff (implied)
  • In: Tom Nissalke – Veteran coach with Championship experience; system mind for young, hungry team

Buffalo

  • With Jack Ramsay now in Portland, who coaches the Braves?
  • Options: Promote assistant? Hire Kevin Loughery (ABA flair)? Cotton Fitzsimmons (veteran)?

Kentucky (↓ to Championship)

  • Hubie Brown moves to St. Louis for a change of scenery
  • Who replaces him? Internal promotion? 
by abfcommish

1976 ABF Season Fallout

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?