Open Thread: D-League, Lynx, and More

The Miami Heat have entered into an agreement with the Sioux Falls Skyforce to be their exclusive D-League affiliate, meaning the Wolves will have to find a new partner.

This is becoming more common, and the NBA will have to do something, as there are now something like 4 D-League teams for 13 NBA teams outside of the established 1-to-1 relationships.

There are better ways to handle development, but since they might cost the NBA a few dollars, I'm not expecting much. I suggested yesterday that allowing each team a few "d-league" contracts outside of their NBA roster would be good. They would have to pay a competitive salary, or the best non-NBA guys would still go overseas, but a competitive salary would still be very little by NBA standards.

However, I don't get the sense that the NBA has any interest in a system like this.

Following a disappointing loss in their first road game, the Minnesota Lynx return home to face San Antonio tonight at 7:00 pm at Target Center. Rebekkah Brunson was named Western Conference Player of the Week for week two of the WNBA season. She remains a monster on the boards and went 21 and 17 in their loss to the Mystics. Maya Moore has been on fire from 3 point range so far, going 9-18 from distance.

The USMNT is back in action tonight in a home World Cup Qualifier against Panama. The game will air at 9:00 pm CDT on ESPN (thank the gods. I'm not one to worship at the ESPN altar, but way better then beIN Sport. :Plus, Ian Darke). There is already built in controversy, because U.S. Soccer had to put in a temporary grass field in order to hold the game in Seattle, where there is a wonderful fan base. CONCACAF requires real grass. Apparently, it isn't ideal, and we'll see how it affects play tonight.

Of course, that game will be going up against Game Three of the Finals, for which we will have a game thread later.

Supreme Court Update: None of the major opinions were released on Monday (the traditional decision day, though they are going to release on Thursdays as well for the remainder of the term). As a reminder, we are still awaiting decisions in cases about affirmative action (Fisher), the Voting Rights Act (Shelby), human gene patenting (Myriad Genetics), and same sex marriage. (Hollingsworth v. Perry on California's Prop Eight) and DOMA (U.S. v. Windsor). The betting line is that the Prop 8 case will be decided on procedural grounds (party defending the law don't have standing), whereas the DOMA case will be a more broad ruling striking it down, though perhaps not on equal protection grounds but rather on the issues of federalism and states rights.

The fact that our legislatures cannot do better on gun control despite widespread public support is a travesty. Many of you have probably seen this article from the Washington Post about the aftermath in Newtown, Connecticut, but if you haven't, go read it. But have tissues handy.

The whistleblower in the NSA surveillance case, Ed Snowden, decamped for Hong Kong. He gave this interview to the Guardian. Good luck to him.

This is an open thread. Talk amongst yourselves.

EDIT: Birthdays! It's Maya Moore's birthday today, so happy birthday Maya! Why not go for 30 to celebrate?

Birth anniversary of two important Englishmen: Ben Jonson (1572), the poet and playwright, and John Constable, the painter (1776).

Also, birth anniversary of the first woman elected to Congress: Jeanneatte Rankin (1880).