The Laketown Squadron’s first season in Kenner finally has a calendar.
The NBA released the full G League schedule Friday, locking in the Pelicans’ affiliate for an inaugural run that starts Nov. 8 on the road against the Austin Spurs, San Antonio’s G League team. A week later, the Squadron will open its home slate Nov. 14 against the Mexico City Capitanes at the Pontchartrain Center.
That move into Kenner was announced by the Pelicans in late March, ending the team’s five-season run in Birmingham, Alabama. Before that, New Orleans’ G League club spent two seasons in Pennsylvania as the Erie BayHawks.
Joe Dumars, the Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations, pointed to the benefits of having the affiliate closer to home when the relocation was announced.
“The close proximity to Kenner gives us the ability to better align our basketball operations and coaching strategies, integrate player development and enhance roster flexibility throughout the season,” Dumars said. “We are excited to announce this move and look forward to deepening our connection with the local community.”
The Squadron will play 48 games overall, with half of them - 24 - at the Pontchartrain Center.
Brandon Demas, the head coach and a New Orleans native, has already talked about what the team wants its new home to become.
“We talk about it all the time,” Demas said in June. “Our goal is to create one of the best homecourt advantages in the G League.
We know we are capable of it. We see how the community comes out and supports the Saints, the Pelicans, Tulane, LSU.
We want to add the Squadron to that list as well.”
There’s local blood in the front office, too. Thomas Scott, the son of former New Orleans Hornets head coach Byron Scott, is the team’s general manager.
Scott said the atmosphere should make the building a tough place for visiting teams.
“The environment is going to be rocking, and there isn’t going to be a bad seat in the house,” Scott said. “We are going to rely on the fans to give us the energy we need to win games.”
The regular season wraps up March 25 on the road against the Motor City Cruise.
The full home-and-road slate is packed with familiar G League names, including visits from the Oklahoma City Blue, Osceola Magic, Wisconsin Herd, Westchester Knicks, Raptors 905, Delaware Blue Coats, Cleveland Charge, Maine Celtics, College Park Skyhawks and Windy City Bulls, along with road trips to Rio Grande Valley, Memphis, Texas, Greensboro, Long Island, Noblesville, Grand Rapids, Delaware, Capital City and Detroit.
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