The Impact League is another league where guys are getting in some semi-competitive basketball during the lockout. I don't know a ton of details, but I think it is run by an organization that usually runs off-season training programs for pro ballers. The roster has plenty of recognizable names on it. Here are a few notables that jumped out at me:

Current Raptors: DeRozan, Bayless

Recent Draftees: Kawhi Leonard, Isaiah Thomas, Josh Selby

Star Power: John Wall, Steph Curry, Billups, 

Comeback Kids: Larry Hughes, Morris Peterson, TJ Ford, Bonzi Wells

Quite a few young bigs and second and third year pros. Should be an interesting mix. I am sure others know much more about this whole thing than I do. Here is a link:

http://nba-point-forward.si.com/2011/09/08/impact-league-releases-roster-of-nba-players/?sct=nba_t2_a3

Anyone who picked up Aguero, Gary Cahill or Klasnic has to be pretty happy this morning. The guy who is first place overall (worldwide) had Aguero as his team captain this week (double points). Our league's points leader, 'arry accountants, stands a very respectable 51,548th out of 2,022,907 in the world (top 3% overall). Hot on his heals are the Surreal Madrid Fish, who have a busy competitive schedule what with being entered in 14 other Classic and Head-to-head leagues. Our top ten are only separated by 9 points, so clearly it is going to be a very competitive season in our 106 team league. My team (OttSpurs) managed to sneak into the top 30, so I can't complain about their efforts thus far.

As usual in the EPL the injury bug is starting to bite right off the bat. This week I lost Etherington to injury (who I thought was going to be a pretty astute signing). It will be great to be able to deploy our Spurs players next week. I had to sit Corluka on the bench for my squad this week. With an extra week's rest I am certain he will be one of my top performers and he pounds in a brace during Spurs 4-0 victory at Old Trafford ;)

Thanks to the league organizer(s) for setting this up and letting us know about it. So far this has been a fun distraction that has added to my enjoyment of non-Spurs matches.

It looks like those traitorous Bayhawks will be dumping the Raptors and taking up with the Knicks!!  ;)

http://www.ridiculousupside.com/2011/6/8/2213545/knicks-d-league-erie-bayhawks

Actually, I think this is the way that NBA teams should run things with their NBA-DL affiliates. It would be great if the Raptors would buy a D-League team and run it as a true farm team. This would be great for developing guys like Alabi because you could be sure they were getting proper training and lots of touches in game action. If a guy like Cory Joseph slips through the draft the Raptors could sign him up and assign him to run the point on their farm team for a year or until he has polished his skills sufficiently to take a proper shot at the big team. This kind of development works well in hockey and baseball. No reason it couldn't work for basketball, too.

The Fort Wayne Mad Ants, seem to be the closest team to Toronto, but maybe the Raptors could start up an expansion franchise over in Rochester, Buffalo, or even better Hamilton. What about it MLSE?

Not a very reputable source, but Mitch Lawrence is reporting that Colangelo might move to the Knicks when his contract expires. I am sure there would be fans on this board who would not be disappointed by that outcome. Maybe he would try to take Bargnani with him to the Knicks......Of course he is denying the rumour, but really what else is he going to do if negotiations have not been finalized(assuming that they are happening at all).

Link(not the original source):

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/basketball/raptors-gm-colangelo-denies-knicks-rumour/article1973269/