D-League Follies - Part II

Interesting things are happening in the NBA Development League, especially for the Houston Rockets. Les Alexander and crew became the first team in the NBA to assume control of the basketball operations of an NBADL team under the league's new "hybrid affiliation" plan. The Rockets have been associated with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers for a couple of years, but the new plan grants them complete control of the basketball side of the Vipers without the headaches and investment of outright ownership. In return, RGV can focus on the business end of the operation and have an NBA franchise affiliate to draw crowds.

The Rockets' access to the team will now be exclusive. Previously, the Hornets shared the Vipers as a minor league affiliate, but as of June 29, only the Rockets can make use of the roster. There are a couple of provisos as to how they can use it. First, there is a strict salary cap for individual players signed by the NBADL. Secondly, for an NBA player to be on the minor league team (and still be paid at an NBA salary level), he must be on the big league payroll. Since the Rockets can have 15 active players, but can dress only 12 for games, three players at a time can be getting quality coaching and seasoning down in the valley. To that end, the Rockets fired veteran coach Clay Moser and will install a coaching staff that reflects Rick Adelman's style of play. Adelman will now have a stash of players that have been schooled in his system at his beckon call in case of injuries or trades.

This development helps somewhat to explain the Rockets off-season player acquisitions. Jerome Taylor, Chase Budinger, Sergio Llull, Pops Mensah-Bonsu are all either low draft choices or undrafted free agents with potential. James White, who played for the Rockets at the end of last season, fits that category as well. It is not unreasonable to expect that some of them will see time in McAllen, either as members of the Rockets or as players that have been cut, but are still trying to grow into NBA players.

I am very pleased with the direction the Rockets are moving in player development. In my last post regarding the NBADL, I expressed my desire for this very thing. Now that the CBA has folded completely, the Developmental League can really come into its own and I think more and more teams will follow the Rockets' lead into hybrid affiliation. This blog will keep an eye on the Vipers and report the progress of the experiment.