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NBA D-League Preview: LA D-Fenders are going to be fun

By Chris Reichert

Apr 15, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Vander Blue (12) dribbles against Sacramento Kings guard Nik Stauskas (10) in the first half during the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 15, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Vander Blue (12) dribbles against Sacramento Kings guard Nik Stauskas (10) in the first half during the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Over the next couple of weeks, The Step Back will examine each of the 22 NBA D-League teams and bring bringing you an in-depth look at their roster as well as any potential storylines to watch for. Teams can retain up to 12 players, while only 10 will be active for games. This is your first look at the prospects to watch out for all season.

Roster Breakdown

Affiliates: Julian Jacobs and Travis Wear
Returners: Josh Magette, Vander Blue, Roscoe Smith, Kenneth Smith, Justin Harper & D.J. Shumpert
Draftees: David Nwaba (trade)
Tryouts: David Foster and Troy Devries
Potential NBA Assignees: Ivica Zubac and Thomas Robinson

Scoring at a premium

Somehow Vander Blue is still a mere 24-years-old. After going undrafted in 2013 as an early entrant, Blue now enters his fourth season in the D-League and his third straight with the Los Angeles D-Fenders. Blue is still a developing prospect at this juncture in his career, but he’s ready to put it all on the line once again for his shot at the NBA.

Last season Blue set a D-League record for free throw makes and attempts hitting 349-of-431 attempts. That’s almost nine attempts per game, meaning he’s putting endless pressure on opposing defenses with his relentless attacking style. He has the athleticism to finish over larger defenders and last season he added the pull up mid range jumper out of the pick-and-roll to his arsenal as well. While he can be seen bowling over defenders in the lane on many occasions, Blue isn’t a free-throw chaser as the numbers might indicate.

The free throws really stem from his lack of consistent outside shooting, so instead of taking ill-advised shots, he attacks. Two seasons ago he hit almost 42 percent of his 3s, but last season that number dipped to 33 percent on 270 attempts. Blue has to show NBA scouts he can do more than simply score. His defensive effort has to be there, he has to get others involved and he has to continue to be coachable. Blue is one of the top talents in this league and this could be his year.

Stretch 4s aplenty

Over the past decade or so in the NBA, the stretch 4 position has vaulted up the totem pole in terms of importance. With spacing for explosive guard/center tandems at a premium, teams are looking to guys like Ryan Anderson to provide size, but also premier outside shooting for their teams.

The D-Fenders have Travis Wear as an affiliate player this year. He’s a 26-year-old, 6-foot-10 power forward with quality pro experience so far. He made the New York Knicks roster as an undrafted rookie in 2014, but after being waived spent last season in Spain’s ACB where he continued to play well. Now, he’s in the D-League for the first time and one of his main attractions will be his ability to knock down the 3-pointer. Wear has good mobility on the perimeter as well, so showing off his lateral quickness and foot speed will be vital to his value as an NBA player.

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Justin Harper returned to the D-Fenders for a second consecutive season and is hoping to garner even more NBA interest than last year. Harper earned two 10-day contracts with the Pistons last season but was ultimately let go after that opportunity. The 6-foot-10 power forward averaged 15.3 points and 5.7 rebounds while hitting 88 3-pointers at a 39 percent clip last season. That versatility is the draw for him as a viable NBA option. Harper needs to build on his success from last year and prove he can score in the paint, out of the pick-and-roll and perhaps most importantly defend both the paint and perimeter.

Two-Headed point guard

In Greek mythology, Orthus was a two-headed dog who was the offspring of Echidna and Typhon. The D-Fenders have their own two-headed monster with Josh Magette and Kenneth Smith, offspring of Coby Karl.

Magette led the D-League in assists last season when he averaged 11.5 points, 9.1 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.4 steals per contest. The D-Fenders came narrowly close to winning the NBADL championship and if they had done so, Magette would have been the catalyst. The 6-foot-1 lefty guard almost made the Atlanta Hawks roster this offseason and will look to keep that momentum trending upward. Frankly, he’s a bit of a pest on defense, a bit of an antagonist and reminds me a bit of Patrick Beverley. That right there, tells you all you need to know about his value to this team.

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Kenneth “Speedy” Smith is also returning to LA as the team’s backup point guard. Smith is a 6-foot-3, 23-year-old guard out of Louisana Tech. Last year he started over in Russia as a rookie before joining the D-Fenders midseason. By that point, Magette was the established lead guard and minutes were hard to come by for Smith. This year with a new coach and a full training camp, expect Smith to garner 23-28 minutes a night as his pass-first mentality matches up well with Magette’s and the tandem will punch out assists like DeMar DeRozan midrange jumpers.

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