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NBA D-League Preview: Do the RGV Vipers have too much talent?

By Chris Reichert

Oct 21, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; Houston Rockets point guard Gary Payton II (0) prepares to dunk the ball as San Antonio Spurs small forward Davis Bertans (42) defends during the second half at AT&T Center. The Spurs won 114-99. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 21, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; Houston Rockets point guard Gary Payton II (0) prepares to dunk the ball as San Antonio Spurs small forward Davis Bertans (42) defends during the second half at AT&T Center. The Spurs won 114-99. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-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: Isaiah Taylor, Gary Payton II, P.J. Hairston and LeBryan Nash
Returners: Chris Walker, Jarvis Threatt, Darius Morris, Joshua Smith and J.P. Tokoto (trade)
Draftees: Markus Kennedy (trade) and Shane Richards (trade)
Tryouts: Julien Lewis and Paul Jesperson
Potential NBA Assignees: Kyle Wiltjer, Chinanu Onuaku, Sam Dekker and Tyler Ennis

Coach Brase’s point guard balancing act

Scroll back up and peruse that list of names. There is a slew of talent on this Rio Grande Valley roster. Coach Matt Brase might have a tough time keeping everyone happy as guys like Payton II, Hairston, Taylor, Threatt, Morris and Tokoto will all feature heavily in their attack this season. Taylor and Payton are both rookies who spent training camp with the Rockets and we can expect them to get a healthy dose of playing time. Payton earned a guaranteed contract from Houston and then was surprisingly let go at the end of camp. Now the explosive, 23-year-old rookie will try his hand at the D-League where his exemplary defense should make him an immediate standout.

Threatt and Morris are returners and while their career arches were different before, they are not intertwined here for the Vipers. Morris was once a second round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers but in his first four NBA seasons only amassed 132 games while playing for five different teams. Now, he will try to prove the promise that once made him an endearing prospect has come to fruition. Threatt has spent the last two seasons here with RGV earning around 21 minutes per game, but when he has garnered opportunities, he has played very well and shown off an all-around game.

P.J. Hairston back to where it all started

P.J. Hairston is making his return to the D-League this season. Back in 2013-14 after being dismissed from UNC, he signed with the league and played 21 games with the Texas Legends before being drafted in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft. After spending the first 1.5 years of his career with Charlotte, they traded him to Memphis and this offseason they let Hairston walk.

Hairston is still just 23-years-old, so there is development to be done, but he is far from last soul. At 6-foot-6 he’s always possessed the ability to score in bunches and with his size, he can often shoot over opponents rather easily. The issue with Hairston is his lack of improvement in other areas, namely on the defensive end. At this point, his value in the NBA — or really any top tier pro league — is likely a “3-and-D” option. For that to play out in his favor, he’s going to have to focus heavily on that end of the court during his time in the D-League. The Rockets aren’t exactly known for their defensive prowess, but that doesn’t preclude him from improving that area of his game.

Joshua Smith and Chris Walker back for more

Joshua Smith and Chris Walker both entered college with lofty expectations. Walker went to Florida where things quite honestly just did not work, so after two seasons he bolted for the pros. Smith started at UCLA, then transferred to Georgetown where he ultimately earned his degree.

Walker showed real flashes of greatness last season as a rookie with the Vipers. Now, still just 21-years-old, he enters his second season with the club and will likely have a larger role. Walker’s awareness on both ends of the court improved exponentially last season and if he continued that development over the offseason, then he could be a real force in the paint for RGV; especially on defense. Right now, Walker needs to be a 6-foot-10, rim running, shot blocking, rebounding machine for RGV and Coach Brase. He’s working on extending his range as well, but with all the scoring options on this team he needs to embrace this role and prosper.

Next: The Texas Legends are going to score a lot

Last season Joshua Smith weighed around 350 pounds and it was evident he just did not have the stamina to play more than 17-20 minutes a night. This year he’s gone through an amazing transformation and their team site lists him at 6-foot-10, 290 pounds! Smith has always battled weight issues, so it will be very interesting to see how he performs now that he’s shed so much. He’s still a stout guy at 290, so expect his game to be much of the same, just with more minutes and opportunities to showcase himself.

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