:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/999645/20120304_jel_sz6_594.0.jpg)
Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey is both savvy and fearless, and as his team enters the season with an incredibly high amount of unproven talent, he will likely be in tight communication with his D-League affiliate all season long.
The Rockets have unveiled their slogan for this season, it reads "A New Age", and with the figurehead for D-League success, Jeremy Lin, as their key marketing tool, Houston will look to excel in it's ability to utilize it's young bed of talent to dictate their success on the court this upcoming season.
Fans of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers should be thrilled as they will likely see a bevy of players interchanging between the Vipers and Rockets throughout the season. Entering camp, the Rockets will carry eleven D-League eligible players, with four rookies, and four second year players. It has been made clear that the Rockets will not look at just developing their players in the regular season, however, finding out the best rotation to win games. But Houston will be able to take on both challenges by using the Vipers as a key tool to assist them in developing players, while filtering players who may be an integral piece to the Rockets roster.
Rookie free agent Kyle Fogg has stated that he is on board with either playing for the Rockets or the Vipers, "I really like this organization, if they happen to put me in the D-League, and they thought that was best for me, I’d be open to that.". The former Arizona Wildcat averaged 9.6 points (.404, 193-478 3FG), 2.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists over his four years in Tucson. Scott Machado, another highly touted guard in training camp, is also on record claiming that he is indifferent to being assigned to the D-League "Basketball is going to be basketball. Obviously, I want to be here, but if I have to play down here (RGV), then I guess I’ll have to do that. I’ll do what I have to do."
Morey and head coach Kevin McHale have to like what they are already hearing from their young players this early on in training camp and the preseason. It will be exciting to follow the Rockets progress as this season unfolds, and it will include a lot of involvement with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.