The first round of D-League waiver claims are behind us, and three quasi-NBA talents will join a D-League season already underway. According to Scott Schroeder of NBA FanHouse, Joe Alexander, Stanley Robinson, and DeShawn Sims will all ply their trade in the D this season. Alexander will play for the Texas Legends, Robinson for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, and Sims for the Maine Red Claws.
Alexander, a lottery pick in 2008, likely has the highest profile of the three. He has a ways to go before becoming a real NBA contributor, but Alexander could very well be called up as an answer to some team’s injury misfortune or a project of sorts. He’s still a tremendous athlete, and if he can tone down his fouling, improve his shooting, and hold his own defensively, Alexander could conceivably become a passable NBA player. The D-League would optimally give Alexander a spot to work on his game, but I have a feeling that his time in Frisco will be relatively short-lived. It’s not all that surprising that the Bulls elected to cut Alexander lose rather than pay him a multi-million dollar annual salary, but he’s likely worth the minimum somewhere.
Robinson was the Orlando Magic’s second round pick in this summer’s draft, and now he’ll join the ground level of the Houston Rockets’ operation. As Schroeder noted in his report, the Rockets are among the more active call-up teams in the NBA, and if Robinson succeeds in the D-League, he’ll likely get a pat on the head and 10 days’ worth of NBA salary for his efforts.
Sims was a quality scorer and rebounder last season for Michigan, and followed up his collegiate career with a strong showing at the Orlando Summer League. After playing a few games in Greece for PAOK BC, Sims has decided to return to the States, where he’ll grab a smaller paycheck but enjoy a more immediately visible big-league audition. The international route is clearly fitting for those who need the coin, but the D-League has rapidly grown into the premier avenue for NBA hopefuls. Sims is certainly one such player, and he’ll go to work in the D with the hope of turning a few heads.