A year ago, Utah Flash head coach Brad Jones had to teach his assistant coach the team's system, not to mention 10 new players who showed up just a few short days before the team's first preseason game.

This year, Jones expects a smoother transition in Utah's second season in the D-League. The Flash hosted their media day on Tuesday at the Zion's Bank Basketball Center and like many D-League teams, the roster is dramatically different, but there are a few familiar faces back from last year's team that finished 24-26 in its inaugural season.

"The second year is like the second year of a marriage. You're a little better husband in your second year of marriage than you were in the first year. Our staff is still together and we have a better comfort level and we'll be able to be better teachers," Jones said. "Everything was just brand new last year. I was teaching my staff, we were getting a feel for each other, we were teaching all these players who just showed up and didn't know each other. We still have a little bit this year, but at least our staff is on the same page and we've got Brian (Jackson) and Andre (Ingram) and they're on the floor and they've been through it and those guys have been terrific in helping the new guys trying to get a feel for what we expect."

Most notably, the Flash could have Morris Almond, the D-League's leading scorer from last year. Almond set a single-game scoring record last season with 53 points and averaged 25.6 points per game.

He is not on the roster, but since the Jazz declined to pickup Almond's contract for the 2009-10, the third-year option on his rookie contract, it is an indication that he will likely end up back with the Flash.

As the affiliate of the Utah Jazz, the Flash will likely get some other Jazz players that could include centers Kyrylo Fesenko and Kosta Koufos.

Another returning player is guard Andre Ingram, who averaged 6.1 points per game last year and shot .448 from the 3-point line.

Former Oregon State forward Brian Jackson will also be back. He averaged 9.6 points and 6.4 rebounds last year with the Flash.

Even the new faces will be familiar.

Former BYU guard Mike Hall is on the Flash, as is former New Mexico J.R. Giddens, who is on assignment from the Boston Celtics.

The 6-foot-5 Giddens was selected in the first round, 30th overall, by the Celtics in the 2008 NBA draft. During his two-year career at New Mexico, Giddens averaged 16.1 points and 7.7 rebounds and shared Mountain West Conference Co-Player of the Year honors with BYU's Lee Cummard.

"I'm familiar with Utah from the MWC. I was just happy to come down and get a chance to play and knock some of this rust off me," Giddens said. "You can work out and lift and condition all you want, but nothing gets you into game shape other than playing in games. Coming down here gives me a great opportunity to work on my deficiencies and get in game shape."

Hall finished his senior year at BYU in 2005, where he averaged 13.9 points per game. Since then, he's played in France and the CBA. Last year, he averaged 13.5 points and 2.0 assists per game with a team in Austria.

In addition to those players mentioned, the Flash acted quickly in trading for one of the top players in the D-League last year, acquiring point guard Dontell Jefferson from Dakota for the team's first-round pick.

Jefferson averaged 17.0 points per game last year.

"He (Jefferson) had a need to play point guard and he's been in our league," Jones said. "He averaged 17 points, five assists and five rebounds last year in our league. That's pretty dang good, right? On top of that, he can guard, so having him come in and knowing he's the guy who's in control, even though he may not be the truest point guard, was a big advantage to us."

The Flash will cut the roster down from 16 to 12 today. The team will play a exhibition game on Saturday against the Idaho Stampede in Burley, Idaho, and on Nov. 26, the Flash will make their final cuts down to 10 before they open the season at the Austin Toros on Nov. 28. The Flash will then play the Rio Grande Valley Vipers before returning home for their home opener on Monday, Dec. 1, against Bakersfield at the McKay Events Center.