Posts tagged DJAugustin at FanHouse

Notes from a trip to the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

DJ Augustin was showing why the Bobcats had such faith in him to be the point guard of the future this weekend in Vegas before knee tendonitis set him back, prompting him to shut it down after three games in anticipation of training camp.

However, he was nice enough to answer some questions about being coached by Larry Brown, on creating opportunities for his teammates, and of course, whether he'd get a head tattoo.

MM: How's the knee?

DJ: It's getting better. It's getting stronger every day and I just want to get ready for training camp.

MM: So the coaching staff wanted to shut you down, just as a precaution?

DJ: I don't want to hurt it any worse, so I just want to get treatment.

MM: Larry Brown is notoriously hard on point guards. Is that something you were concerned about, or are you just ready for the challenge?

DJ: No, I've played for tough coaches all my life, and they only push you because they want you to be the best player you can be. As a point guard, you've got to be demanding because that's the player running your team.

Here's a look at the top ten players we saw at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

1. Jerryd Bayless: Who cares that him running point was like a Ben Stiller movie or that he managed so few assists his teammates almost decided to bring their own ball on the court to play catch? The kid was transcendent. Floaters, fadeaways, dunks, steals, you name it. If it's got flash, Bayless was unleashing it on someone this week.

2. Kevin Love: You know how some people's college game just doesn't transfer to the pro game? Yeah, Kevin Love won't be having that problem. Tough, resilient, with a range of moves and offensive versatility to go along with the sweetest, yes, outlet pass we've seen, Love was incredibly impressive.

3. Anthony Randolph: Youth and athleticism rules! The lanky Warrior started the week off with a bang and played solid throughout. His impressive handle really made him stand out, along with a tenacious effort on defense.

Lost in the dismal implosion of the Bobcats last season, which was neither a bang, nor a whimper, but a kind of depressing grunt, was the myriad of injuries they were forced to endure. The biggest of which was Sean May.

Now, May wasn't exactly lighting the world on fire before his succumbing to microfracture surgery last October on a knee that's been bothering him since he was drafted, but he is a valuable asset to the new Bobcats regime. On top of that North Carolina connection that the Cats are so fond of, May provides them with a scoring presence inside, which will help to ease the dismay held by Bobcats' fans after their selection of D.J. Augustin.

So it's good news then, that May is reported to be cleared for basketball activities, will be hanging around the team in Las Vegas for Summer League, and will "definitely be at camp in October." May may not be the key to unlocking the puzzle of the Bobcats' stagnant growth, but he could be a significant improvement for the team under new head coach Larry Brown.

When Portland acquired the #27 pick, we knew something was about to get cracking. Kevin Pritchard isn't waiting until the last minute either, apparently lobbying New Jersey for its #10 pick so it can snatch away Texas point guard D.J. Augustin. Via The Oregonian, Yahoo!'s Adrian Wojnarowski places in the current talks Portland's #13 and #33 picks and Jarrett Jack, in exchange for New Jersey's #10 and Trenton Hassell. (Portland's recently acquired #27 pick, then, isn't in play. It does allow the Blazers to take a favored foreign player -- like Nicolas Batum? -- in that late spot, though.)

Wojnarowski focuses on what this means for Indiana, who had been thought to have settled on Augustin with #11. But with the T.J. Ford acquisition, how interested in Augustin -- another diminutive fellow, a possible defensive liability -- would the Pacers even be, especially considered the instant dearth of size the parting of Jermaine O'Neal leaves? But Sacramento at #12 -- one spot ahead of Portland currently -- would not have let Augustin remain on the board, especially given renewed concerns about the hardball tactics possible with free agent Beno Udrih.

Also of note: Wojnarowski cites a "Western Conference executive" who warns of Charlotte choosing Augustin at #9. Pardon me for reading too deeply into the bones, but ... might this source be Sacramento's Geoff Petrie, trying to fright Pritchard into backing up the #10 pick by suggesting it'd be a waste for Portland? If so or if not, the gamesmanship is most certainly on.

Paul Allen's riches keep stocking Kevin Pritchard's cupboards, don't they? Last June, the Blazers bought James Jones and the pick which became Rudy Fernandez from the cash-strapped Suns. On Tuesday, word got out that Pritchard had pilfered away the #27 pick from New Orleans for the standard fee of $3 million.

Recent dispatches from the excellent Hornets 24/7 indicated N.O. didn't seem too likely to fall in love with any prospects expected to be available, so the sale of the pick isn't surprising. The identity of the buyer, though, is a bit surprising. As Henry Abbott notes, Portland already has too many players and too many picks (three second-rounders this year, plus #13 overall). Plain as day, Pritchard looks like he wants to move up into the top-10, possibly to grab either Joe Alexander or D.J. Augustin, both of whom impressed in workouts.

Maybe that's not the play at all, though. Here's my crackpot spoon theory: Allen wants to tap into the European market in a big way, so he's building a second pro basketball roster with the aim of purchasing a Europe-based club. He could stock the Blazers and the Euro club each summer based on needs out of his pool of 20 or so players (plus whatever free agents he needs). Raef LaFrentz and Channing Frye would destroy the Adriatic League!

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 26th NBA Draft.

Larry Bird's got sole possession of the reins. Larry Bird does not have the best record of personnel decisions. Larry Bird seeks to completely rebuild in the Indiana roster, and that starts with the #11 pick in Thursday's draft. What could possibly go wrong?!

Picks: #11, #41.

Needs: The point guard position is currently manned by Jamaal Tinsley and Travis Diener. That tells you almost everything you need to know ... but we'll add that assuming Jermaine O'Neal gets traded this century, another big to augment the terrifying Jeff Foster-Troy Murphy gauntlet could be in order.

Best case scenario: Everyone thinks D.J. Augustin would be beautiful in Pacers yellow (?), and the conventional wisdom appears to be correct: Augustin would be the best replacement possibly available. A second-rounder who could contribute immediately (J.J. Hickson, Richard Hendrix) would be great as well.

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 26th NBA Draft.

The Kings won more than expected under Reggie Theus. But they still remain firmly on the outside of the Western playoff picture and look ready for a serious shake-up. Or at least a serious milkshake. Dang, it's hot.

Picks: #12, #43, #44.

Needs: Sacramento has no point guards under contract for next season. Also, the Kings have no starting power forwards not named Mikki Moore or Kenny Thomas under contract for next season.

Best case scenario: The Kings worked out both D.J. Augustin and Russell Westbrook, and you'd think they would be thrilled to see either of these fellows slip down.

NBA FanHouse presents the most irrational but fast! 1/2-mock draft alive.

#1, Chicago: Michael Beasley. The Bulls pose one of the biggest Beasley-or-Rose quandaries among all lottery teams. One minute, Beasley seems like a no-brainer for a team lacking low-post scoring. But Kirk Hinrich was awful last season, Tyrus Thomas is still considered to be a nice prospect, and Rose is insanely talented. Of course, size always wins. John Paxson is nothing if not by-the-book. Bulls take Beasley, which is one helluva way to kick off an offseason.

#2, Miami: Derrick Rose. No-brainer at this point, and very possibly the guy Miami would've taken with the top pick, had they received it. Rose and Dwyane Wade make a fearsome tandem for years to come; if Shawn Marion comes to camp, this is a dangerous squad. The Heat should be scouring the league for a passable center this summer, despite having no other assets to speak of (assuming Udonis Haslem sticks at power forward and Matrix slides to the three).

#3, Minnesota: Brook Lopez. The Wolves still haven't had an opportunity to see if Randy Foye can run the point reliably, so it seems doubtful a replacement would be picked there. It's not the right decision -- this team needs a damn point guard -- but size also wins on draft day, and the Wolves absolutely need a center to help Al Jefferson man the post. Lopez isn't the right player, and if a sentient human being were manning the controls the Wolves might trade down to stockpile assets. But again, size blinds when the funky suits come out, and no one would be surprised if Minny took Brook.

Picks #4-14, after the jump.

University of Texas sophomore DJ Augustin is expected to announce his intentions to enter the NBA Draft today, according to a source for the Austin American Statesman. Augustin, last seen struggling against Memphis guard Derrick Rose in the Elite 8, is expected not to hire an agent, in an effort to protect himself in the event of a draft-impacting injury.

Augustin averaged 19 points for the Longhorns this season, and is considered one of the top point guards available in this year's draft, if he does indeed follow through with his eligibility. Currently his stock lands him as low as24th and as high as 7th.

Augustin's biggest knock is his size. At 5-11, he could suffer against taller, more athletic guards like Rose at the pro-level. But this deficit is overcome by his strength, savvy, quickness, and ability to distribute, which should land Augustin somewhere in the top half of the draft with a few solid workouts.

Earlier today, my esteemed colleagues Charles Rich and Michael David Smith labeled Memphis's vicious blowout of Texas as yet another boring game in a string of second-weekend snoozers. Now, I like a close game as much as anyone else does, but I fail to see what is so boring about the most athletic team in the country playing at the height of their powers against another Top 10 team.

When Memphis is on, they're quite simply awesome to watch. Their superb athleticism at every position creates countless alley-oops, blocks, and transition opportunities. Derrick Rose, a certain Top 3 pick in June's NBA Draft, dominated DJ Augustin, a player most experts call the best point guard in the country. The Tigers used their insane quickness to make one of the quickest, steadiest backcourts in the country look out of control and outclassed. From my point of view, these accomplishments are rarer and more noteworthy than a tight finish. No matter the score, Memphis will always make a few plays that make your draw drop.

Exciting endings are obviously great and memorable, but they often come at the end of mediocre games. For instance, it's hard to argue that either Kansas or Davidson looked particularly stellar in today's admittedly exciting second game. As cool as it was to see the Wildcats nearly nip the Jayhawks, I have to admit that I had more fun watching Rose and Chris Douglas-Roberts dismantle the Longhorns.