[montauriush4Participant]

http://m.espn.go.com/nba/rumors?rumorId=26198

[MikezParticipant]

Call it an experiment. Call it a transition. Whatever it is, New Orleans is committed to using rookie Austin Rivers exclusively at point guard this summer. And while the decision could pay off big in the future, Rivers’ first two Summer League games are an indication that it could take some time to pan out. Rivers went 3-for-13 in his debut against Portland over the weekend and followed it up with a 1-for-6 showing against Milwaukee on Monday, struggling to balance his role as a scorer, creator and distributor. Still, it’s just two summer games, and the Hornets remain hopeful that he’ll progress into the team’s point guard of the future. "He’s an aggressive driver and he gets to the free throw line a lot," Hornets summer league coach James Borrego told the Times-Picayune. "For us, it’s more of a question is if he’s growing. I think he’s progressing, but it’s a work in progress and it’s going to take time." – Joe Kaiser

[Meditated StatesParticipant]

He has his primary weapons to decide. EJ will give him more space to work with and Davis will be his target when he drops passes off. He does not have that now. Yet he gets in the paint often. He will be ok at either guard spot. A better PG than people expect I suspect.

[MkadozaParticipant]

 Rivers shows serious issues finishing against stronger opponents, which unfortunately, seems to be everyone. He desperately needs to hit the weight room.

[akhan786Participant]

If you watched the game Austin would have had a lot more assists if his next best player on his team wasn’t Lance Thomas…

[phila9012Participant]

This is unrelated to you comment. I think that Lance thomas could wind up being a player like haslem who can be a decent 7th or 8th man on a NBA team at best, at worst he should be a quality 4th or 5th bigman. He can hit the open jumper, he plays hard and he rebounds at a decent rate. There is definately a spot for him in the NBA.

[Meditated StatesParticipant]

But he must keep attacking and getting to the line.

[Lebron’s HairlineParticipant]

Physically his body isn’t ready for the beating he’s taking, am I the only one worried that he’s taking a pounding in the summer league? I don’t see how he will make it 82 games against the bigmen of the west

[Lebron’s HairlineParticipant]

Physically his body isn’t ready for the beating he’s taking, am I the only one worried that he’s taking a pounding in the summer league? I don’t see how he will make it 82 games against the bigmen of the west

[LazarusMunozParticipant]

If he was in the starting lineup he would have to learn to play off the ball…Gordon would be the primary ball handler still… I think NO might be wasting there time with this experiment…Rivers is a two guard and is best suited right now for an OJ Mayo role

[surveParticipant]

 I agree that they are wasting their time and Austin’s future if they just throw him in there and expect him to be the full time PG, they are crazy if they are thinking he can handle that, he absolutely cannot.  In a year or two, thats a different story.  

Playing off the ball and playing PG in spots behind a veteran as he gradually learns, thats doable….but they traded Jack…so who will they have thats a true PG that can play heavy min?  I think they shouldve kept Jack for at least a year, then hand Austin full time reins if he was capable.  They are putting him in a position to fail is what they are doing.  

[akhan786Participant]

I agree they should have kept Jack who at this point is better than Vasquez and I think Austin could learn a great deal more from backing up Jack then backing up Vasquez.

Austin desperately needs to hit the weight room as well. Although Lillard is 3 years older you can just tell that he is coming into the League with a man’s body and Austin still looks like a teenager.

[Meditated StatesParticipant]

Relax. He has played the position ok the games I have seen. Chill out with setting him up to fail. How do you know he will fail? A lot of guys smaller than him attack the hoop all the time. Him and Gordon will switch off throughout the game so they both get their shots.

[NickWayne87Participant]

 at saying austin rivers still looks like a teenager……until august 1st………HE IS STILL A TEENAGER lol

[HandDownManDown13Participant]

 Y’all are right, rivers needs the weight room. He gets tripped a lot, like more than anyone I’ve seen. He probably needs to work on balance and core strength. Right now he gets slowed down too much by contact. He also needs to learn to make decisive moves and use his body to hold off defenders. 

He will definitely be helped by having more potent scorers. He’s getting a ton of help side so far in summer league but his teammates are watching instead of getting open. It also looks like he’a annoying his teammates so thats something to keep an eye on. 

The worst part about rivers is his defense. Since his AAU days he couldn’t guard a chair. He seems to think he’s too good for defense. He’s looking like a diva so far. Hopefully he fixes his mistakes

[GrandfiNalley101Participant]

He’s just 19, his father was a very good point gaurd and he will be fine. I think he will excel in the pick and roll for now. He’s always got away with just being more talented but it is a big help that his dad is Doc. I think he has a will to be great but it will take time. I agree that they should’ve kept Jack and either Kaman or Landry but as of now it looks like they are going to let the youngster’s grow together. It may be painful for a while. It may be exciting. 

[royk927Participant]

When they traded jarret jack to the warriors this was to be expected. Outside of dysin and Vasquez there are no other pgs on the team.

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 Austin Rivers got sat in yesterday’s summer league. Now they reported it as a minor injury. But no one knows of when and where he got injured.  There is speculation that they just wanted him to watch how a game actually gets orchastrated by a PG. NOH promptely went out and won. 

Is it three games into Summer League and is Austin Rivers already unplayable?

I’m kind of kidding, but I’m kind of not. I think there is a good chance Austin is going to play like Toney Douglas did earlier in the year for the Knicks. 15 shots a game on 35% shooting. 

[F_S]

 damn, some1 here was saying how his uncle is a recruit for a basketball team and how supposedly some GMs saw rivers as a PG, he got mad negs. i guess he was right

 

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