Is Austin Rivers still in the NBA?

[DMAVS41]

If they make that initial trade. They would have been the front runners to keep Dragic and Martin. They make a combined 14 million a year. Gordon makes 15 million per season.

Think about that. They wouldn't have had to make the Holiday trade and they could have kept their pick and been worse for at least 1 more year. With all their players on great contracts.

Hell, they might not still make the terrible Evans signing, but even if they do...he fits better on that team than he does currently.

[DMAVS41]

Try to think about it this way.

They won 21 games in 12.

With the Gordon trade they got basically Gordon and the pick that would become Rivers (worthless)

With the other trade they would have got Scola, Odom, Dragic, Martin and a first and 2nd round pick.

Odom and Scola were being moved. So add at least another 2nd pick or two.

So then you are left with Dragic and Martin vs Gordon and Aminu. Assuming Martin plays only 9 games like Gordon did...how many wins is Dragic adding on a team with Jack already playing 45 games and the team going 10-35 in those games?

I mean...like Dragic adds maybe 2 wins to the 21 total max.

Then you don't have to worry about signing an over-rated player to a bad contract and you have more cap flexibility going forward and more draft picks.

[JGXEN]

If Luke Walton can stick in the L for that many years, I don't see how Austin wouldn't. Let's not pretend Austin's dad's reputation Doc had nothing to do with Austin getting to Duke and get drafted 10th.

He got the benefit of the doubt in the first place due to nepotism and it will continue benefitting Austin for years to come.

Luke walton has legit skills. Austin rivers is just a god damn overrated ball hogging chucker.

[9512]

Luke walton has legit skills. Austin rivers is just a god damn overrated ball hogging chucker.

If he has legit skills then why doesn't he get significant meaningful PT?

[Lebron23]

Probably not, but I'm pretty sure that Paul trade Stern made now looks terrible.

Gordon and the pick that became Rivers for Paul? LOL

So essentially a worthless player in Gordon that you don't want because he isn't good yet will demand a high salary...and a player in Rivers that is borderline NBA quality.

Great work Stern. Wow...

The only saving grace was that Gordon didn't play much over the last 2 years and add wins that would have hurt the Pelicans long term.

But now they are stuck with an over-rated player making 45 million over the next 3 years.


Hint to all GM's...don't pay a guy 15 million a year on a long term deal who's best season was a 56 games 22/4/3 performance on a 32 win team. Just a heads up. **** these guys suck at their jobs 90% of the time.

True. I still can't believe that he was rated by rival.com as the no.1 high school player back in 2011.

He's averaging 6.1 ppg on 38.3 FG% this season.

[b0bab0i]

If Luke Walton can stick in the L for that many years, I don't see how Austin wouldn't. Let's not pretend Austin's dad's reputation Doc had nothing to do with Austin getting to Duke and get drafted 10th.

He got the benefit of the doubt in the first place due to nepotism and it will continue benefitting Austin for years to come.

His game winning 3 against UNC probably hyped him up.

[Johnny Jones]

Austin is a beast this year,