Austin Rivers

[Eddie20]

Austin Rivers is garbage.  He's a salary dump here.  If he gets minutes, it's to help us lose games and improve lottery position.

Seriously, he's one of the worst guards in the NBA.

Way too harsh. The same thing could've been said about Billups for the early part of his career. In fact, I'm pretty sure Billups' first few seasons would make Rivers look like a marksman. It took Billups a few different locations to find himself and come to think of it, there are a lot of similarities in their games. Natural 2's that need to learn to play the 1 based on size.

[MBunge]

I personally love the deal even more because of this.  I believe people are giving up on this talent way to early.

3 years of hand-fed minutes isn't long enough?

Rivers has never averaged more than 23.2 minutes or 6.9 shots a game.  He hasn't looked very good but it's not like he was ever handed the keys and told to drive the car.

Mike

[LooseCannon]

Rivers is so bad that I almost think NO should toss in a second as compensation.

[Evantime34]

Austin Rivers is garbage.  He's a salary dump here.  If he gets minutes, it's to help us lose games and improve lottery position.

Seriously, he's one of the worst guards in the NBA.

What is the downside though? Would you rather have seen Salmons on the court? Salmons is on the downside of his career, Rivers could potentially improve under a new system. The worst that could happen is he plays like garbage and we don't pick up his QO next year. That would leave us in the exact same place we would have been with Salmons. I don't see any downside.

[aingeforthree]

Rivers is so bad that I almost think NO should toss in a second as compensation.

Better than Pressey ?

[Neurotic Guy]

Chauncey Billup at 21 (6'3; 200 at 35):  27 MPG;  41% from 2; 33% from 3;  11.7 ppg
Austen Rivers at 21 (6'4"; 200):   19 MPG ;  42% from 2; 36% from 3;  7.7 ppg

Not expecting a Billups career from Rivers, but Billups took about 5 years to develop.

[PAOBoston]

I don't love Rivers but I find it odd that some people call him "garbage" when Phil Pressey actually gets minutes every game for the Celtics. At least Rivers has some possible potential.

[Roy H.]

Austin Rivers is garbage.  He's a salary dump here.  If he gets minutes, it's to help us lose games and improve lottery position.

Seriously, he's one of the worst guards in the NBA.

He's 22.  You think he can't develop still ?  Or is he a finished product ?

He's not developing, though. He's actually regressed from last season, despite better teammates around him.

[sofutomygaha]

Rivers is so bad that I almost think NO should toss in a second as compensation.

Better than Pressey ?

He's not better than Pressey, but at his size he does have a nonzero chance of being an average NBA player. Pressey does not have that chance.

This would be a more interesting conversation if we were talking about a dude who was under contract for a little while. Rivers will be unrestricted and knocking on doors asking for a make-good deal this summer.

[Redz]

Screw it, he's worth a shot - he's got some talent, even if he hasn't learned how to use it.  And worse case he improves our draft pick and makes Bradley look better by comparison.  Why not?

pretty much my thinking

he's a nice novelty item

[esel1000]

Screw it, he's worth a shot - he's got some talent, even if he hasn't learned how to use it.  And worse case he improves our draft pick and makes Bradley look better by comparison.  Why not?

pretty much my thinking

he's a nice novelty item

Exactly how I view it we can hope he develops into the player he was projected to be here... if we're going youth movement much rather see him play here than Salmons even if he isn't great...

[SHAQATTACK]

He sucks .

[hwangjini_1]

He sucks .

so?

[Roy H.]

Austin Rivers is garbage.  He's a salary dump here.  If he gets minutes, it's to help us lose games and improve lottery position.

Seriously, he's one of the worst guards in the NBA.

What is the downside though? Would you rather have seen Salmons on the court? Salmons is on the downside of his career, Rivers could potentially improve under a new system. The worst that could happen is he plays like garbage and we don't pick up his QO next year. That would leave us in the exact same place we would have been with Salmons. I don't see any downside.

He costs more money, which is more Wyc's issue than mine.

I'm just amused to see people suggesting he's a good player, or that he is worth a first rounder. That's just bizarre to me.  People should be realistic about how useless Rivers has been.

Teams don't decline the 4th year option on a lottery pick very frequently.  New Orleans must be thrilled to clear his salary.  We should be getting compensated by them for taking him on.

[KeepRondo]

Austin Rivers is garbage.  He's a salary dump here.  If he gets minutes, it's to help us lose games and improve lottery position.

Seriously, he's one of the worst guards in the NBA.

What is the downside though? Would you rather have seen Salmons on the court? Salmons is on the downside of his career, Rivers could potentially improve under a new system. The worst that could happen is he plays like garbage and we don't pick up his QO next year. That would leave us in the exact same place we would have been with Salmons. I don't see any downside.

He costs more money, which is more Wyc's issue than mine.

I'm just amused to see people suggesting he's a good player, or that he is worth a first rounder. That's just bizarre to me.  People should be realistic about how useless Rivers has been.

Teams don't decline the 4th year option on a lottery pick very frequently.  New Orleans must be thrilled to clear his salary.  We should be getting compensated by them for taking him on.

Who said he's worth a first rounder. Chill out dude.