Mock draft links Suns to Duke’s Austin Rivers
Apr 11, 2012, 8:48 PM | Updated: Apr 12, 2012, 6:23 pm
As the Suns continue to climb up the NBA standings they,
in turn, are falling in the NBA’s draft order.
Still out of the playoffs (for now), any mock draft has
the team selecting in the latter part of the lottery.
Should the Suns land at 14th, Chad Ford,
in an ESPN Insider piece, says the Suns could tab Duke
guard Austin Rivers at that spot.
The Suns need a little bit of everything, but what they
really need is star power. With Steve Nash possibly on the
move this summer, someone has to sell tickets. If Rivers
ever lives up to his potential, he could be a great get
this low. He’s going to have to rein in his game and get
comfortable with who he is at the NBA level, but the
talent is definitely there.
Rivers is a 6-foot-4 shooting guard who left Duke after
just one season. He played well as a freshman, averaging
15.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.
The son of Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, Austin could
very well be the scoring two-guard the Suns desperately
need. He has the ability to get to the rim and hit from
outside, which is crucial in the Suns’ system.
However, he is not considered to be a great athlete, and
at his size could struggle against opposing shooting
guards in the NBA.
Before worrying about that, though, there is still plenty
of basketball to be played, so the Suns’ selection could
rise or fall depending on how the last few weeks of the
season go.
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