40 Acres Sports

DJ Augustin’s play impresses Bobcats coach Larry Brown. Felton may play shooting guard to make room for DJ.

The 2008 NBA Draft was only a few days ago but ESPN is already all over 2009. Draft expert Chad Ford has posted his top 100 draft prospects for 2009 and Texas forward Damion James comes in at number 24.

Here are Ford’s thoughts on James:

James has a lot of fans among NBA scouts. They love his grittiness and how he’s improved his game over the past two seasons. He’s a potential late first-round pick in 2009.

Positives:

• Super-tough, physical forward
• Long arms, NBA body
• Good athlete with some explosive leaping ability
• Good offensive rebounder
• Dramatically improved perimeter game
• Some range on his long ball

Negatives:

• A tweener?
• Undersized to play his natural position at the 4
• Still needs polish on the offensive end
• Needs to improve ballhandling

Similarities: James Posey

Hard to argue with any of those statements, positive or negative. My expectations for Damion this season are incredibly high. He improved his outside shot and his overall game a great deal between his freshman and sophomore seasons and if he continues to improve he will shoot up lists like these. The Longhorns have had players drafted in the lottery in each of the last three NBA drafts and if he improves his ballhandling James will make it four.

Texas point guard DJ Augustin has been selected with the 9th pick in the first round by Michael Jordan’s Charlotte Bobcats. A couple picks higher than most mock drafts had DJ going so congrats to him on being selected and the big contract that’s going to be coming his way.

Charlotte was not expected to select a point guard, they currently have PG Raymond Felton starting who they drafted just three years ago in the top five picks. There were some rumors before the draft that the Portland Trailblazers were looking to move up to take Augustin and now there’s already rumors that the Bobcats took this pick with the intention of turning it around to complete a trade. Maybe Charlotte has a deal with Portland set up? That be great news for Texas fans for sure.

Congrats DJ and good luck with your NBA career. We’ll be watching and rooting for you.

Update: The Blazers just took Kansas guard Brandon Rush at #13. Rush is 100% a shooting guard, a position the Blazers already have the outstanding young Brandon Roy. Maybe send Rush to Charlotte for Augustin? Probably just wishful thinking.

Update 2: I was right about the Blazers picking Rush to trade him for a point guard, but it was with Indiana at #11 and not Charlotte. Charlotte is reportedly shopping Raymond Felton.

In the weeks leading up to tomorrow’s NBA draft the Indiana Pacers were one of the most likely destinations for Texas point guard DJ Augustin. Now that’s not going happen thanks to another former Horn point guard. On the eve of the draft the Pacers have completed a deal to send Jermaine O’Neal to the Toronto Raptors for TJ Ford.

ESPN is reporting that the Pacers and the Raptors have agreed to a deal that would send O’Neal to Toronto in exchange for Ford, Rasho Nesterovic and the 17th pick in the draft. Due to Ford’s contract the deal cannot be officially completed until July 9th. Players will also have to pass physicals, not necessarily a given considering TJ’s history of neck problems.

A possible O’Neal/Ford swap has been in the news since Monday. Toronto had two excellent point guards and TJ has been rumored to be on the trading block for the last several weeks. The Pacers have been pursuing a point guard and wanted to get rid of O’Neal so the needs of the two teams match up well.

After being in Milwaukee and Toronto, Indiana still isn’t a marquee market but he’ll have a chance to get a fresh start in a place where he’ll be the sure #1 guy. Good luck to TJ with his new team.

Portland trying to trade up to #10 with the intent to draft Texas point guard DJ Augustin. That would be awesome place for DJ to go.

DJ Augustin gives Blazers another talking point. He probably won’t still be there at #13 but they’re reportedly very impressed.

After testing the NBA draft waters Longhorns guard AJ Abrams has made the decision to return to Texas for his senior season. AJ made the announcement at a press conference today, the last day he could withdraw his name and retain his eligibility.

He had a few workouts with NBA teams but was not invited to the league’s pre-draft camp and it was clear he would not be drafted. Returning to Texas will allow AJ to get his degree while also improving his chances of playing professional basketball. He’s not going to be the team’s starting point guard but he’ll likely have more ball handling responsibilities and at least a chance to prove he’s more than just a spot up shooter.

Watch video of an excerpt from AJ’s press conference and comments from Kevin Durant and Rick Barnes below:

Welcome back AJ.

AJ Abrams works out for the Sacramento Kings. He has until Monday to pull his name out of the draft.

Andy Katz says DJ Augustin looks likely for lottery. DJ had a great workout Saturday.

Examining NBA prospects not pointless. As long as no bridges were burned there’s no harm in AJ Abrams testing the waters.

There wasn’t much hope that Texas point guard DJ Augustin would return for his junior season but all doubt was erased Tuesday.

Augustin signed with the Thaddeus Foucher of the Wasserman Media Group. The group, headed by mega-agent Arn Tellem, also represents former Longhorns LaMarcus Aldridge and TJ Ford.

As long as they don’t hire an agent, underclassmen have until June 16th to withdraw their name from the NBA Draft. Augustin has long been slotted as a late lottery pick (10th - 13th) so he was holding onto his eligibility as injury insurance. The only way he was coming back to Texas was if he was seriously hurt in one of his many pre-draft workouts.

The NBA Draft will be held June 26th. Good luck DJ.

DJ Augustin confident he’s ready to lead a team. The lowest he’ll fall will be to the Pacers at pick #11.

Bad news for AJ Abrams‘ NBA aspirations but possibly good news for next year’s basketball team. The NBA did not invite AJ to the league’s pre-draft camp being held this week in Orlando.

From the AAS:

Longhorn guard AJ Abrams is not at the NBA Pre-Draft camp in Orlando this week, after all. Abrams thought last week that he was going. Others, in the media, predicted that Abrams would make the list of players competing there.

But when the list was released by the NBA Monday night, Abrams was not one of the 64 players included. He can still work out for teams starting on June 3 before deciding whether to remove his name from the draft before the June 16 deadline and return to school for his senior season.

This essentially means that according to the NBA Abrams is not one of the top 64 draft eligible players. Hopefully this means he’ll be headed back to Texas next year, assuming he’s willing to accept his role as defined by coach Rick Barnes. This team needs him back draining threes.

Chad Ford’s Mock Draft, Version 1.0. Sonics take point guard at 4 and DJ Augustin goes 11th to Pacers.

Coaches, fans hold their breath as more players flirt with NBA. Discussion on AJ Abrams and other NBA Draft early entries.

Augustin made right decision, no matter what might have been. He had $3 million reasons he had to make this decision.

Like his backcourt mate AJ Abrams, sophomore point guard DJ Augustin will be leaving Texas early and entering the NBA Draft. Augustin will not hire an agent and has until June 16 to pull his name out and return for his junior season. Unlike Abrams I feel that now that Augustin has made this decision he won’t turn back. His draft positioning is pretty well decided at between about 12th and 25th overall and unless something happens to make him drop out of the first round during his workouts.

It looks like we’ll be seeing a very different team next year, let’s hope someone (Justin Mason, Dogus Balbay, and/or J’Covan Brown) can step up and take over the point guard position.

In very surprising news, Texas junior guard AJ Abrams has reportedly declared for the NBA Draft. FoxSports.com is reporting that multiple sources have indicated to them that Abrams will workout for NBA teams but not hire an agent, hoping to get a better feel on what exactly his draft prospects are. Since he’s not hiring an agent, Abrams can pull his name out of the draft at any time and return to Texas with no issue. Thanks to a new(?) rule NBA teams can now pay for travel for workouts so there’s no risk for AJ, but I also don’t see the reward in it for him. I don’t believe there’s much chance a team would use a draft pick on a 5-foot-10 shooting guard.

I just put up a poll a few minutes ago about whether incoming frosh J’Covan Brown or Abrams should start next year, it now looks like Rick Barnes might not have to make that decision. Hopefully he decides to stay in school for his senior season, but if not best of luck to AJ at the next level.

Seattle wants to have team of unselfish, versatile players around Durant, but I don’t think Rashard Lewis is coming back

Durant and Oden shine at NBA Draft, nearly complete roster overhaul for both the Sonics and Blazers.

Seattle definitely had the easiest job in the NBA draft, just pick either Kevin Durant or Greg Oden, whoever is available. But then they go off and do some craziness and trade Ray Allen to the Boston Celtics for Jeff Green (#5 pick), Delonte West, and Wally “My Foot Hurts” Szczerbiak.

So now they have 3 players who play almost exactly the same position, Kevin Durant, Rashard Lewis, and Jeff Green. I know this seems like the big trend in the NBA, having a bunch of 6′9ish swing-men, but trading one of the best pure shooters in the league for players you have no need for just doesn’t make sense to me.

And is just me or should you be able to get a little more for someone like Ray Allen? I would think some other team in the league could have offered up a better deal.

Bill Simmons matches up Kevin Durant and Greg Oden. Advantage: Durant.

Kevin Durant aiming to be the number one overall pick, wants to wow Portland with his talent and character.

The Seattle Times reports that at the NBA pre-draft camp Kevin Durant was the only player who could not bench 185 pounds at least once. And some morons strangely seem to think this is somehow important to where he might go in the NBA Draft.

How much does a basketball weigh? He seems to handle putting it in the basket pretty well. I can throw 185 up ten times pretty easy, maybe the Sonics will draft me. Oh wait, I suck at basketball. For a kid his age and with his height and wingspan, the bench press couldn’t be less important.

Kevin is still very much a kid who is growing into his body. Greg Oden is 35 or 40 years old and is probably near his ceiling physically (though not as a basketball player). The sky is the limit for Durant both from a physical and a basketball standpoint. If any team or scout (other than Portland) who even remotely considers passing on Kevin Durant is an idiot.

Daniel Gibson on NBA TV talking about the draft and Kevin Durant. The two could have been great duo this year.