Austin Rivers being groomed to strictly play PG

[SonOfNOLA]

Austin Rivers being groomed strictly to play point guard for New Orleans Hornets | NOLA.com

Veteran point guard Jarrett Jack was traded Wednesday as the Hornets began their summer league minicamp, leaving Grievas Vasquez as the only point guard on the roster. But Rivers said he played exclusively at point guard during the morning workout.

After Thursday’s morning session, Barrego, who will coach the summer league team, confirmed that Rivers will get most of his playing time at the position in hopes that it will become a full-time job.

Barrego was asked if Jack’s departure was an indication that Rivers is the Hornets’ future at the point. “Yeah, I think that’s part of it,” Barrego said. “I think now it’s his time to grow. We’re putting the ball in his hands. … Our future’s really bright, and hopefully Austin’s that guy that can take that point guard position and run with it.”

Rivers’ ability to score was lauded by scouts leading up to the draft, but many also tabbed him as a selfish player with questionable shot selection. The Hornets see a floor general, valuing his ball-handling and knack for getting to the basket.

“He understands the game, which you want in a point guard,” Barrego said. “His instinct is to score. But we’re trying to slow him down, learn our offense, learn our pace, learn our rhythm, and I think those are things he’s going to get.

“He’s slowly working his way in. We want him to be aggressive. We don’t want to take away that instinct, that advantage he is for us. So he’s got to have a balance, but he can’t be in that mode full-time. You can’t be an aggressive point guard all the time, but we want him to put pressure on the defense any time he can.”

The position adjustment will also allow Rivers to be on the court at the same time as shooting guard Eric Gordon. Gordon bemoaned the Hornets’ selection of Rivers during the contract negotiation process, saying he didn’t understand why the team drafted a player similar to him.

Reports say the Hornets will match the four-year, $58 million offer sheet Gordon signed with the Phoenix Suns, and Barrego said the guards can thrive together in the backcourt.

“Last year, we struggled. Fourth quarter, we needed a bucket, who do we go to?” Barrego said. “We saw that with Eric Gordon as the year progressed, those last five to 10 games, he was that guy. You put that with Austin Rivers and a few more pieces, we like our chances in the fourth quarter.”

[MLU]

These guys dumping JJ so early reminds me of Payton getting rid of Stallworth early in TC after drafting Colston. Apparently they like what they see not just in Rivers, but all of these young guys. I hope they know what they're doing.

[projeck33]

That's exactly where he need to be ,he need the ball in his hands...

[Chinny]

I feel more comfortable with EJ running the point, but I'm not coach.

I feel like a young combo guard will look more like Westbrick then CP

[mister pc]

found this interesting...

Austin Rivers Interviews Chris Paul - YouTube

[Chinny]

I hope he took that to heart. You can definitely tell CP is a floor general. Even in these international exhibition games he runs the sets. I LOVE it.