Philadelphia 76ers: D.J. Augustin is player to watch in free agency
The Philadelphia 76ers should take a hard look at the diminutive point guard.
With cap space a laughable proposition, the Philadelphia 76ers will need to find creative ways to round out Doc Rivers’ rotation. A taxpayer’s mid-level exception will be the Sixers’ only opportunity to spend above the veteran minimum in free agency. The Sixers will need to mine value from those minimum contracts.
One name to watch is D.J. Augustin. The 5-foot-11 point guard has spent the last four years in Orlando. He only started 13 of 57 games last season due to the arrival of Markelle Fultz, but in 2018-19, Augustin started in all 81 of his regular season appearances. That season, he averaged 11.7 points and shot 42.1 percent from 3-point range.
His numbers tumbled last season in line with his demotion. Augustin shot below 40 percent from the field, and his 3-point percentage plummeted to 34.8 percent, despite consistency in his attempts per game. Not the best sign for a small point guard in the twilight of his career, but still, he’s someone the Sixers should consider on a minimum contract.
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Last season, the Sixers relied too heavily on the few players who could dribble. Josh Richardson was asked to play point guard for stretches despite being one of the worst passers on the team. Tobias Harris was asked the create his own offense despite a painful lack of physical advantages at small forward.
The solution, of course, is to sign more players who can dribble and pass. The Sixers shouldn’t sign Augustin with the intent of starting him, nor should he be viewed as a savior. The Sixers can’t rely too heavily on Augustin either. But when it comes to backup guards who can effectively run the offense for 20 minutes a night, there aren’t many more cost-effective options than Augustin.
Just a year ago, he was a viable starter. He has shortcomings — most notably on defense — but for a minimum contract, he provides more value than Raul Neto or Trey Burke ever could. He wouldn’t be a long-term investment, he wouldn’t tie up cap space, and most importantly, he would fit comfortably into Doc Rivers’ influx of pick-and-roll possessions.
The Sixers need guards who can run the pick-and-roll without getting tunnel vision. Alec Burks was a revelation in the Bubble, but he was also entirely overused. He’s not much of a passer, and his lack of feel was detrimental more often than many fans would care to admit. Augustin is a high-I.Q. player who averaged 5.3 assists per game in that 2018-19 season. On the flip side, he only averaged 1.6 turnovers.
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Might a desperate mid-level contender throw money at Augustin? Sure, it’s possible. The Sixers shouldn’t hand out the taxpayer’s mid-level to Augustin, because frankly, he’s not valuable enough once the postseason rolls around. He’s too small and too exploitable on defense. But if he’s willing to play to win on a veterans minimum, the Sixers should push hard. They can offer real minutes in a genuinely valuable role.