Bulls lowpost problem answered from Europe!

[??? ??????]

Mario Austin, one of the best low post players in Europe, will be coming over to play for the Bulls in the Las Vegas Summer League and try to get his NBA career off the ground.

If we can't swing a trade for Amare, this guy could really help us out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1bwSlsfnGI

http://www.ridiculousupside.com/2009/6/1/894751/monday-morning-bullets

Major win for the Bulls.

 

[B1LLIONAIREKR3W]

Thoses European guys all ways play good and the nba should give them a shot.

 

[Medianotzu]

Are you really excited about this? Well, he played for us in the 2007 Summer league as well and that didn't lead to anything.

 

[dougthonus]

This will be like the third or fourth time he's played for us in summer league since we drafted him.

He's too small to play in the post in the NBA effectively.

 

[Ralphb07]

Doug are you 100% positive that Austin has played for the summer league 3 or 4 times? The reason I ask is I liked him from day one and I remember him doing well in the summer league when we drafted him and him going overseas and not hearing about him up until now....

He would of been a guy I noticed if he played in 3-4 summer leagues because I liked him......

 

[clonetrooper264]

6-9 260 lbs hardly seems like too small. Plus he can apparently hit the outside jumper. He's probably not going to play a whole lot if he makes the roster though. He'll probably chat with Aaron Gray all season.

Also wikipedia says that he only played for the Bulls's 2007 summer league team prior to this one.

 

[Ralphb07]

I would love him to make this roster... PJ Brown went the same route as he did playing overseas.... IMO it's better as having him on the team over Gray. Austin can post up a bit and has a nice jumper.....

This will be the guy I pull for in the summer league... I've just always had a feeling that he could be a decent role player

 

[charity stripe]

Ralphb07, he was in summer league in his rookie season, again in 2007, and now this is his 3rd time.

Here's what sham wrote a couple days ago

Austin started the year in Turkey, left in November, then signed in China in the new year, but was released by his Chinese team in March after averaging 19.8 points and 8.5 rebounds. Don't know why.

I would like to see him succeed in the NBA but I doubt that will happen.

 

[Ralphb07]

clonetrooper264 wrote:

6-9 260 lbs hardly seems like too small. Plus he can apparently hit the outside jumper. He's probably not going to play a whole lot if he makes the roster though. He'll probably chat with Aaron Gray all season.

Also wikipedia says that he only played for the Bulls's 2007 summer league team prior to this one.

That's exactly what I thought.... When we drafted him I liked him and he played really well in that summer league but decided to go overseas for the money.....

Sham from RealGM was saying that's the main reason why he stood overseas as well and could of had opportunities to come over

If this is true that he wants to come back over IMO I will be rooting for this guy in the summer league because I feel he could be a nice back up.....

IMO I wouldn't be upset at all if we drafted a Guard/SF at 16 and had Austin as Tyrus main back up

 

[Ralphb07]

Austin played for the 2003, 2004 and 2005 summer league teams.... In 2004 he put up 9pts and 9rebs in like 22mins.... I can't seem to find the stats for 03, 05

 

[jsain360]

Not opposed to giving him a shot, lets see what he can do, anything is better than Aaron Gray warming the bench or playing.

 

[Ralphb07]

charity stripe wrote:

Ralphb07, he was in summer league in his rookie season, again in 2007, and now this is his 3rd time.

Here's what sham wrote a couple days ago

Austin started the year in Turkey, left in November, then signed in China in the new year, but was released by his Chinese team in March after averaging 19.8 points and 8.5 rebounds. Don't know why.

I would like to see him succeed in the NBA but I doubt that will happen.

2007 is not right. I just look everything up. He played in the 03, 04, 05 and this will be his 4th one......

2003 10.2pts 6.5rebs
2004 9pts/9rebs
2005 7.6pts 3.2rebs

It's summer league so these stats don't matter just wanted to put it up...... I wouldn't mind us giving him a roster spot and IMO I would give him a spot over Aaron Gray.... I think Austin could be used to play 10-15 minutes off the bench next year and he'll be cheap as hell......

I don't think the chances are good him making the team but IMO I will be watching the summer league and fully rooting for him to make this team

 

[??? ??????]

He played on the summer league team his first few years, but after that, didn't want to come over, because the money would be less than in Europe.

He did have a private workout with the Bulls I believe in 2007, that may what you are thinking about.

Now with the economic crisis, playing over in Europe probably isn't as stable as when he started, so he wants the protection that comes with playing in the NBA.

 

[Bullsman24]

he really needs to bulk up if he wants to be successful here

 

[Bullsman24]

clonetrooper264 wrote:

6-9 260 lbs hardly seems like too small.

is he really 260 lbs? he looks so small in the video

 

[??? ??????]

bullsman24 wrote:

clonetrooper264 wrote:

6-9 260 lbs hardly seems like too small.

is he really 260 lbs? he looks so small in the video

He looks like it to me.

Here's a picture of him next to 235 pound Zarko Cabarkapa

This is a big year for the Bulls. Assuming he's not going back overseas (he has a girlfriend in Minnesota), then the Bulls will lose rights to him if they don't sign him.

 

[Bullsman24]

i think that if he shows anything in summer league, even just those 9 pts and 9 boards, then i think he'll get a small single year deal.

he'll take a backup big man spot on the roster, cuz we really don't have anyone behind tyrus

 

[dougthonus]

Ralphb07 wrote:

Doug are you 100% positive that Austin has played for the summer league 3 or 4 times? The reason I ask is I liked him from day one and I remember him doing well in the summer league when we drafted him and him going overseas and not hearing about him up until now....

He would of been a guy I noticed if he played in 3-4 summer leagues because I liked him......

I said this would be the 3rd or 4th time. Though maybe he didn't play summer league, but he was in training camp in 2003. He played in summer league and I believe was also in training camp two years ago as well. So this would be his third stint. I wasn't sure if he had come back in 2004 or 2005 which is why I said 3rd or 4th time he'd have played.

 

[dougthonus]

This is a big year for the Bulls. Assuming he's not going back overseas (he has a girlfriend in Minnesota), then the Bulls will lose rights to him if they don't sign him.

I don't see Austin giving up professional basketball for a year, so I doubt the Bulls would lose his rights. However, if he does, then I still don't see the Bulls being too upset if they lose his rights.

If he doesn't catch on with them now, then he's really not likely to ever do so. I mean he's 27.

 

[Diddy1122]

We drafted this guy 6 years ago, and he still hasn't made it to the NBA, so I wouldn't be saying our lowpost problems have been answered yet. At best he would be a 8th or 9th option off the bench, but I think he'd more than likely be riding the pine in pinstripes the majority of the season.

This reminds alot of Maceo Baston, who everyone was raving about in Europe, but who never really caught on with the Bulls. He eventually played for the Pacers & Raptors but was not really a factor at all.