Deacons in the NBA - 2011-12 Season Preview
12/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 22, 2011
By Currie McFayden, WakeForestSports.com
SF Al-Farouq Aminu, New Orleans Hornets
Aminu was part of the king's ransom that the Clippers surrendered in order to acquire superstar PG Chris Paul on Dec. 14. During his rookie year in Los Angeles, he had carved out a nice role for himself as a valuable asset off the bench, averaging 5.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in just under 18 minutes per game. With the transition to New Orleans, that role should remain largely unchanged. Trevor Ariza is penciled in as the starting small forward to start the season, but Aminu could see a bump in playing time or potentially become a starter if the Hornets decide to start playing for the future at any point this year. He did not play in the first preseason game against Memphis (a 97-90 win) as the dust from the trade was still settling, but was given 19 minutes in the second as New Orleans prevailed, 95-80. Aminu notched six points, four rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block in that time, flashing his versatility as a force off the bench. The Suns await the new-look Hornets in their season opener on Monday, Dec. 26.
PF/C Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
The NBA's oldest and most decorated Deacon will turn 36 in April and though his numbers were down a bit last season, Duncan is still one of the premiere big men in the game. He will likely see a drawdown in his minutes this season as the Spurs attempt to keep him healthy for the entire year, something he could not do last year due to a knee injury. The former two-time MVP was held out of San Antonio's first preseason game against Houston but returned with a team-high 19 points with five assists, four rebounds and a block in just 23 minutes of play during a 97-95 win in the second game of the doubleheader against the Rockets. The Spurs will face Memphis in their season opener on Dec. 26 in what will be a rematch of the thrilling six-game playoff series that the Grizzlies claimed last season.
SF/SG Josh Howard, Utah Jazz
The Wizards declined to re-sign Howard after he continued to be plagued by issues with his surgically-repaired knee, but the Jazz were willing to bring in the veteran on a one-year contract worth $3 million. The former Deacon star should be able to step into a leadership role on a relatively young Utah team and could see significant minutes if he is able to remain healthy. He played sparingly in the first of two preseason contests against the Trail Blazers, seeing just five minutes of court time, but was quickly given an expanded role in the second game, a 92-89 win for the Jazz. Howard played 20 minutes off the bench and had eight points on 3-of-5 shooting to go along with three rebounds and a block. This seems to be the most likely role that he will play this season, acting as a backup and mentor for younger players like Gordon Hayward and Jeremy Evans. Utah will open its season on Tuesday, Dec. 27, with a trip to Los Angeles to face the Lakers.
F James Johnson, Toronto Raptors
After being acquired from Chicago at the trade deadline last season, Johnson saw a huge spike in his production, averaging 9.2 points per game and starting all 25 games in which he played. He will look to maintain that positive momentum heading into the shortened season entrenched as the starter at small forward for Toronto. In two preseason games against the Celtics, the Raptors managed to hold their own before dropping both, the first by a nail-biting 76-75 margin and the second by a final of 81-73. Like Howard, Johnson was limited to just 10 minutes in the opening game but matched his career-high with four blocks, the first time that he has reached that mark since Mar. 16, 2010. The third-year forward did nothing short of filling the stat line in the second contest, recording four points, eight rebounds, five steals, three assists and a pair of blocks in 32 minutes of action. Toronto is set to open its season on Dec. 26 by traveling south for a matchup with the Cavaliers.
PG Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
In what was perhaps the biggest blockbuster trade in the last two decades, Paul was dealt from New Orleans to Los Angeles on Dec. 14 to be paired with fellow budding superstar Blake Griffin. The point guard was nearly dealt to the cross-town Lakers on Dec. 8 before commissioner David Stern took the unprecedented action of ruling the trade null and void. Paul has certainly impressed in two preseason games, both victories, against the Lakers. In the first, he racked up 17 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and five steals while the Clippers outscored their rivals by 26 points in the 24 minutes that he was on the floor. Paul played more extensively in the second contest, registering seven points and 10 assists in 34 minutes. With a strong season, he could approach the 5,000-assist mark for his career, a total that only 51 players in NBA history have reached. The Clippers will take on their in-state rivals Golden State in one of the late tip-offs on Christmas Day.
PG Ishmael Smith, Golden State Warriors
Smith completes the quartet of Deacons who will be playing for new teams this season. He was waived by the Grizzlies on Dec. 14 but quickly picked up on a claim by the Warriors two days later. The signing took on an entirely new significance as starting PG and Davidson product Stephen Curry went down with an ankle injury in Golden State's second preseason game, leaving Smith as the only other true point guard on the roster. He took advantage of the opportunity, scoring two points and recording three assists, two rebounds and a steal in his 18 minutes of running the offense. Curry's ankle problems date back to last year and required surgery in the extended offseason, so Smith could play a very important role for Golden State if he is forced to miss any time. The second-year guard will face off against Chris Paul, his predecessor at Wake Forest, and the Clippers on Christmas Day.
PG Jeff Teague, Atlanta Hawks
Now in his third year in the league, Teague has finally moved into the starting point guard role for the Hawks. He played a solid game in Atlanta's preseason opener, a tight 79-77 loss to the Bobcats, recording eight points, two rebounds, two assists and a steal in 18 minutes. Unfortunately, Teague rolled his ankle in practice on Dec. 21, but was able to walk off the court under his own power, hopefully indicating that the injury is nothing more than a minor sprain. He will not play in the final preseason game, and could potentially miss Atlanta's opener at New Jersey on Dec. 27. Veteran Jannero Pargo will handle the duties at the point if Teague is unable to go.
G L.D. Williams, Springfield Armor (NBDL)
The former enforcer on defense for the Deacs is in his second season as a member of the Armor, the New Jersey Nets affiliate in the D-League. Through nine games, eight of which have been starts, Williams is averaging 17.3 points and 5.9 rebounds in a team-high 37.9 minutes per game. His best game of the season and of his professional career thus far came on Dec. 15 in a 123-117 loss to the Erie BayHawks; Williams tallied a career-high 33 points and hauled in 10 rebounds for his lone double-double of the season. Springfield is currently 5-4 and has the second-best record in the East Conference of the NBDL, trailing only the Iowa Energy (7-3).
Deacons in Other Professional Leagues
Taron Downey - Carolina Cougars (ABA)
Justin Gray - Fraport SKY (Germany)
Jamaal Levy - Lanus (Argentina)
Chas McFarland - Yokohama (Japan)
Darius Songaila - Galatasaray (Turkey)
Kyle Visser - NY Phantoms (Germany)
David Weaver - Energa Czami (Poland)
Eric Williams - BC Astana (Kazakhstan)
