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One of the true surprises this season has been Bulls guard D.J. Augustin. Signed after the Raptors waived him last fall, Augustin entered the rotation after Derrick Rose's injury and amazingly, has become the scoring point gaurd their struggling offense needs. He's scoring 14.3 points per game with the Bulls, averaging over five assists per game, and shooting 42 percent from three with a 16.5 PER.
CSN Chicago notes that much like the Bulls' backup point guard who emerged last year, Augustin is looking for a subsantial new deal this summer, but wants to stay in the Windy City.
Nate Robinson parlayed a huge second half and stellar postseason run with Chicago in 2013 into a multi-year deal with the Denver Nuggets last offseason.
This season D.J. Augustin is the new Robinson. But the current Bulls floor general isn't looking to bolt Chicago anytime soon.
[MORE: D.J. Augustin shifts from scorer to playmaker in 24 hours]
“I would love to be back here,” Augustin told CBS Chicago. “This organization, this team is great, and I think it’s great for me. [Tom Thibodeau] has given me the opportunity to play and get better. It’s been great for me."
via D.J. Augustin wants to re-sign with Bulls | CSN Chicago.
Augustin's value could be through the roof... as a backup point guard. He's past the days of being a starter, but there are plenty of teams in need of a quality backup. The Bulls might also learn fom the mistake of letting Robinson go. You need a viable backup to Rose in case of injury, and having someone who knows and understands the system helps; that's in part why Kirk Hinrich is still around.
It's important for both the Bulls and Augustin to stay together. The Bulls need some consistency in the backup point guard spot, and Augustin needs to be able to stay somewhere he's found success. Sometimes change can lead to a reversion back to what you were before the right opportunity.
