New Orleans Pelicans: Top 10 NBA Draft in franchise history

7. Austin Rivers (SG) — No. 10 pick in 2012 NBA Draft

Career stats (with the Pelicans/Hornets, 2012-15):  165 GP, 6.9 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 39.0 FG%, 33.2 3P%, 63.1 FT%

Austin Rivers is best known as the player that is coached by his dad, Doc Rivers. However, the combo guard out of Duke got his start independently with the New Orleans Hornets.

Rivers came to the Hornets after only a season at Duke. His youth showed in a rough rookie season. In 61 games and 26 starts, Rivers averaged 6.2 points, 2.1 assists and 1.8 rebounds in 23.2 minutes per game. He also shot 37.2 percent from the field, 32.6 percent from 3-point range, and 54.6 percent from the line.

On top of that, Rivers suffered a broken hand that March. The injury required surgery, forcing him to miss the rest of the season. He finished the year with a 5.9 PER and -1.1 win shares.

The next year was a marked improvement by comparison. Rivers grew into a backup point guard role behind Jrue Holiday and Brian Roberts. He finished the year averaging fewer minutes (19.4), but more points (7.7) per game. He also managed to raise his assists (2.3) and field goal and 3-point percentages (40.6 and 36.4 percent, respectively). His free throws improved, too, but only to 63.6 percent.

Year three started with a slight regression. This led the Pelicans — on the verge of making their first playoff appearance since 2011 — to trade Rivers away. On Jan. 12, 2015, New Orleans shipped him to the Boston Celtics in a three-team deal that included the Memphis Grizzlies.

Three days later, the Celtics sent him to the Los Angeles Clippers in another three-team deal that included the Phoenix Suns. His arrival in L.A. marked the first time in NBA history that a son would be playing for his father.

Since his time in New Orleans, Austin Rivers has slowly developed into a decent shooting guard. Last season was the first year he notched a double-digit scoring average. With the departures of J.J. Redick and Jamal Crawford, he is now the Clippers’ starting 2-guard.

Austin Rivers’ career started rough in New Orleans. However, he seems to have found steady footing as a Clipper. It’s interesting to consider whether he would have grown into a starter or fizzled out had he remained.