<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Magic rookie forward James Augustine is not only being treated like a star in the NBA Developmental League; he's also playing like one. Augustine, the first player the club has sent to the D-League, scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, along with four steals and two blocks, for the Anaheim Arsenal against the Colorado 14ers on Friday night. In his fifth game, he had 14 points and 17 rebounds against the Tulsa 66ers. Augustine hopes to one day put up numbers against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Magic shipped him to Anaheim on Jan. 10 and plan on bringing him back before the season ends. Augustine says he's just happy to be finally playing, period, after not sniffing a single minute in Orlando. "At first, I was kind of down about having to leave. It's like that for me with change, but I'm getting adjusted to it," he said by phone. "I look at it now as an opportunity to play. It's all about showing you can play." A second-round pick, Augustine received brief time during the Magic's exhibition season but hadn't played a full game since last season as a senior at Illinois. "I talked with Coach Q [Magic assistant John Kuester] and told him I was two seconds too slow on everything -- rebounds, blocks. I'm finally getting back into game shape," said Augustine, who is averaging 9.6 points and 7.9 rebounds. Augustine is the D-League test case for the Magic. They have been cool to the farm-club idea. They didn't send Travis Diener to the now-defunct Florida Flame when they had the chance last season. The Magic wonder whether players will get proper seasoning when a D-League team also shares affiliations with other teams. (The Arsenal has players from the Magic, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Los Angeles Clippers.) So far, so good with Augustine. As a player with an NBA contract, Augustine still gets some perks. One of them is a first-class plane ticket on commercial flights for the Arsenal's road games. He's the only one with an NBA deal. His teammates and coaches sit in coach. But life in the minors means no five-star hotels, lots of fast food and enduring airport security lines. He's still living out of a suitcase and a hotel in Anaheim. "I've been to Little Rock, Arkansas and Bismarck, N.D. My room in North Dakota was like 12 degrees the whole night," Augustine said. "It makes you appreciate what you had."</div> Source
i think if we clinch a spot for the playoffs in the end of the season, like last 2 games or 3, you will see dwight and the rest of the big guys, get less PT, and augustine will be called up
