Report: New Orleans Hornets 'seriously considering' Austin Rivers in NBA Draft

Could the New Orleans Hornets be the team giving a "lottery promise" to Austin Rivers? The Hornets are "seriously considering" taking the former Duke guard

Could the New Orleans Hornets be the team giving a "lottery promise" to Austin Rivers?

The Hornets are "seriously considering" taking the former Duke guard Rivers with the No. 10 pick in the upcoming 2012 NBA Draft, The Times Picayune's John Reid reported Monday. From the report:

When the New Orleans Hornets compiled their background check on 19-year-old draft prospect Austin Rivers, they didn’t need much help from their scouts. Hornets Coach Monty Williams supplied everything needed because he’s been a close family friend of Boston Coach Doc Rivers since 1994 and has known his son, Austin, since he was a toddler.

But they are seriously considering Austin Rivers, a 6-foot-4 guard who declared for the draft after playing one season at Duke.

Last Friday, Yahoo's Marc J. Spears reported that a team may have given Rivers a "promise" to be drafted late in the lottery after he didn't work out at the NBA's pre-draft combine last Thursday. From Spears' report:

An NBA source told Yahoo! Sports that Rivers has a promise late in the draft lottery. The Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors, Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Phoenix Suns, Washington Wizards and New Orleans Hornets plan to work out Rivers.

Reid reported last week that the Hornets were also "seriously considering" North Carolina's Tyler Zeller with the No. 10 pick.