The NBA calendar has hit the summer months, meaning it's only a matter of time before the first wave of retirements rolls in. The Los Angeles Lakers are more than familiar with retirement talks now that they're firmly in the LeBron James era, and the front office is back to waiting to see what the future holds for "The King" as he debates his next step yet again this offseason.
As L.A. fans continue waiting for James' decision, one of the franchise's former players just landed his first post-retirement job with one of the Lakers' rivals.
Rockets Hire Former Lakers Guard D.J. Augustin to Front Office
On Thursday afternoon, The Athletic's Kelly Iko reported that the Houston Rockets have hired former NBA guard D.J. Augustin to a front office role. The 37-year-old played for the Lakers during the 2021-22 season and announced his retirement from basketball in December.
A former 2009 first-round pick by the then-Charlotte Bobcats, Augustin spent 14 seasons in the NBA, playing 976 regular-season games with 11 franchises. Parts of two seasons were spent playing with the Rockets, which is likely why Houston was more than comfortable hiring him to a front-office job, whatever that might be.
After being waived by the Rockets during the 2021-22 season, Augustin signed a contract with the Lakers. The former Texas Longhorn averaged 5.3 points, 1.6 assists, and .453/.426/1.000 splits in 21 outings with L.A. (17.8 minutes per night); however, that wasn't good enough to warrant a re-signing.
Augustin rejoined the Rockets in March 2023 after failing to secure a deal elsewhere, but it was clear at that point his time in the NBA was over. He didn't make a single appearance with Houston in 2022-23 and remained unsigned once the campaign ended, ultimately leading to his retirement.
While his time in Los Angeles was brief, it's always nice to see a former Laker thriving after his playing days are over. Hopefully, Augustin succeeds in his role with the Rockets and goes on to have a successful post-retirement career.
Who knows? Perhaps he'll find himself in the Lakers' front office one day.