January 28 2011 Last updated at 05:28 PM ET
The Portland Trail Blazers have assigned rookie guard Armon Johnson to the NBA Development League's Idaho Stampede Friday, the team announced.Johnson, a 6-foot-3 rookie point guard out of Nevada, has appeared in 28 games this season with the Trail Blazers and is averaging 3.1 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 8.1 minutes. Over his last seven appearances, he's scored just four points -- all of which came from a 2-for-7 shooting performance during a 95-77 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 28.
Though it's possible to make the case that this move should have been made as soon as he was replaced by Patty Mills as Portland's backup point guard, it seems as though Johnson didn't see the benefit in playing in the D-League.
"I think you learn just as much (not playing in the NBA compared with playing in the D-League) because, being the type of person I am, I like to pay attention to it, pay attention to the game any way I can -- how people walk, how people talk out there on the court, pregame rituals, little things," Johnson told the Reno Gazette-Journal earlier this week. "I feel (staying on the Blazers' bench) is really helping me. And I'm around my teammates."
While it's certainly possible that waving the towel and watching how his teammates carry themselves in the NBA is beneficial, the fact that Johnson has been out of the rotation as long as he has probably means that playing in actual games will be at least as helpful to his pro career as his current job as 12th man for the Blazers.
And, for what it's worth, fellow rookie and teammate Luke Babbitt also noted that playing for the Stampede wasn't as bad as he thought it was going to be when he was assigned in December.
"I didn't (want to be assigned to the D-League) either, my first time," Babbitt said. "But I went down and saw that it wasn't that bad. I kind of wouldn't mind going back."
Babbitt probably won't be re-assigned anytime soon as he was forced into playing meaningful minutes Thursday night when Nicolas Batum went down with an injury. But if Johnson goes to Idaho with an open mind, he might also head back to Portland with a similar take on things -- especially since he'll be able to get out and run with what's becoming a rather talented Stampede team.
Coached by 10-year NBA veteran Randy Livingston, Idaho's roster boasts a bevy of up-and-coming players and proven veterans including three-time NBA All-Star Antoine Walker, NBA Draft pick Jermareo Davidson, and former D-League call-ups Sean Banks and Cedric Jackson.
Johnson practiced with the Stampede Friday and will be in the lineup for the team's home game tonight against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. All D-League games can be watched live for free on NBA Futurecast.
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