Enjoy Rudy Fernandez — while you can

He was traded for by Dunleavy. You know, Mike Dunleavy, that totally kick ass GM. Enough said.

 

And that awful GM Dunleavy was able to unload him, too.

I realize your next claim will be that that's due to Memphis' GM being crap, also. I think Randolph has been tradeable because A. he's not as bad as his harshest critics claim and B. there are plenty of below-average GMs in the league.

Not because west coast teams aren't scouted, IMO.

 

No, he was forced to unload him. Because Blake Griffin was coming in. I ceased asking why Memphis makes trades once they traded Gasol to LA. It makes my brain hurt.

 

"We," lol...

 

Mixum....Camby and Rudy don't play for OKC....they play for Portland. You guys will be fine this offseason. Thanks for the concern though.

 

Rudy doesn't fit. He has a very good case of not wanting to be here. Nate's system is mostly ISO's with a lot of standing around. It sucks for us since his trade value is very low. In the right system I think he'll blow up.

 

I pretty much predicted this would happen last season, and we're right on schedule. It hasn't been the same Rudy this year, and I personally have felt that he has been sand-bagging it. He isn't playing with the same flair, and I don't think it's Nate who is causing it. I think Rudy has wanted out since Sergio left. He doesn't throw the same passes. He doesn't cut to the hoop like he did. He doesn't run off screens like he used to. The level of effort just isn't there. I first noticed it in the preseason, and it has carried all the way until now. Could it be injuries? Sure, but I really don't think that's the case. Rudy is pulling a Vince Carter, and I have a feeling he'll be gone by the end of the summer.

 

I don't think it's that bad. I mean, that's pretty much the most blatant giving up I've ever seen a player do to get himself out of a particular situation. You really think he's doing that here? I don't, and here's why:

Rudy isn't missing three pointers on purpose. He's legitimately been in a shooting slump for much of this season. It's obviously in everybody's best interest for him to make those, and he knows it.

Rudy isn't avoiding going for the flashy lob dunks this year because he's tired of being in Portland. He's clearly leery of getting injured yet again while skying against NBA athletes. He just has to look at guys like Kevin Martin or Shaun Livingston to know how not to play the game if you want a long basketball career and are rail-thin.

Rudy isn't running less off of screens and curls because he doesn't want to. The coach just isn't calling those plays as much, partially because Miller is playing a bigger role in creating offense and partially because Rudy has been injured a lot and out of offensive sets so we're out of the habit of using him that way.

I agree that at times Rudy isn't trying as hard as he could on the defensive end, but he was that way last year too.

He's clearly dis-spirited, but I don't think he's just quit on the team and is trying to force his way out with crummy play. Like he says himself in that very article, he's lost confidence in himself. And so has the coach.

 

Rudy is exactly they type of talent that's going to go underutilized in Nate's isolation-based "offense."

Rudy needs to get packaged in a deal with Pryz's expiring contract next year. Maybe the Hornets would take that package for Collison and Posey's hugely overpaid contract. One can dream.

 

As long as you're dreaming, how about Aldridge, Joel and Rudy in a sign and trade for Bosh?

 

I don't think Webster is enough enticement to pry away a talent like Collison. Pryz might have the insurance picking up most of his salary, which could be huge for a team looking to save cash like the Hornets.

Either way, I hope Rudy has some sort of market value by the time the summer rolls around. Maybe he'll have some nice game in the 1st round to get his value back to where it was last season.

 

Collison would be my #1 offseason target.

The way Rudy has been lost in Nate's system this season his value is low. We'd have to add in a lot of sweeteners now with Rudy for anything significant.

 

I wonder if he would look better playing next to Conley or Koponen compared to Bayless?

And if we did resign Camby and Oden came back next year I think Rudy playing with actual bigs would be better than Howard and Cunningham, he still works well with Aldridge.

 

Because Rudy's problems are definitely because of Bayless.

Oh wait. Fail.

 

Rudy need a 1st step and some ability to put the ball on the floor if he's going to expect more playing time on any NBA team. Without that, he's the poor man's JJ Redick. A streaky 3-point shooter that other teams can slack off of most of the time.

 

The #1 reason for a worse Rudy is probably injuries. But 1A is no Sergio. They were a unit. Sergio looked out for Rudy and threw perfect lobs for him. It was obvious that nobody would set him up quite as well.

Preferred solution: get Ricky Rubio!
Actual solution: trade Rudy to:
1. Phoenix (but what for?)
2. New York (but what for?)
3. Toronto (along with Aldrige in a sign-and-trade for Bosh)

 

Rudy is having a poor season, his FG % is crap so I don't see how he can really blame that on Nate. Nate's job isn't to have players individually succeed on offense. Nate's job is to get the best offense out of the TEAM. If Rudy is so one dimensional he only excels in a Golden State offense then he isn't a succesful NBA player.

I'm a big Rudy supporter but he needs to just focus on what he can control. If he improves his play and his performance the rest will take care of itself.

 

Not surprising that a player that plays with 'Flair" is having difficulty in Nates' system.

How about keeping an obviously talented player and getting rid of the coach that implements such a shocking X & O 's system?

I'm sure Rudy wouldn't be the only one to benefit from a coaching change.

 

The role is there for Rudy. With Blake and Outlaw out, the minutes are there for Rudy IF he is playing well. I'm sure Nate would have no problem playing Rudy more if he felt he could give us 15 points per game. Right now, he's not playing like that.

If I recall, Nate put Rudy into the starting lineup for those last couple playoff games against Houston and he did NOTHING with that opportunity.