Correct, meaning the comparable talent pool available in return is diminished. How many back-up SGs who put up a 15.5 PER in his rookie season are available at $1.2 million? Which is why I said Rudy needs to be a part of a bigger trade.
I agree with this. Also, the team went out and acquired Wesley Matthews this summer, showing that they don't have plans for Rudy longterm. I don't blame him for wanting a fresh start somewhere else. Finally, isn't it a bit hypocritical to get all over Rudy's case for pushing to be traded, on the one hand, while sitting back and rooting for CP3 to do the exact same thing to NOH so that the Blazers can get him in a trade?
Chris Paul is demanding a trade because he wants to win. Rudy Fernandez is demanding a trade for pt, stats, etc.
A. Try floating that distinction out in front of the New Orleans fans and I'd doubt that they'd be all warm and fuzzy because CP3 "wants to win". B. If NOH traded CP3 to the Lakers and for some insane reason they decided not to play him, do you think he'd be content with watching the team win? Rudy, as far as I know, hasn't formally requested a trade yet. He, like most NBA players, wants a shot at playing and maximizing his career. It sounds like the Blazers are planning on dumping him anyway, so I guess I just don't get why there's a need to villify the guy.
If all he was after was minutes and a more prominent role he wouldn't have (supposedly?) released such a narrow list of teams/cities that he's willing to play for -- he wouldn't have squelched a potential trade to Minnesota for instance. I don't begrudge Rudy wanting to go somewhere else, but he's pissing me off because of two things A) I think he sandbagged it the second half of the season; it really looked like he had stopped playing and B) he's killing his trade value with his stupid fucking mouth, ie. he's hurting the team who I root for. So fuck that guy.
That "supposedly" is part of my problem. There's just way too much conjecture about things that have come from Spanish websites and "news" media that seem to be foisted off around here as being an accurate reflection of what Rudy's position is. Rudy certainly wasn't effective the second part of the season. I tend to think that most of that relates to his back surgery, but it's an open point. I don't see that he'd increase his chances of getting trade, and certainly not of getting traded to a team of his choice, by deliberately sandbagging. As far as him hurting his trade value with things he's said, I'd still be interested in seeing a quote of anything negative that's directly attributable to him by a legitimate news source.
It was his lackluster effort and VISIBLE to the blind sandbagging of the playoffs that soured me on him. Not even hoisting up wide open three's and throwing flaming bags to people instead? Fuck that. He turned on us.
