I have that fear too. But is it rational? Can Westbrook really work off the ball? I bet he would be mighty pissed!
Westbrook would be fantastic in a "D-Wade" role. He will attack the rim like a mad-man while Rubio takes the time to break defenses and find Durant for perimeter shots. Yikes.
Drafting Rubio would make Green available. They might be able to turn him into a PF via trade? Rubio going to OKC would be great IMO. Then again I don't think he'll be any good.......
Yeah, I think he could easily end up in OKC. That would be a great young core...Durant, Rubio and Westbrook. Green isn't a bad young player himself. But they'll still need to find a big man.
I wonder how Memphis sees OKC. I can imagine they see OKC as a regional (ish) rival of about the same level and I bet they're wracking their brains to work out what player to deny them. It would look bad for Wallace if OKC just completely leapfrogged Memphis record-wise. Of course, it's going to happen anyway, but they don't have to help.
I dont think there is any chance Memphis passes Rbio up, but the team that drafts him may not be the place he will "end up". Personally I think Memphis picks him and then moves him for another first round pick and a player.
I really doubt Memphis is thinking about OKC at all. They are going to get less talent if the pass up Rubio, and if the ypick him he will refuse to play there. OKC isn't going to offer anything for the rights to Rubio or to move up one spot and Memphis just needs to take the best offer for Rubio, and it will not come from OKC.
I think Rubio's main competition (other than, supposedly, Thabeet) is Harden, Curry and Evans. Doesn't Harden make a lot of sense next to Westbrook? Or Curry, because Westbrook is not a shooter, and it's difficult to win if BOTH your guards can't shoot - teams would triple-team Durant. Meanwhile Memphis should probably pick Evans. He's not really a PG, but they've got Conley, and if they're not sold on him, supposedly they think Mayo's their PG of the future. Plus NOBODY ELSE wants to play for Memphis, and they NEED the local support that a Tiger would bring. Sacramento makes the most sense to me. But then again, Petrie is completely fearless in taking the player he likes even if others think it's too high. Jason Thompson, for example. And if he really does like Jonny Flynn because his team needs a leader with charisma, then I can see him passing on Rubio. "Rubio's camp" (what does that mean, anyway? I feel dirty just for typing it) is said to hate the idea of Washington and Arenas, and with the latest rumor that his buyout has shrunk considerably, Rubio has more holdout leverage. That's the hope I cling to, anyway.
I don't think it would take much to persuade them that Evans will be the best talent. He's almost as young as Rubio and the Tigers did really well with him at PG. Plus he's much flashier and athletic. And God Knows they need to pull in the fans. Who then? What option did you pick?
If teams triple-teamed Durant that would leave 2 defenders on 4 other OKC players - two of them (Westbrook/Rubio) very good at getting to the rim for uncontested shots or drop-offs to whoever else is there... Chris Wilcox would look like Karl Malone and that strategy would not work at all That's why, btw - I think we must get someone else that can attack the rim next to Roy - to have two players that can attack the rim from the dribble to collapse the defense on them keeping the shooters open or freeing the bigs for easy pass-off assists... To be honest - I like Curry next to Westbrook (or Roy, for that matter) as well - the kid seems like a real smart player which can shoot lights-out - he will work a lot better in the NBA than some people think he will, especially if he is not the only one that can handle the ball and have to create for others...
I'm not really disagreeing with anything you have said here. I have no idead where Rubio will end up, but I voted that Memphis would draft them, even if they only have his rights for ten minutes. Memphis would be foolish to pass Rubio up, and if they were looking to get someone else (like Evans as you mentioned) they could pick Rubio and make a trade with whoever picks Evans (someone I see going 6-10). Maybe Evans falls into New Yorks lap at the eight spot, and Memphis trades them the rights to Rubio for Evans and Robinson. Then they have two players to draw in people to fill seats. Honestly, this is the craziest draft I can remember as far as predictions of who will go where. Thank god the draft is three days so I can stop feeling so anxious.
I think he will end up in Sacrmento because they are putting out the most smoke screens as for reasons not to pick him.
