Well, you're half right, anyway. You're obviously wrong about the sandbagging though, as anyone who understands athletes would tell you. It's contrary to their very competitive nature, and obviously never a good way to increase your contract value.
Yeah, it's completely unreasonable to assume that he thought if he played like shit then the Blazers would be eager to trade him, guys who played like shit before him (probably not intentionally) were certainly shown the door. Luckily for Rudy his contract is worth exactly the same no matter how he plays, but if he really plays like shit and gets released from his contract so he can go back to the ACB then he makes about 3 or 4 million more per season -- minimum. Yup, no reason to sandbag. No reason at all.
Rudy already turned down millions of $ to be a star in the NBA. He was promised a key role in an uptempo system by KP. Nate refused to honor that promise, or even consider it. Nate also refused to implement the uptempo system, despite KP specifically getting him an entire roster (except Roy) that plays their best ball in such a system. So naturally Rudy asked to be traded to an NBA team like the one KP said he was building. Obviously, the other team would have to want him. They'd have to know he could play their style, and play it well and play it consistently. They'd want to be sure he wanted to play and could fit in. Obviously, sandbagging would prevent all that. Any idiot can see that. You're no idiot, but I know you can see that too. But putting all that simple logic aside for the moment, Rudy has an ego. He has been idolized by millions since his early teens. He's an Olympic Silver Medal Champion, and a FIBA World Champion, and a EuroBasket Champion. For that reason alone he would never sandbag, as with pretty much every other professional athlete in the world would never sandbag. It's about the silliest, naivest slander a fan could throw, and implies a total lack of understanding of the competitive mind.
Rudy had a higher PER in the playoffs, and shot at a better percentage, than did our new $9 million man, Wes(ley) Matthews. I'd say check the stats, but no one seems to care about actual statistics.
Of course you don't. I mean, the actual statistics show the opposite of the meme on this board by you (who is on a hell of a posting streak, btw), and some others. But, the "we" card shows your own insecurity, so we're even.
No it's actually "we," there's a private forum where "we" all get together and talk about how much "we" don't care what you have to say. As for Matthews I guess I don't recall being his most vocal cheerleader? The Blazers did probably overpay, but if you're going to overpay for a guy at least he supposedly shoots a high percentage and plays defense (I guess)?
