Rudy had a terrible attitude. He always bitched about playing time and his role. When he got the chance to start in the playoffs he was atrocious. Denver had no interest in bringing him back either this season. Some players like Rudy and Sergio just aren't good enough to succeed in the NBA. I hope Claver can be much better, if he can't we'd be better off leaving him in Europe.
You think he said anything different than every player? Only difference is his comments (via his agent) got played out in the Spanish tabloids. When did he ever say anything actually documented in English to anyone that was a complaint? I'll give you that. I don't think that's actually true. When he was healthy in Denver, they loved him (just like we did his rookie year, which everybody seems to have forgotten, just like the rookie record for three pointers that he set). He only left Denver because he wanted to go back to Real Madrid and the feeling was mutual (and they paid him big bucks). Define "success". Rudy put up better numbers than a ton of NBA players (certainly before he got injured). The only difference is that Rudy actually has options. It seems to me that US fans seem to take it personally if Euro players actually prefer playing overseas. Americans refuse to believe that the crowds are better, the games seem more important (because there isn't one every other night) and the other players less ball-hoggy. And with teams like the Bobcats in the NBA, there are Euro teams that are comfortably better than at least one NBA team. This is silly. Rudy is better than players we have on our roster (Nolan Smith, anyone?) Should they all be deported? Or do they get a pass just because no overseas team is throwing money at them? By the way: Claver will not be better, so you might as well hate him already.
They get a pass because they already have guaranteed contracts and we have no choice. If Nolan Smith was a free agent I'm not sure he gets more than the minimum. They also get a pass because they have a good attitude and are willing to be a 13th man on the end of the bench. If Claver isn't going to be a better player than Rudy and is going to bitch about playing time I don't want him here. If he wants to come be part of a team, work hard, and see how he measures up to NBA talent than I'd love to have him give it a shot.
If Nolan was a free agent, he better HOPE some Euro team is interested. At least, as far as you know. For all you know some Lithuanian sports paper interviewed Nolan and he trashed the coach and said that he should be being played 40 minutes a game. He isn't. Don't make me repeat myself. Just because it ended badly for Rudy here doesn't alter the fact that Rudy was a good NBA player, and more fun to watch than the majority of Blazers players in the time since the Drexler days. Either you just have amnesia or you don't care about all the good things Rudy could do and obsess about the things he couldn't. If we had him on our roster today he would instantly be our best passer. He just couldn't dribble in traffic... I'm glad to hear you have such an open mind. Y'know who's whinier than any basketball player? Fans. Whiny bitches. Y'know who complains about their playing time and thinks they could be better used? Every single basketball player in the NBA. Shit, Kobe Bryant has demanded to be traded. Millsap asked to be allowed to come to Portland. Magic Johnson got coaches fired. So fucking what? Have you never complained about your boss? Your co-workers? Wished you could re-locate?
Enough, Rasta. Rudy was horrible. He had that one good sequence where he had an alley oop dunk, stole the ball and hit a three, but it was fool's gold. Couldn't hit wide open threes at a decent rate. Horrible when given chance to start in playoffs. Useless. Glad he's gone. Willing to give Claver a shot. He's a different person.
15.5 PER his rookie season when he freelanced everything. Then Nate leashed him up and he stunk every year afterwards
Whether it was his back injury or his attitude, the fact remains that Rudy peaked as a rookie and never recaptured his early promise. As for Claver,he has already had multiple serious injuries, and it is suspect whether he has any defined role in the NBA. He doesn't have the muscle to be a PF, and post-injury it is very uncertain whether he has the athleticism to play SF.
Anyone who calls Rudy atrocious is only looking at shooting. He played more energetically than almost anyone I've ever seen. Very enthusiastic attitude. A leader, perhaps too much so. As for constantly bitching about his minutes, what bullshit. He came to the NBA with the correct attitude--I'm sacrificing half of what I could make in Europe, I'll give this a finite time, and if the NBA doesn't make it worth my time, I'll return to much greater money and adulation. Babbitt is unreliable from the 3. He is not a clutch shooter in the last minutes like Roy. But Babbitt is better at conventional inside play, like rebounding, than given credit for. Claver is slightly more experienced and more rounded by better coaching than Babbitt.
Rudy is the only one responsible for the NBA not being "worth his time." The sense of entitlement these Europeans have is not justified. Just cause they make a lot of money in Spain or wherever doesn't mean they don't have to prove themselves in the NBA.
If you think Rudy was garbage then you're blinded by irrational thoughts. Guy is a good player that had some unfortunate circumstances and his agents comments to the spanish media were blown out of proportion. He was awful in the PHX series, but there have been plenty of decent players that stunk up the joint in the postseason. He was having a good rookie year until the Ariza incident and after that he was never the same but this has been rehashed over and over. Some of you won't pull your heads out of your ass to ever admit your opinion isn't the "right" one.
I think the argument that Rudy's career was altered by the Ariza hit is much more valid than blaming it on coaching. He played for three different coaches and had his best year under Nate.
Didn't see much in that highlight video to get excited about. Seems to have an underhanded layup that he really likes and I would be surprised if that is successful in the NBA. I don't see why they encouraged this guy to spend 500,000 euros to buy out his contract. I hope he somehow turns out to be good.
