That Curry/Flynn backcourt sure looks good right about now for Minnesota, who's a cursed franchise no matter what. I bet Rubio would change his mind if he got sent to NY tomorrow.
So what's Minny's backcourt now? Flynn/Telfair? That should be fun. Of course, it's good practice for the eventual Rubio/Flynn backcourt that Kahn SWEARS has been the plan all along. If we do sign Hedo, I would re-visit that Rudy-and-change for Rubio idea. It would solve a numbers crunch for us and give us a Hedo replacement (because Hedo will be playing the part of PG for us a lot) in 2 years as he starts to crumble. Wonder if Minny will be more inclined to do it, or if Kahn will just be even more stubborn now. (And even if we're not going to do it, we should ask Rudy if that's what he really wants, and see if that makes him decide things aren't so bad here...)
I agree. He's a project player who would have rode the bench for 2-3 years anyway. Why not get paid more and play more.
We'll never know. Maybe it wasn't the money, maybe it was just Minny. In which case, playing this little "favorites" game gets old and tiresome. In every other (or most other) walks of life, people aren't making many, many millions of dollars a year to play a game. So, yes, he is a whiny bitch IF the only reason is he didn't want to go to Minny. You're playing a game for cripe's sake...
Even if that was the reason, people across the spectrum value quite highly where they work and live. "Better opportunity" factors in many things, including location. Considering he'd have to use most or all of his rookie deal to pay off his buyout, he'd be playing for far less in a place he doesn't like (assuming, for the sake of this, that he didn't want to be in Minnesota). How many people voluntarily move somewhere they don't like to work for less money? Are they all whiny bitches if they choose, instead, to work in a place they love for more money? Also, at what salary can you no longer legitimately care where you work? The "it's just a game, for cripe's sake" argument works both ways...Rubio isn't killing anyone by choosing to remain in Spain. Why does it matter that he rejected Minnesota? It's just a game, for cripe's sake.
A team used a very high lottery pick on him. The future of entire franchises hinges on who they pick. For some young punk to declare for the draft, then because he dislikes the team that drafted him, to turn back around and say he's staying in Spain, that's a dickhead move. At the NBA level I don't think it is just a game. It's a business, and there's lots of money changing hands. People could get fired over this.
Rubio's own future hinges on what professional and life decisions he makes. Why? I agree, I don't think "it's just a game." That was the argument that yakbladder used for why Rubio shouldn't do what's best for himself. I simply turned it around to show that if it IS just a game, then it's silly to excoriate him for the decision. If it's not important, it's not important for either side. Of course, it is IS important. For both the team and player. Like in every other industry in capitalism, employment is "at will." Both the employer and the prospective employee have to agree to do business. In this case, the prospective employee didn't agree.
I disagree, for Rubio (and other players), it's still just a game. Yes, they are employees, at will, etc. etc. etc. But how many other professions do people get a limited resource to choose from, only get to make one selection in turn, and then can get screwed out of that selection by the whims of an individual? And, just so you know, "at will" is a complete falsehood in many states, countries, cities, etc.
No, it's their profession. And if they move, it's a significant part of their lives. If you moved today to Europe, would you consider that a significant life change? How many professions disallow choosing your employer from all interested employers? Not many. It's a game to fans...to teams and players, it's a business. And it's treated that way. In terms of quitting, there can be different rules about it. But no country, state or city that has a market economy forces unwilling employees to take a certain job, as far as I know.
Knowing full well that there was a risk he wouldn't come over. This shouldn't be a surprise to Minnesota, they knew it was a possibility.
sort of like if you saw news on a network owned by a group called Newscorp you would assume its garbage?
God that would be sweet. Rudy Flynn back court seems pretty good. And you have Outlaw either starting 3 or backing up Love. Blake, Rudy, Outlaw for rights to Rubio and something to make ends meet. I wonder if Minnie would go for that. Tell me KP is at least asking!
Exactly. Why is Rubio being a dick? Minni made two terrible choices and now they pay the price. They should have just taken Flynn and Curry and let Rubio fall to GS. Or Rubio and Curry for that matter. Their draft only makes sense if they trade one of the two and Rubio is attempting to force their hand and make the traded player himself. Leverage, use it if you got it. And Rubio has plenty.
That would be great. The problem, pre-draft, in trying to think of possible deals for Rubio was that the teams that seemed likely to get him, Memphis and OKC, would have had fully-stocked perimeter units, making players like Rudy, Bayless and Outlaw useless in trade. But Minnesota needs shooting guards and small forwards...and Portland's got 'em! So maybe something can happen now that Minnesota seems likely to get nothing for that pick if they don't deal his rights.
I dont think this means Rubio will definatly play in Spain next year, I think this is part of the negotiations and he is essentially calling DKV's bluff. DKV is not a Rich franchise and they were counting on Rubio's buy out of approx 6mill to pay some back taxes. DKV was not budging on the contract buy out so Rubio says eat it DKV, so now instead of DKV getting 6mill from Rubio they have to pay out 100k a year. The extra ticket sales Rubio attracts will not make up that difference and it puts DKV in a tight spot.
The chances of Minni trading Rubio certainly have risen. PGs on the move in the NBA helps Portland, esp as we now have Blake and Bayless as points... ugh.
Regardless of whether their profession is a game or not, it's still just a game. If I moved to Europe for 10 million dollars, hrm, yes, it would be a significant life change. For the better. Are you paying 10 million for managers? Well, none in the NBA as far as I know. Because you can just skip out and then re-enter the draft. You can whine and complain till the cows come home about your current contract and, inevitably, the team will cave and trade you. In my profession, as in most, that would be A) a violation of contract and B) most likely get me fired. Justifiable termination is required in many cases - that's what I was getting at via "free will". Free will implies that either side has the right to terminate at any time for any clause. But that's not the way the NBA works...because it's not like the vast majority of "professions".
Sure, but irrelevant. It's still what he does for a living and thus important. Most players can't without ending up making much less or nothing. Rubio is in a unique position. People in unique positions of leverage generally use that for their benefit, in all walks of life. I don't see the value in being angry that someone exercised what they felt was a better option for them, within the laws. Yes, it's not. It has structural benefits and drawbacks relative to other professions. None of that is particularly relevant, though. Rubio is perfectly justified in saying he'd rather not work for Minnesota. By NBA rules, he can't work for any other NBA team. If he'd rather not work in the NBA at all, that is his choice, just like it is your choice to work for your company or not. Employment in the NBA is "at will" in terms of signing a contract (not in terms breaking it, but Rubio isn't breaking a contract) and there's no will to do so on Rubio's side. I don't see why that's worse than anyone turning down a job opportunity they don't want.
Maybe this illustration willl help . . . Pau Gasol was drafted by Memphis and went there. Peja Stojakovic was drafted by Sacramento and went there. Hedo Turkoglu was drafted by Sacramento and went there. Tony Parker was drafted by San Antonio and went there. Manu Ginobli was drafted by San Antonio and went there. Yao Ming was drafted by Houston and went there. Rudy Fernandez was drafted by Portland and went there. None of these were "glamour destinations," and many were actually small markets, yet all of these foreign players went where they were drafted and were happy to get a chance to play in the NBA. Is Rubio somehow more special than all of the guys above?
