This thread is a classic case of "what have you done for me lately?" There is a REASON that Rubio was picked so high and Batum was a low first rounder... it's because Rubio is a far, far better prospect and he plays a position of scarcity. I like Batum, but the amount of hype he gets from Blazers fans is getting a bit out of control. If we can get any kind of assurance that Rubio would play for Portland and we could get him for Batum, you take that deal and run with it. Plug in Richard Jefferson or another small forward (which is one of the easiest positions to fill in the NBA) and we'll be much better off in the long run. Ed O.
Nobody has ever said that Rubio will only be as good as Rudy. Rudy is an undersized 2G who can't penetrate. Rubio is an oversized PG with possibly the best passing skills IN THE WORLD and who won defensive player of the year in his league. I remember watching the Spaniards in the "Rudy dunked on Dwight" Olympics and posting how, in most games, I was disappointed with Rudy because he didn't have nearly the effect on the game as this young kid was having. It amazes me that people are gushing like a BP oilwell over Darren Collison, who is a solid backup PG, and dismiss Rubio. Fine. I'll shut up about him. But he'll be an all-star in five years, if he comes over, MARK MY WORDS!!! (All caps, to show spittle-spraying intensity.)
Or maybe Batum was at one time projected as a lottery talent, but due to a misleading health report he tumbled down the draft board?
No way you take Rubio over Batum. Batum fell in the draft for a couple reason. He was reported to have some health problems which we found out later was false. He also had a problem on his Euro team the year before but can't remember what it was. We were offered a #4 pick in this years draft for Batum from the same team that drafted Rubio #5. There is very few if any GM's in the NBA that would take Rubio over Batum right now even with Rubio playing a position of scarcity. I also think there is even a chance Rubio won't come over to the NBA. Rubio is a good pass first PG that can't shoot or go to the basket that well.
I'd be interested in acquiring Rubio, if he's willing to come to the US and play for the Blazers. I'd consider dealing Batum, but it's not a clear slam dunk to me. I agree with Ed that Rubio the prospect trumped Batum the prospect. But Batum is no longer merely a prospect...he's had quite a bit of NBA success at a young age. Rubio carries more risk (and more possible reward). It would be a tough decision.
I love Batum. I loved Batum before we drafted him. I was saying we should draft him with the pick that we traded up for Bayless. It would pain me to give up Batum for Chris Paul, even. But Rubio is better than Batum RIGHT NOW. Just because he looks like he belongs in a Boy Band doesn't mean he's not a world class talent. (Look at Christiano Ronaldo.) Watch the highlights. Remember, this is a league that produced both Gasols and Luis Scola. These are not college kids he's doing this against. Oops. NOW I'll shut up.
There is a chance in 5 years Rubio could develop enough to be a all star but I highly doubt it. I watched every Spain game in the Olympics and there was a lot of praise for Rubio but I never saw anything from him but did see many signs of Rudy being the better player.
So you watch this and see nothing? [video=youtube;T5mpST596qU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5mpST596qU[/video]
Maybe. Did anyone ever have him going in the top 5, though? Even Jerryd Bayless was a guy who slipped from top 5 perception to the end of the lottery. Batum slipped from fringe lottery to where he ended up. Which is good for the Blazers, but does not put him at nearly the same level as Rubio. Ed O.
He does look good with those highlights but you can make almost anybody look good with highlights. I'm not going to do it but I can find Rudy highlights that make him look like a NBA all star. Here are Rubio stats from the Olympics and it isn't much. You want me to look up Rudy stats or Gasol's and compare? He average 4.75 ppg and 3 assists per game and. Shot 35% 2 pt and 16% 3pt. http://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fe/08...son//teamnumber/362/fe_teamPlay_playStat.html
Fair enough. But these highlights reflect my impression at the time: he's a huge difference maker, with his suffocating pressure as much as anything. They would be treading water and they'd bring him in and Spain would really ignite. Sure. And Gasol was the focal point of the offense and a multiple NBA All-Star. Rubio was barely 18.
For me he didn't look good but I'm not saying he couldn't develop into a good NBA player. The thing I was trying to make is I would never ever even think about trading Batum for Rubio and I doubt very many NBA GM's would.
i just cant see rubio being able to run that kind of game (shown in the vid) in Nate's system. if we were an uptempo and hard running team it could be pretty awesome to have him - but the patterns that nate is using these days arent set up to take advantage of the skillset that rubio shows. would probably just be frustrating for everyone concerned.
I'm not trying to make an argument for Batum over Rubio, as I'm not sure where I stand if that were on the table. But in some of the first 2008 mock drafts on nbadraft.net, they had Batum going #2 overall, right behind Derek Rose. Not sure if you can still find those in their archives, but I definitely saw it with my own 2 eyes. FWIW.
You're assuming that Nate just cannot change. That may or may not be true. You're also assuming that Nate will always be our coach. Also debatable. One thing's for sure, Rubio doesn't look suited for the triangle. But if he ever did come to Minny, you'd have to think Rambis would've been canned by then.
