Could Rudy Fernandez 's stay with the Dallas Mavericks be only temporary? Less than two weeks after the draft-night trade that sent the 6-foot-6 Spanish shooting guard from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Mavericks, Fernandez has reportedly been offered a six-year contract from Real Madrid that would make him the highest paid player in the history of the Spanish ACB, the most successful professional league in Europe. According to a report Sunday in the Spanish sports newspaper Mundo Deportivo, the struggling Real Madrid franchise hopes to revive its fortunes by luring the popular Fernandez, 26, back home with promises of riches he may not find in the NBA. The newspaper said the proposed six-year deal amounts to about $4.35 million a year. Under the NBA's now-expired collective bargaining agreement, Fernandez was due to make $2.2 million next season, after which he could become a restricted free agent with a qualifying offer of $3.2 million for the 2012-13 season. But with the NBA in the early stages of a potential protracted work stoppage, salaries are expected to become more restrictive under a new CBA and Fernandez, heading into his fourth NBA season, might find a second contract to be less lucrative than playing in his home country. The report says that if Fernandez agreed to the Real Madrid deal, he would return to the Mavs whenever the 2011-12 NBA season begins, finish the season and then cut ties with the NBA to join the Spanish club. Fernandez played three seasons with the Trail Blazers, averaging 9.1 points on 39.4 percent shooting. He is a career 36.4 percent shooter from 3-point range. He struggled during Portland's first-round playoff loss to Dallas, averaging 2.8 points on 22.2 percent shooting. Because of the lockout, the Mavs officials are not permitted to speak with Fernandez or his representatives. http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nba/news/story?id=6735080
Why doesn't it matter? It's an interesting offer and tough decision for Rudy. If he were still in Portland it would be a no brainer to me but now that he is in Dallas and most likely a starter, IMO, it makes it more difficult.
Wasn't it obvious to everyone that he would only be in the NBA one more year? That's why he had limited trade value. When he was "thrown in" for Felton I could have cared less.
I think it's possible Fernandez would've stayed longer than one more season in the NBA if he was on an East Coast team that was paying him a whole lot and using him differently. His main complaints were that he "missed Spain" and that he didn't enjoy basketball in McMillan's system. If he was in a different system, and was closer to home (flying to Spain from the East Coast is a whole different scenario), I could see him sticking around.
So was he just sick of McMillan/Portland or is his mind made up that he wants to go back to Spain? What if he starts and does well in Dallas and they make another deep playoff run and Cuban offers to pay up for him? Seems like a pretty attractive deal unless hes just done with the NBA and the U.S. Not completely insane either given that the Mavs have an open starting SG spot and he'll be playing off of Kidd and Dirk.
Does it really make that much difference in how often you get to go home? (west coast vs east coast) I used to think the same thing. But other than maybe the all-star break (which still is not long enough) a 7 hour flight each way just is not do-able during the season. I guess it would be easier on his family visiting, but still either way he is not getting home during the season. It has to be hard on these guys.
For the next year, Rudy will hear only one side. It'll be hard for the Mavericks to win this game when they aren't allowed to enter the stadium.
Rudy is now the starting shooting guard for the NBA CHAMPIONS DALLAS MAVERICKS. No amount of money or Spanish Fly will change that.
A $26.1m deal would be the largest ever? I think this demonstrates how little power to go overseas NBA players really have (barring some China governmental intervention ). Ed O.
i believe that would be net, and in euros, so basically around 10 million a year US, not too shabby, and as ive heard, free mansions and cars and all that jazz
yeah, the underplayed part of this is that the benefits don't go into the contract cost. If they buy him a house, it's not part of the contract. If they pay his taxes...not part of the contract. Childress' 3/20M contract with Olympiakos was related to be equivalent to a 3/32.5M NBA deal, and that didn't include his house and car.
