A new plan to get Rubio

[Rastapopoulos]

New rumors:
1. Apparently (I can't remember where I read it) the OKC Thunder really like Stephen Curry.
2. Rubio has said he won't come over unless he likes the team that takes him (and he doesn't like Memphis).

Put these two together, and what do you have?
I suggest the following:

1. We try to acquire a pick in the high Stephen Curry range. I suggest Minnesota at 6, and I suggest offering Bayless and a bunch of cash/picks. Bayless would sort of make sense with Randy Foye who is sort of a combo guard too. Maybe we would have to take back a bad contract as well, although all their bad contracts run out Summer 2010 (why? They really think FAs are drooling to play in Minny?)
2. We trade that #6 and some other asset (Outlaw?) for the #3.
3. Rubio drops to the 3 because Memphis are scared to draft him.

If you don't like Rubio (or Memphis is dumb enough to risk it), this still puts us in position for Tyreke Evans or Jrue Holliday, who is rising fast.

 

[RickyRubio]

I would love to try and scam something like that, but I don't think it will happen.

I would trade anyone not name Roy, Oden, Aldridge, Fernandez, Batum, Przybilla to get a shot at Rubio.

 

[Natebishop3]

What happens if Memphis takes Rubio though? The Bucks weren't scared off from Yi's threats.

 

[Денг Гордон]

Memphis is taking Rubio. He's a natural fit for their team.

If Rubio ever wants to make big, big money playing basketball, it will have to be in the NBA. He'd also be showing disrespect to his Spanish National Team elder, who plays on the Grizzlies. If Grizzlies draft Rubio, he will be in a Grizzlies uniform.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Rubio won't be ready to help any NBA team for at least 2 years. How does he help us?

Just ask Rudy

"He's a very good player, but I don't know if he is prepared to play in the NBA," said Portland Trail Blazers shooting guard Rudy Fernandez. "I think he's a good player, but this is a big jump for him."

Then the comparisons to Sergio

Some Spanish point guards (Jose Calderon) have transitioned well to the league. Others (Sergio Rodriguez) have had a tough go of it in finding a system that fits them. Much like Calderon and Rodriguez, Rubio's style excels in the open floor. According to some experts though, Rubio is more of a playmaker than he is a scorer, but the comparisons to Pete Maravich – at least beyond the physical appearance - are officially on hold.

Shortcomings are sure to arise: suspect defense and jumper, and Rubio doesn't necessarily posses an NBA body.

More stuff that sounds like we could be talking about Sergio

Rubio will have trouble guarding point guards in the NBA. His lateral quickness is decent but not great. Against top competition, he does have some mental lapses at times. He often backs off his defender and uses his instincts to play position defense, but in the rare moments when he guesses wrong, he can get beat on simple plays like a back-door cut, or his defender will easily dribble right by him. Some of his height and vision advantage is lost when longer players guard him. He doesnt jump at all on his jump shot and could stand to change his shooting mechanics a little. This will be a problem when playing against elite athletes

His outside shooting needs to continue to improve Maturity will bring the necessary leg strength and stability to shoot with better consistency His ratio of Assists/ Turnovers needs improvement, time and experience being the only necessary elements required. Related to this: His youthful inexperience sometimes gets him caught out of control when competing with physically stronger men at the highest Euro level He is thin but will fill out as his frame is good

Those last two quotes are his weeknesses from nbadraft.net of course he has a lot of possitives, but it's not like he is going to come into the league and do anything close to what Rose did this year.

 

[RickyRubio]

What happens if Memphis takes Rubio though? The Bucks weren't scared off from Yi's threats.

And how did that work out?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Memphis is taking Rubio. He's a natural fit for their team.

Really? I don't think either Conley or Mayo would think so.

If Rubio ever wants to make big, big money playing basketball, it will have to be in the NBA.

Well, duh. But if he wants to AVOID LOSING big money in the short term, then he stays in Europe. His buyout if he comes over this year is millions more than he would be paid. He earns money by staying in Europe until his current contract expires (2 years?)

That's why he has leverage. It's not like Memphis is offering him big money. They're offering to have him LOSE money to pay for a crappy team in front of fans that care a HELL of a lot less than his fans in Barca. Hey - look at Navarro's experience. I guess he decided that he didn't want to "make big, big money playing basketball". Not if it meant playing in Memphis.

He'd also be showing disrespect to his Spanish National Team elder, who plays on the Grizzlies.

Don't be silly.

If Grizzlies draft Rubio, he will be in a Grizzlies uniform.

Or, alternatively, he won't. Just saying it won't make it so, especially if he has serious leverage.

Of course, Memphis can draft him and wait it out. But I say they won't use the #2 pick if there's a serious likelihood they get nothing out of it for a year or two. Orlando was widely ridiculed when Vasquez didn't come over (I guess he didn't want to "make big, big money playing basketball" either - these Spaniards are crazy!) and that was a much lower pick.

 

[RickyRubio]

Memphis is taking Rubio. He's a natural fit for their team.

If Rubio ever wants to make big, big money playing basketball, it will have to be in the NBA. He'd also be showing disrespect to his Spanish National Team elder, who plays on the Grizzlies. If Grizzlies draft Rubio, he will be in a Grizzlies uniform.

This post wins retarded post of the week.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Rubio won't be ready to help any NBA team for at least 2 years. How does he help us?

Does the world end in two years then?

I invite you to watch Rubio against the "Redeem Team" again. Looked pretty good to me. No he won't be Derrick Rose. But he won't be Sergio either. And he's got a better jumper than Jason Kidd, Gary Payton or Rajon Rondo when they came into the league - and they were older too.

 

[blue32]

Rubio = Rodriguez. we cant use that type of PG w/our offensive scheme.

 

[JE]

Is OKC fucking brain-dead?

 

[hasoos]

Does the world end in two years then?

I invite you to watch Rubio against the "Redeem Team" again. Looked pretty good to me. No he won't be Derrick Rose. But he won't be Sergio either. And he's got a better jumper than Jason Kidd, Gary Payton or Rajon Rondo when they came into the league - and they were older too.

One game does not make a player. There have been many players who played well against the upper end international competition who couldn't hold their ass here.

Secondly, your claim about having a better jumper than a few other guys is flat out ridiculous. All of their jumpers suck, Rubios included. The suck=The suck.

Rubio has a lot of good parts to his game. He also has a lot of huge holes in his game. So that being said, it will be up to the evaluators to figure it out.

 

[Minstrel]

If you don't like Rubio (or Memphis is dumb enough to risk it), this still puts us in position for Tyreke Evans or Jrue Holliday, who is rising fast.

If every step in your plan came true, I'd be all for it. However, if step 3 didn't happen (Memphis lets Rubio fall), I don't like the result of getting Evans or Holliday. I prefer Bayless to any of the point guards in this year's draft outside of Rubio.

So, I don't think I'd risk it. If it could arranged as one deal (four-way deal? Ouch), so that Memphis was giving up pick 2 for pick 3 as an official trade, then I'd love it. I don't want to give up Bayless on the chance that two things (Oklahoma will trade the #3 for #6+ and that Memphis will pass on Rubio) come true after that.

 

[BrianFromWA]

To be fair, though....Sarunas Jacikevicius was around 28 or 29 when he was lighting up the Redeemed Team in Athens. Rubio was holding his own at 17.

What he's trying to say is that Payton, Kidd, etc. all developed a jumper. Kidd's shooting 40% from 3 now.

But that's not really the point. Rubio has an almost magical gift of seeing the floor and getting points for his big men, whether on the break, on the P&R, on lobs, etc. He gets more than his fair share of steals by knowing where to be on the floor and getting to the ball quick when he commits. I guess you could say he's the anti-Travis.

 

[BlazerWookee]

Let me tell you something about Ricky Rubio.

Fuck Ricky Rubio.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Let me tell you something about Ricky Rubio.

Fuck Ricky Rubio.

I hate when people hold back in their posts. C'mon Wook, you are better than that! Let it out man!

 

[BrianFromWA]

Wookie's just jealous of the Rubio Mane.

 

[BlazerWookee]

Heheheheh! That's an homage to a line from a movie, but for the life of me, I can't remember what movie or even who said it, lol...

As for Rubio, I'm not sold on him being all that good. It says a lot about just how colossally weak this draft is if he is mentioned as a possible top two pick.

 

[LittleAlex]

And how did that work out?

He played there a year, then got traded away.

Also, Yi isn't very good. Are you trying to say Ricky will be the next Yi?

If so, the odds are you are correct.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I'm always suspect of a trade scenario when it resembles a Rube Goldberg device more than a business transaction.

If Rubio can be had without overpaying (yeah right) I guess we should try to get him, but I've yet to see a realistic, sure-fire, trade proposal.

Edit: Maybe we'd have to start calling it a Rubio Goldberg device?

 

[Blaze01]

If Rubio ever wants to make big, big money playing basketball, it will have to be in the NBA.

That is laughable....

He is making big money right now....

He will have to GIVE UP big money just for the privelage of playing for that sucky MEM franchise...I am sure he is excited about that prospect....

MEM can play hardball all they want...go ahead draft him at #2...and if he doesn't come over in the next 2-3 years...then what? Will that idiot Chris Wallace still be the GM? After essentially WASTING the #2 pick on a player who they may not see....EVER? Or in 2-4+ years?Heck, will the Grizzlies even BE in memphis by then? Or will that cheapskate Heisley have sold them off to the highest bidder....

and does anyone see Gay or Mayo signing long term deals to play in MEM, after losing year after year after year? I am sure they are both GIDDY with excitement to continue playing for that losing team....

The bottom line is MEM NEVER has had the wherewithall to put together a winning franchise....even Jerry West couldn't save them...and now you have Chris Wallace...Just face it MEM fans, you are FRAKKED.....

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I think Rubio may fall in the draft. He's a project player with a tremendous upside, but what team wants to take 3-4 years to develop him?

 

[Nikolokolus]

I think Rubio may fall in the draft. He's a project player with a tremendous upside, but what team wants to take 3-4 years to develop him?

The Kings apparently ...

 

[Rastapopoulos]

What happens if Memphis takes Rubio though? The Bucks weren't scared off from Yi's threats.

Yi didn't have any leverage. Everyone knew he wanted to get the hell out of China. Rubio, on the other hand, is playing in front of rabid fans in the second-best league in the world, where plenty of players are perfectly happy (Fran Vasquez, for example). Finally, Rubio's threat to stay in Europe is obviously legitimate because he will have to pay a shitload out of pocket to come over this year.

Plus Yi wasn't as good. Or indeed, much good at all as it turned out. A better comparison (in terms of youth and perceived potential - not saying Rubio will turn out as good) is Kobe Bryant. He threatened to play in Europe unless he went where he wanted, and teams took it seriously because he could earn good money there and grew up there.

 

[JE]

The Kings apparently ...

What's wrong with that? We're 4 years away as constructed.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Yi didn't have any leverage. Everyone knew he wanted to get the hell out of China. Rubio, on the other hand, is playing in front of rabid fans in the second-best league in the world, where plenty of players are perfectly happy (Fran Vasquez, for example). Finally, Rubio's threat to stay in Europe is obviously legitimate because he will have to pay a shitload out of pocket to come over this year.

Plus Yi wasn't as good. Or indeed, much good at all as it turned out. A better comparison (in terms of youth and perceived potential - not saying Rubio will turn out as good) is Kobe Bryant. He threatened to play in Europe unless he went where he wanted, and teams took it seriously because he could earn good money there and grew up there.

Let's be real here. I remember all sorts of people tripping over themselves to gush about Jianlian, saying Yi could be the next Dirk Nowitski and were absolutely in love with his potential. If Rubio was in last year's (deep) draft do you really think he'd be projected to go as high as second overall? He'd probably be in the top ten, but maybe just barely.

 

[Nikolokolus]

What's wrong with that? We're 4 years away as constructed.

Did I say there was anything wrong with that? Rubio will probably be perfect for a rebuilding team where he can grow into the job with somewhat low expectations for immediate impact.

 

[JE]

Did I say there was anything wrong with that? Rubio will probably be perfect for a rebuilding team where he can grow into the job with somewhat low expectations for immediate impact.

Not accusing you. Sorry if it came off like that.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

If every step in your plan came true, I'd be all for it. However, if step 3 didn't happen (Memphis lets Rubio fall), I don't like the result of getting Evans or Holliday. I prefer Bayless to any of the point guards in this year's draft outside of Rubio.

Fair enough, but Memphis would be taking a HUGE risk. Do you really think that Rubio will eat a huge chunk of money to come over and play for a sucky team (and Juan Carlos Navarro, Pau Gasol, and probably Marc Gasol too have told him just how sucky) when he can play out his contract with DKV (who have already offered to double his pay without re-negotiating) and wait for CSKA or Olympiakos to offer boatloads of cash to sign the biggest star in Europe with no buyout?

Have you BEEN to Memphis? It ain't Barcelona.

Meanwhile, both OJ Mayo (who sees himself as a PG) and Mike Conley know that their franchise tried to draft a PG.

If you don't like Evans or Holliday, how about Harden? More than one writer has compared him to Brandon Roy - a 2Roy backcourt sounds interesting to me.

So, I don't think I'd risk it. If it could arranged as one deal (four-way deal? Ouch), so that Memphis was giving up pick 2 for pick 3 as an official trade, then I'd love it. I don't want to give up Bayless on the chance that two things (Oklahoma will trade the #3 for #6+ and that Memphis will pass on Rubio) come true after that.

I thought of that option, but didn't want to overcomplicate matters. We should offer Sergio plus $3M to Memphis to swap picks. Sergio doesn't have leverage...

 

[Nikolokolus]

I thought of that option, but didn't want to overcomplicate matters. We should offer Sergio plus $3M to Memphis to swap picks. Sergio doesn't have leverage...

If you were Micheal Heisley or Chris Wallace and somebody came knocking with that deal (and it wasn't Mitch Kupchak on the line) how long would it take for you to hang up the phone?