Rubio to Portland?

[hasoos]

Mexicans, lol!!!

That reminds me of that old Cheech and Chong song. Wasn't it called "Mexican Americans".......

 

[Karl Malone's Elbows]

LOL at anyone who thinks Rubio sucks at defense. Rubio as a prospect is worlds better than Chris Paul was. In my opinion Rubio is the best foreign prospect EVER.

 

[La Bomba]

LOL at anyone who thinks Rubio sucks at defense. Rubio as a prospect is worlds better than Chris Paul was. In my opinion Rubio is the best foreign prospect EVER.

He is definably the most hyped. The only I can think of more hyped is Yao.

 

[Karl Malone's Elbows]

Rubio already said he isn't entering this year, he is waiting till 2010, and I would definitely consider Blake Griffin a "knock-out" prospect.

I haven't seen him quoted as saying that, but even if he had it wouldn't mean anything at this point. If New York gets 1 or 2 there's no question he'd come over.

 

[Da_O]

I haven't seen him quoted as saying that, but even if he had it wouldn't mean anything at this point. If New York gets 1 or 2 there's no question he'd come over.

Well seeing as New York has a decent record I don't think there's anyway they get 1 or 2. All signs point to him going in the 2010 draft.

 

[Shooter]

Meh... I don't really care for te draft much anymore, and waiting 2-3 years for someone to take the starting spot. I think last year's draft was the final one in the lottery for a while, hopefully at least 10 years.

I think Pritchard agrees with you. His strategy now is to acquire proven players who can contribute immediately.

 

[MickZagger]

I would take Brandon Jennings over him any day of the week.

I wouldn't. Brandon Jennings has Telfair-syndrome.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Rubio isn't entering this draft. He is, IMO, the best PG prospect to come out since Chris Paul.

Btw, speaking of PG prospects, Nick Calathes of Florida is an intriguing PG prospect. 19/6/7 and a legit 6'5". He's someone that could be available when we pick.

Calathes is a true point guard who continuously makes his teammates better. He runs a team like an NBA veteran. He is an exceptional passer, always putting the ball in the right place for easy baskets, and often sending passes to where his teammates should be on the floor, in a sense coaching them with each pass. He has a great shooting stroke and can hit consistently from three. He is very shifty and can get into the paint when he needs to. He plays a very composed game, and visibly pushes himself more when he makes mistakes. He was named Mr. Basketball of Florida as a junior in high school.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I looked around last night for some articles, and it seems that Ricky told Brandon Jennings at a Slam Photo Shoot that, due in part to his 80k salary and 7M buyout, he'd wait until at least 2010 and maybe 2011 to declare

 

[maxiep]

Rubio is getting a lot of hype, but he also has serious holes in his game, footspeed for one. I'm sure he'll make a nice PG, but let's not crown him the next Magic.

 

[hasoos]

Rubio is getting a lot of hype, but he also has serious holes in his game, footspeed for one. I'm sure he'll make a nice PG, but let's not crown him the next Magic.

Being able to hit a shot, being the other...

 

[hasoos]

I looked around last night for some articles, and it seems that Ricky told Brandon Jennings at a Slam Photo Shoot that, due in part to his 80k salary and 7M buyout, he'd wait until at least 2010 and maybe 2011 to declare

I thought that the draft and when you are bought out are mutually exclusive. You can enter the draft any time after you meet the requirements of age. You can be drafted, but have to deal with the contract situation in order to come play here. The NBA team holds your rights until then. Rudy is a prime example.

 

[maxiep]

I thought that the draft and when you are bought out are mutually exclusive. You can enter the draft any time after you meet the requirements of age. You can be drafted, but have to deal with the contract situation in order to come play here. The NBA team holds your rights until then. Rudy is a prime example.

Yeah, but it would seem to me that your draft value goes up if the other team doesn't have to wait. For example, if Rudy could have come to the NBA immediately, he wouldn't have been picked in the 20s--he's clearly lottery talent.

 

[hasoos]

Yeah, but it would seem to me that your draft value goes up if the other team doesn't have to wait. For example, if Rudy could have come to the NBA immediately, he wouldn't have been picked in the 20s--he's clearly lottery talent.

Yep yep, true enough. I know there is also an age limit though where you have to enter by, but I am not sure what it is. I think it is 26 or something like that.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Rudy's a bit different, b/c it was his "22" year, so he was eligible no matter what.

Rubio has to declare to be eligible. If he wanted to, there's nothing stopping him. It would just be a matter of his buyout, as you said.

But if a high lottery team knows that he's not playing until 2010 or 2011, they're less likely to use a top-5 pick on him. If you know he's coming over as soon as you draft him, he's top two talent. So to declare early would cost him millions.

 

[Jayps15]

Yeah, but it would seem to me that your draft value goes up if the other team doesn't have to wait. For example, if Rudy could have come to the NBA immediately, he wouldn't have been picked in the 20s--he's clearly lottery talent.

Exactly, the Rudy example is a pretty good reason why Rubio should wait until he can assure teams that he'll come to the NBA immediately. Rudy was playing great in Spain and had even won the Euroleague Rising Star award, the same award Bargnani won before becoming the #1 overall pick, and he ends up falling all the way to the 24th. Even Marco Belinelli, who Rudy had been thoroughly outplaying overseas was taken well ahead of him because teams knew he could come to the US immediately.

Rubio's rookie scale contract won't start until he actually signs with an NBA team, so if the earliest he's willing to pay his buyout and come to the US is the 2010-11 season then it makes no sense to be drafted later in the 1st round this year (meaning his contract is worth drastically less money), instead of waiting to declare and getting drafted as high as possible. He's going to be on a rookie scale contract until 2015 anyway, might as well be the biggest one he can get.