Rudy forcing KP to deal him?

[Fez Hammersticks]

From Hoopshype:

Real Madrid wants to sign Rudy Fernandez for next season. The Spanish player is not comfortable in Portland and would be amendable to a return. Real Madrid would welcome him with open arms.

The player's camp has let it be known that he's willing to return. Florentino Perez (Real Madrid's president) knows about this and is interested.

Do you rule out a return to Spain? Rudy Fernandez: Right now, in this situation, I don't rule out anything. Why? Rudy Fernandez: Because I just want to play. I don't mind where.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

To quibble: this wouldn't be forcing KP to deal him, it would be forcing him to void his contract (or whatever Navarro did with Memphis).

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

I actually think this will end up being a good thing.

A harsh lesson for Pritchard that this is a business and you can't be so buddy-buddy with the roster.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

To quibble: this wouldn't be forcing KP to deal him, it would be forcing him to void his contract (or whatever Navarro did with Memphis).

I think it's a ploy by Rudy's camp to get him out of Portland and to a different NBA team.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I actually think this will end up being a good thing.
A harsh lesson for Pritchard that this is a business and you can't be so buddy-buddy with the roster.

Jesus Christ, can we let that one die? Who are the players he's supposed to have been most buddy-buddy with? Jarrett Jack and Steve Blake. End of whining please.

Good thing? Maybe. If it makes Rudy play better--because at the moment, there aren't many teams that should want him.

Maybe watching Sergio finally be unleashed in NY has made him a tiny bit envious.

 

[Kaydow]

This is ridiculous for Hoopshype to report. Rudy is signed through next season with a TEAM option for the 2011-12. The Blazers aren't going to let him walk, or buy him out. He is NOT going to be playing for Real, Madrid next season. No way, no how.

I wish this candyass would just shut up and play ball.

 

[blue32]

Rudy can bail for all I care. Less drama, and more balling for B-Rex. Rudy hasn't shown us anything extra this year. Of course, it could be McMillian's offense....

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Rudy can bail for all I care. Less drama, and more balling for B-Rex. Rudy hasn't shown us anything extra this year.

To be fair, neither has "B-Rex".

 

[mook]

I'm beginning to wonder if our "Sergio Rodriguez Apex" has passed on Rudy. That's the point he goes from "new hotness" to "old and busted" (to paraphrase Men In Black II, which I happened to watch recently.)

Not that he's really old, but that he's just not as good as anticipated, and he doesn't appear to have the upside expected.

Sergio was exposed as being unable to improve on scoring or defending, and so the passing just wasn't enough to make up for his liabilities. Rudy's is that he just doesn't have the physical build to withstand the punishment of the game.

You could argue it's just him recovering from injury, and he'll be fine next year so we shouldn't panic. But the truth is that Portland was desperate for an icewater perimeter shooter in the playoffs last year, and the Rockets' physical guards never let him get going. Between that and how he played when Roy went out, I think he's been exposed.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Considering he's a bench player, Rudy is fine. Geeze, another post more properly entitled "why can't every player on the team be an all-star". Well, it isn't going to happen so just get over it.

He's been injured this year (back surgery, remember?) and suffered under Nate's screwball rotation. When healthy, he gets the job done well enough.

 

[ehizzy3]

Smh this is like a broken record with Rudy..he's been garbage

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

He just wants to play, "it doesn't matter where."

Ok, get Memphis on the line and package Rudy with other assets for Mayo.

 

[mook]

Considering he's a bench player, Rudy is fine. Geeze, another post more properly entitled "why can't every player on the team be an all-star". Well, it isn't going to happen so just get over it.

He's been injured this year (back surgery, remember?) and suffered under Nate's screwball rotation. When healthy, he gets the job done well enough.

Yes, he's a good bench player. When completely healthy (how often will that be?), he's an average NBA starter. But I had a lot higher hopes than that, and I think a lot of the league did too. Much like I think a lot of people had higher hopes for Sergio after his first year.

My point was just that I think we missed our opportunity to sell high. Oh well.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

This is ridiculous for Hoopshype to report. Rudy is signed through next season with a TEAM option for the 2011-12. The Blazers aren't going to let him walk, or buy him out. He is NOT going to be playing for Real, Madrid next season. No way, no how.

I wish this candyass would just shut up and play ball.

 

[KingSpeed]

We didn't get Turkoglu. We traded Blake AND Outlaw. What's Rudy's problem? The minutes and shots are there. Now prove that you deserve them. Please. Didn't we fucking start him in the last two games of the playoffs last season? And he did jack squat with it.

 

[blue32]

To be fair, neither has "B-Rex".

But you have to take into consideration the background of each player....

B-Rex is on par with Rudy and Rudy's been in some pretty important Leagues and world games....


I love Rudy, but damn, I hate to see reports like this...

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I wonder how much of last year's good play was as a result of playing alongside Sergio, who "got" him and looked to him probably before anyone else. Yes, he's been injured. But he just doesn't seem to know what to do out there (although, prior to the surgery, he was getting a hell of a lot of steals). He really needs to be in a Suns-like system. I wouldn't be too sorry to see him move on to a system that hides his flaws and plays to his strengths more. Trouble is, it seems that he's a Paul Allen fave (at least, I know I've read that in a couple of places, specifically about why the trade for Brendan Haywood didn't happen). Anyway, he's here till the offseason, at least, so let's see if he can round into shape. I think he definitely benefited from playing with Greg Oden, because the defense collapsed a lot more then.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

B-Rex is on par with Rudy and Rudy's been in some pretty important Leagues and world games....

Bayless is a completely different player. Bayless is the epitome of the American guard: all about individual scoring, pretty clueless about the "team" aspects. Rudy is almost the reverse: he's been unselfish to a fault almost this season, he understands about passing to the open man, he's a creative passer. But on the other hand, his dribbling is weak and he's poor at getting to the basket. However, his skills are much rarer in the NBA than Bayless's.

I love Rudy, but damn, I hate to see reports like this...

The Spanish media seem to stir up shit. And if you're Rudy, what do you do? Half of Spain is watching you and seeing you playing poorly and not much. The nicest thing you hear is that Real Madrid is really interested in you. Do you say "no, screw Spain, I want the big bucks over here even if I'm just warming the pine"?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Yes, he's a good bench player. When completely healthy (how often will that be?), he's an average NBA starter. But I had a lot higher hopes than that, and I think a lot of the league did too. Much like I think a lot of people had higher hopes for Sergio after his first year.
My point was just that I think we missed our opportunity to sell high. Oh well.

Remember when we laughed off a Memphis offer for Pau Gasol for Aldridge and Sergio... and largely because it included Sergio?

Good times...

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

My point was just that I think we missed our opportunity to sell high. Oh well.

You may be right.

 

[ehizzy3]

We didn't get Turkoglu. We traded Blake AND Outlaw. What's Rudy's problem? The minutes and shots are there. Now prove that you deserve them. Please. Didn't we fucking start him in the last two games of the playoffs last season? And he did jack squat with it.

I gotta agree with ks...Rudy hasn't proved anything to warrant all his bitching..aaaand he's really regressed this year..people want to talk about aldridge regressing look at Rudy

 

[OddEnormous]

If this story originated from the Spanish newspaper Marca, the odds are it's 100% bullshit that it's true.

They are a mouthpiece newspaper for Real Madrid and will literally make up quotes and lie about players coming in to sell the paper.

This goes on 365 days a year in the European football world.

 

[STOMP]

all his bitching? Good grief, the only ones bitching here are posters... as usual

"I just want to play I don't care where" is a diplomatic shine on answer to a speculative question. He is getting minutes/playing in Portland so it seems his harsh demands/needs are being met...

STOMP

 

[Natebishop3]

Rumors or not, I've been saying since last season that I think Rudy won't be here long term. He was a star in Spain, and I believe he wants to start in the NBA. I just don't see him ever being happy in Portland.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I can appreciate Rudy's situation. He gave up a lot of scratch to come over here and play and probably had the goal of being a star and so far things haven't exactly gone according to plan. His situation here in Portland is always going to be tenuous just because of the position he plays and who is playing in front of him.

I wouldn't be shocked to see KP package Rudy along with another player (Bayless or Webster?) and maybe this year's draft pick to go out and get a pretty good point guard with some defensive chops and the ability to hit the long ball as the heir apparent to Miller. Aside from Rudy not being that guy to pair up with Roy full time, Bayless also looks more and more like he's not going to be that guy; just because his shooting from distance has been so abysmal his first two years in the league, when it was a strength for him at AZ and he just doesn't look that comfortable or "tuned in" when it comes to running the point.

 

[STOMP]

Rumors or not, I've been saying since last season that I think Rudy won't be here long term. He was a star in Spain, and I believe he wants to start in the NBA. I just don't see him ever being happy in Portland.

what player on their rookie deal wasn't a star at their previous spot? Okay Brandon Jennings, but I'd guess that most feel that they should start or at least get more minutes.

Rudy hasn't been playing very well which is what I'd guess he's as concerned about as anything... I wonder how he's really doing physically? Regardless, Portland can choose to keep him on the cheap for 3 seasons past this even if he wants out

STOMP

 

[Natebishop3]

what player on their rookie deal wasn't a star at their previous spot? Okay Brandon Jennings, but I'd guess that most feel that they should start or at least get more minutes.

Rudy hasn't been playing very well which is what I'd guess he's as concerned about as anything... I wonder how he's really doing physically. He's under contract and not complaining. Portland can choose to keep him for 3 seasons past this if they want to even if he wants out

STOMP

Yeah, but come on STOMP.... Rudy was a god in Spain. That's not a small town or a college, that's a country. He was one of the best players in Europe. It's not the same thing. I think he had delusions of grandeur and so far things have been bumpy for him.

 

[STOMP]

Yeah, but come on STOMP.... Rudy was a god in Spain. That's not a small town or a college, that's a country. He was one of the best players in Europe. It's not the same thing. I think he had delusions of grandeur and so far things have been bumpy for him.

this is common for guys on the bench... and so what? Dude has no leverage to force an out

STOMP

 

[Natebishop3]

this is common for guys on the bench... and so what? Dude has no leverage to force an out

STOMP

I'm not saying he does. I'm saying he's unhappy and I don't think he'll be here long term because he won't want to be a career backup to Brandon Roy. You disagree?

 

[mook]

Can he just quit on Portland and go and play in Spain next year? I have to admit I don't really understand how these contracts work.

Anyway, even if not, he does have some leverage. He can threaten to go to the media. He can whine and complain and be a black eye on the team. He can dog it in games and practices. NBA players on contracts do that maneuver in an effort to get traded, and it does work sometimes. (See Vince Carter for the ultimate example. But there are lots of guys who've made it so unpleasant to keep them that they get bought out.)

In Rudy's case, it could be an especially effective tactic. If he makes a huge spectacle and burns every single bridge in the NBA, he can still go back to Spain and be revered as a superstar. No matter what he does here, people there remember him as a key guy on a Silver Medal team.