TheKnicksBlog: Rudy to Chicago by Monday?

[MickZagger]

What's worth more: giving Rudy what he wants (a new home) and sending a message to potential free agents and other players (and their agents) that Portland treats its players well and will do right by them, or holding on to him out of spite, devaluing him further all in the vain hope of getting some really sweet deal for him or potentially using him as a throw-in at the trade deadline?

In that context I think you have to move him and take what you can get. While holding on to him partly out of spite and to prove a point, seems like it will cause more harm than good to the organization in lost chemistry, bad PR, and potentially poisoning the well for future players who might have second thoughts about joining the organization ... particularly foreign players you might like to add to roster through the draft down the line.

I don't agree with that at all. If a free agent wants to pick an organization to play for they do so based on either money, or a chance to win. I highly doubt players around the league are keeping tabs of whether a team is being thoughtful of a players feelings during the possibility of a trade, especially a mediocre player like Rudy. Agents are going to go where the money is so they can get their 5 or 10%. Being held hostage in the trade process, because a player demands three teams that he wants to play for is a good way of limiting options and not getting the maximum amount of talent in return. Heck, even the Hornets told Paul that he didn't have say of where he is going to be traded. What makes you think Rudy should.

 

[jlprk]

If we wait till after the Worlds, his value may go up. Can't come down.