LAS VEGAS – Minnesota Timberwolves general manager David Kahn is planning a trip to Spain to meet DKV Joventut officials about lowering the steep $6.6 million buyout clause in draft pick Ricky Rubio’s contract, sources with knowledge of Kahn’s plans told Yahoo! Sports on Wednesday. Kahn will meet with Rubio and his family on the trip, the sources said, but the journey’s primary objective is to work with the European team about finding a way to get Rubio to the T’wolves this season. It’s expected Kahn will leave for Spain later this week from the NBA’s summer league in Las Vegas. Rubio, 18, is the flashy Spanish point guard Minnesota picked fifth in the June draft. Rubio “is OK with playing in Minnesota,” a source said. “It’s a matter of getting the buyout done.” Kahn and Minnesota owner Glen Taylor have met with Rubio’s agent, Dan Fegan, during the summer league this week. The Wolves are only allowed to pay $500,000 toward Rubio’s buyout, but his endorsers are motivated to get him to the NBA now. Rubio has warmed to the idea of playing in Minnesota, which is determined to make him the franchise’s cornerstone player. Minnesota drafted Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn with the sixth pick, and he’ll run the team should Rubio have to stay in Europe for another season. If Rubio gets the buyout done, most expect Kahn will trade Flynn, who was considered one of the elite point guards in the draft. Source says reason #Rockets name is in trade rumors for top 10 pick is b/c they want 1 of the 4-5 PGs expected to go lottery. http://twitter.com/Clutchfans -thats what Clutch tweeted during the draft process.. Do y'all think Morey would be after Flynn if the Wolves are willing to trade him?
McGrady → Flynn (signed) + E.Thomas + Cardinal + Madsen *30 day trade restriction on Flynn after he signs a contract Flynn, Brooks, Lowry Ariza, Barry, Taylor Battier, Budinger, Cook, Cardinal Scola, Landry, Dorsey, E.Thomas Andersen, Hayes, Yao, Madsen Rubio, Telfair, Brown Ellington, McGrady Gomes, Brewer Love, Smith, Songaila Jefferson, Pecherov Rumors were the Rockets FO thought PGs in this draft are an upgrade.
Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor could offer then a "special" $6.5 million endorsement deal from Taylor corporation.
What !!man why!! Minn...... why can't they stay with flynn and trade Rubio ,...... plus isnt Flynn kind of like Brooks, ..... given that both of them are the same size and about the same speed ...only difference Is Brooks is more proven...if I were to trade brooks it would be for Rubio...i hate David Khan
It's within the 125% rule. Rosters don't have to down to 15 until opening night. Rockets can trade or waive players until then. I'm guessing you already knew that.
Flynn was great in the SL games i seen him play they are going to want to keep him i am not sure how its going to work flynn is way too small to play 2 guard and rubio doesnt have 2 guard skills. I think Rubio will be dealt but i dont think any team right outside of the lakers or knicks would be willing to work out the buyout for Rubio so minny needs to buy him out of Europe first and bring him over and then do a deal and get good assets back.
With Rubio's frailty and lack of shot, it will be years before he's a starting-quality NBA point guard, if ever. Much of what he's shown is showboating passes, and was average at best against good international competition, which is why five GMs passed on him in a very weak draft. But it's a moot point. I hope that Minny fails in working out a buyout and that he never plays in the NBA. I mean--who does this pampered pretty boy think he is, reneging about his intentions to play in the NBA after he talks with his agent because he decides he needs to play for a big market in a tropical climate? The NBA needs lifetime bans for people like him and Fran Vasquez, or else the draft is going to become a joke. And don't give me that line about "Well, it's his right to do what's best for him!" I agree--but that does not include deceiving the NBA and its teams, just as we wouldn't applaud any employee for lying to and exploiting his employer.
I was wondering, for the Wolves to bring Rubio over this year, he has to pay a $6.9 million buyout I saw. So, would it be possible for the Wolves to renounce their draft rights to Rubio, effectively making him a free agent and then sign him to a full MLE contract with a signing bonus up front (just like Milsap's deal with Portland), to help him pay for his buyout? Does that work? I know it sort of would be a trust thing, that Rubio would not double cross them and sign a MLE with someone else instead of the Wolves, but it is feasible?
Is there any chance Rubio elects not to play professionally this year, the T-Wolves lose the rights to him, and he re-enters the draft in 2010? I've heard the idea tossed around, but I wonder if the kid would pull a stunt like that. He continues to mention that he wants to play for a "successful team" where he can achieve his goals, and he already mentioned pre-draft that he was opposed to playing for Memphis because of the franchise's reputation. Minnesota's not exactly a successful team, and when asked of the T-Wolves organization, Rubio responded: "It's too cold there."
...I still don't understand why Kahn pulled that trade up to move up one spot to get a guy who didn't want to play there. Especially knowing in that draft range the best prospects were almost exclusively going to be smallish PGs(which is why they had to pick back to back PGs). Especially knowing this is a relatively weak draft. Especially knowing the player had leverage to stay in Europe. Just seemed like an unnecessarily risky move with where the payoff isn't particularly high in terms of building a contender in the future. If Rubio and Flynn and both live up to their potentials, they are still iffy to start together on a championship team. Yes, this gives them a chip in the trading game which is ultimately why I think you'll see Rubio moved but I think when it's all said and done, I think Miller& Foye will not equal what they get for Rubio.
Apparently Rubio has decided to cut ties with his Spanish Team, and will pursue the buyout. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_y...nYcB?slug=ap-rubio-joventut&prov=ap&type=lgns Timberwolves pick Rubio to leave Spanish club GERONA, Spain (AP)—Ricky Rubio(notes) plans to part ways with Spanish basketball club DKV Joventut even if the Minnesota Timberwolves cannot reach a deal to bring their first round draft pick to the NBA. Timberwolves president David Kahn was in Spain this week to try and help the fifth overall pick negotiate a buyout of his contract with Joventut. Rubio is at odds with his boyhood club over a buyout clause that could cost the 18-year-old point guard as much as $6.6 million. The NBA’s collective bargaining rules limit the Timberwolves’ contribution to $500,000. Regardless of whether Rubio makes the trip across the Atlantic next season, he won’t be playing at Joventut. “I want to continue with the club but, after everything that’s happened, I don’t think they’re too comfortable having me in their squad,” Rubio said Wednesday. “I want to play in a winning team, on a team that can achieve many things.”
I thought the most interesting part of the article was this: I don't think he will sit out a season to be eligible for the draft again (and Minny losing their rights) because he's still contractually obligated to play for Joventut. But Real Madrid or Barcelona buying him out changes everything for the Minny, as he'll be unlikely to come over for a long long time if that happens (if a Euro club buys him out, I'm sure they'll want to sign him to a long contract to make the buyout worth it). I think it was pretty obvious on draft night that Minny picked him to be used as a trade chip, but this could destroy the trade value of that pick. Sounds like Kahn is really worried about that which is why he's going over to Spain and everything, when b4 he was playing it cool saying they could wait out a few years.
1. Rubio doesn't have a choice on whether he gets drafted or not. Even if he didn't indicate his interest, you can bet an NBA team would still have drafted him to use his draft rights as a trading piece. Given that Houston drafted Lull, widely regarded as an inferior prospect who has said he doesn't want to play in the NBA at #34 overall, there's a high chance Rubio would've gone in the first round, and face the same buyout obstacles to come to the NBA even if he didn't indicate interest. Indicating interest and getting drafted with a higher pick was the right move for him. 2. Rubio's camp sent out lots of signals before the draft that he didn't want to play for a small market, which is probably why Memphis didn't pick him. So it's not like Minny weren't aware of the risks that come with drafting him. The fact that they drafted another PG immediately after him shows that they knew they were taking a calculated risk in drafting Rubio. If it works out, props to them. I wouldn't feel sorry for Minny if it doesn't though.
