I get the gist of what you are saying, but Drazen Petrovic? Really? C'mon man... I can see Rudy having a Craig Ehlo's type of a break out career, but not anywhere close to sniffing Petrovic's transcendent flouish with the Nets.
I'm not sure if you can compare him to Drazen in terms of what he can accomplish but i get the analogy being made. I do think he can be better if he were put in a system that plays more to his strengths. I've read posts on how he did get significant minutes, the question then becomes, for me, is how was he utilized in those minutes. It looks as though he was used as a spot up shooter and he did well in that role. I think he has more to offer but the Portland system has pigeon holed him into that role. Some players accept roles and mold their game with what's asked of them and some players just have a game and feel that that's that. Fernandez didn't just make his claims out of thin air about his abilities, he was doing them well before he joined the NBA. How that will translate into the NBA i don't know, but it stands to reason that he was asked told to be a spot up shooter when he feels he can do more in a less crowded wing position. Nothing wrong with that. I hope he's traded to a team that better caters to his game. He'd be a lost talent in an already diluted pool if he were to leave the league.
On a side not to my previous post, i wouldn't be surprised if turned out to be more like Sarunas than Drazen with a better shooting touch than a bullish drive to the basket.
At the beginning of last season, McMillan was determined to give Rudy a chance to be creative at the point position on offense (especially since Blake and Bayless were pathetic) to see how he was at creating. He even got to play next to Brandon Roy sometimes. This was a part-time experiment. He did not want to put too much pressure on Rudy. Needless to say it didn't go all that well (when I watched). In order to create from a perimeter position in the NBA, your handles and quickness have to be at a certain level. Rudy didn't measure up. Until he works on his game and gets a lot better (and quicker), Rudy's best place in an NBA offense is playing off the ball, shooting jumpers most of the time and slashing to the basket otherwise. Unless he transforms himself athletically, Rudy will never be starter material in the NBA. He brings hustle, enthusiasm, a few slick passes and a gambling defense that picks off a few steals. A 6th/7th man getting 23-25 mins/game is exactly where he belongs. This is how the Blazers used him. On the bolded part, most players can't do in the NBA what they did at lower levels of competition unless they improve. This is Rudy's problem. What came easy for him in the past isn't easy in the NBA.
Well Said. Rudy is the same player he was when he entered the league. He has not gotten any better. In Europe He is a bonafide star but in the nba he is a bench player or a starting 2 playing with a dominent 3 like a Melo or a lebron.
Rudy's diva attitude which negatively affects his on-court play, its completely understandable. Carmelo's attitude, which has not effected his perennial All Star level on-court play thats led to a WCF finals appearance, its questionable he's kinda iffy... Okay? Thats just how it is.
That comparison is assinine.... One is just seeking more playing time, the other gets caught with mar1juana at the airport in his luggage..... Yeah, their attitudes are comparible. DD
Does RF playing well for an NBA team improve that team's chance of forming the Super Amigos - Lite (with Ricky Rubio ... and Luis Scola, for example)? I believe so.
23 mins/game isn't enough playing time for someone at his talent/produtivity level? Are you scared to answer?
Rudy Fernandez should go back, He just isn't that great. I have never seen crappier defense in the playoffs than when he entered the game last year...
Not if he is being asked to play outside his comfort zone....he did ok last year, when you consider all the 3balls he shot. He wants to do more, why fault a guy who wants to play more? DD
Maybe not, but I find it funny that European players get pounded on for doing exactly the same thing that American players do.... They all whine about playing time or ask to be traded etc.....it is a common occurance. Steve Francis says hello !! DD
Yeah, but it looks worse on the Euro guys because they want to take their ball and go home....literally.
No, they want to go play basketball, and if they can star over there which equals more $$$$$$, or be a bench warmer here...what do you think you would do? I mean it is laugh out loud funny..... It is just a guy that wants to play basketball...and is in a bad situation in Portland....their style does not fit him (ours does BTW) and he is behind a better player. He probably feels he is good enough to start on some teams, and he is.... You guys do know that the Rockets loved this guy in the draft, and with Morey's history of going after players they missed in the draft, I would not be shocked if he comes to Houston some day. DD
You don't hear Martell Webster whining about playing time. Rudy Fernandez is entitled to nothing, because he has proven NOTHING. If you are not prepared to earn a spot, you can stick it. Steve Francis was a 3 time allstar, Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson were perennial allstars, and they get **** all the time for not putting aside their egos. Deservedly so... Rudy Fernandez has played enough minutes to prove that he doesn't deserve to get more minutes on any kind of quality roster. Either embrace your skill level, get in the gym and improve, or STICK IT...
Nope, that is wrong....he can say whatever he wants and do whatever is best for his own career. If whining gets him out of his deal and into a better situation, that is just good business. I was talking about Steve refusing to sign with Vancouver, and forcing a trade. Sorry, incorrect again, he has proven that he is not as good as Brandon Roy, and thus the Blazers will not play him over Roy. Sort of like how Drazen Petrovic was not as good as Clyde Drexler and got out of Portland to New Jersey where he blew up.... Rudy just is looking for a better situation for his career.....you can't blame him for that.... That is just smart business. DD
yeah because he was hurt more than Greg Oden. Would be kind of stupid to complain after a team picked you in the lotto and you end up being injured for your first 2 years. Proved nothing? He's stuck in talent purgatory that is Portland. If you play behind Roy, you basically don't play at all and wait till Patty Mills starts begging to play since he'll got great potential too.
