Notes on Rubio

by Tommy Dee on June 29th, 2009 at 8:41 am

Two things of note this morning:

  • Via the Minnesota Star Tribune is reporting that the Knicks did offer Chandler and 8 to move up for Rubio and the Wolves declined. Why on earth would the Wolves would decline, I have no idea. They also noted that the Knicks had Rubio on top of their list ahead of Curry, which we figured all along.

“… The Wolves did turn down that Knicks’ offer of No. 8 and Wilson Chandler for the No. 5, which Donnie Walsh would have used to take Rubio and not Stephen Curry…”

“…Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News reported that the Wolves turned down a deal with the Houston Rockets that would have resulted in Aaron Brooks and Shane Battier headed to Minnesota for Ricky Rubio…”
  • Magik_Trick

    This is weird…

    They drafted 2 PGs..
    They plan on playing 2 PGs..
    Rubio doesn’t want to play for them
    They have no head coach
    They turned down #8 Chandler for Rubio
    They turned down Battier and Brooks for Chandler
    This makes no sense to me..

    Rubio is going to meet with Kahn, wonder how that will go..

  • Mucha

    Stupidity at its finest.

    They could have had Stephen Curry (6), Demar DeRozan (8) and Wilson Chandler… Now they only have Johnny Flynn. Wow.

    Their starting lineup would have been Curry-DeRozan-Chandler-Love-Jefferson. Crazy.

  • bmathews77

    I’m looking forward to seeing Ricky Rubio go back to Spain and NEVER suit up in a Wolves uniform. Every GM in the NBA will be laughing at GM David Kahn and the owner of the Timberwolves if they don’t trade Rubio to someone. Clearly Rubio, his agent, his family…no one wants anything to do with such a small town franchise that isn’t going to win anytime soon.

  • Its The Kid

    I truly believe this trade will be made on July 9th and it will involve David Lee and possibly Nate… For Rubio, Brian Cardinal, Etan Thomas and maybe another Minny spare part… I think then Love will eventually be traded to another team to open Minny’s center/pf log jam… They are a horrible team in a horrible market… They need assets in order to get better because noone will sign with them as a FA… So this is their way of overcoming that… Lee and Nate will bring excitement there…

  • EQ1217

    Since Etan Thomas was just traded, he can’t be traded with another player for at least 3 months.

  • Its The Kid

    I thought that could be an issue of concern… I still think the deal gets done some how…

  • EQ1217

    I would love for Rubio to be a Knick, specially considering that Donnie blew it in the first place. But…

    I will consider trading David Lee straight up for Rubio, but if it’s something like Lee and Chandler, then we better get back Kevin Love as well.

    David Lee is an excellent PF in this league and a lot of NBA teams would love to get their hands on him. We have to try to use that value to our advantage not our disadvantaged.

    Like I said earlier, I would love Rubio here, but not if it means gutting our team.

  • Its The Kid

    I agree with you no way I trade Lee and Chandler for Rubio… I trade one or the other… As much as I get on Lee for his defensive effort, he is a bonafide NBA player, great rebounder and good all around talent… Rubio is a virtual unknown, as far as NBA production…

    You give up that much you need a perennial all star in return…

    But Rubio for Lee and Nate allows you to add talent for cheap…
    Not spend 16mil to keep Lee and Nate…
    Keep the 2010 focus, while bringing in a young point that fits the system…

    Best case we just trade Lee for Rubio… And trade Nate with Jared to The Kings, to save cap…

  • EQ1217

    IMO Lee and Nate for Rubio is still too much, unless they are going to take Jeffries contract of our hands. Nate’s value to the Knicks is that we can packaged Jeffries with him.

    Lee’s value was set at last years NBA draft when Memphis offered the 5th pick, when Portland and Denver kept calling. Say what you will about Lee’s atrocious defense this year, but he is still one of the better young PF in the game.

  • Virgil in atl

    Ok does anyone think that Lee or Nate for that matter would accept a trade to minny

  • Donkeyote

    Is everyone loosing their mind? Lee and Nate for an unproven commodity is a ridiculous trade. Lee and Nate can be packaged for a star and then go after someone else. RUBIO IS GOOD BUT NOT THAT GOOD!!!!!

  • EQ1217

    Probably Nate, who I think would go to the highest bidder.

    Lee not so much.

  • KBT1615

    What Star? I only see Nate and Lee for RIP Hamilton….he effects the 2010 a little bit.

  • JR

    I would like to take this time to thank anyone involved in minnesota declining chandler and the 8 for the 5.

    its not that i dont like rubio, its that i dont like trading chandler to move up 3 picks for an unproven european star

  • joeyballz

    His value has diminished because its now a sign and trade

  • Donkeyote

    I see your point but Lee and Nate for Rubio seems like were getting hosed – What else could Minnesota give us? I would be happy with Love but there not giving him up.

    Nate can go to Sacramento and well get Garbage but at least well get rid of Jeffries with him.

  • joeyballz

    Please name one STAR that Lee and Nate can be packaged for?

  • joeyballz

    Why do you say he is unproven? Is he any more unproven than Steph Curry, Blake Griffen, or any other college star? Would you have traded Chandler for any in this draft?

  • Donkeyote

    Wouldn’t McGrady be worth it? NO Yao and they seem to be rebuilding if they are offering what there offering for Rubio. What makes you think we couldn’t get a package of Brooks and McGrady for Lee, Nate and other pieces.

    Give me a break! Nate and Lee is better than the Garbage that Golden State is offering the Suns for A’mare.

    Why resign ourselves to losing our two commodities for an unproven players like Rubio.

  • Donkeyote

    Who said that we needed to get two max contracts in the same year?

  • joeyballz

    Do you understand what a sign and trade is? They still have to pay them what the market commands and still give up somthing to the knicks in a trade….That is how bad a team has to want Lee or Nate….Golden state was offering prosepects, a young stars with resonable contracts, a young prospect, and cap relief…(Andris Biedrins, Brandan Wright, Marco Belinelli, and the 7th pick, which became Stephen Curry) Much better package than Lee and Nate in a sign and trade

  • Donkeyote

    David Lee is worth about 10 million in the open market
    Nate Robinson is worth about 8 million in the open market
    and you thrown in Hill.

    How is that worse than a guy that is going to earn 20+ million a year after 2010?

    They were going to trade Amare for those guys before Curry. The original trade had no 7th pick. After Curry fell that is where the problems started. They were willing to give up Curry if Amare was going to be there long term. Amare is not staying in Oakland.

  • paulempson

    This guy Kahn might even be worse than McHale if he turned down that deal

    Embarrassing for Minny but lets see if they are for real. Those are bad moves on a hope that Rubio one day comes over

    Or Maybe thats an asset for them to use next summer?

  • JR

    its different trading chandler straight up…IMO nobody is proven untill they play in the nba, i would seriously consider chandler and the 8 for griffen although the clippers would have nothing of it so theres no point in talking that one. other then that i would not trade chandler and the 8th pick for 2-7, just my opinion. unless you no for sure rubio will live up to the hype that has all the makings of a bad deal

  • Mucha

    The only assets the Timberwolves could be interested in are WILSON CHANDLER and CUTTINO MOBLEY.

    Why would they spend more money than any other team could possibly offer to get a back-up PF??? They have Love and Jefferson, both are younger and clearly more talented than David Lee. And why would they be attracted by Nate Robinson??? They drafted Johnny Flynn!

    The only way Lee and/or Robinson could be involved in a sign-and-trade deal for Rubio is a three-way trade. I wonder if that is even possible.

  • Its The Kid

    Lee and Nate are alot for Rubio… But there is no way we can bring in a star for Lee and Nate and not compromise 2010…

    Thats where Rubio comes in, you get a potential star at 3mil or so…
    Still have money for Lebron…
    And a lesser free agent…

    We need Rubio, his game is tailor made for this system… We will not get a better deal, with equal talent, that fits into the 2010 plan than that… If you find one let us know… We need young cheap talent…

  • Bart

    So I guess its safe to say we wont get Rubio if we offered Wil and the 8 and they turned it down.

  • Its The Kid

    They can trade Kevin Love, for a sf in a rookie contract, draft picks, or a bunch of talent to a team like GS or Portland… They were talking about playing two point guards together anyway, so why not… And Nate is explosive and entertaining, also one of the most popular players in the league, jersey sells in the top 10… He is a draw on a team which doesnt have one… Nobody will come to that team as a FA so they can only use draft picks and sign and trades to get better… Lee is also a proven talent that would be a stronger trading chip, than most teams would give them for Rubio… And much better than Brooks and Shane…

  • CircleLimit4

    I think we still could get Rubio if we take on Cardinal and Madsen, but our window is closing.

  • bob go knicks

    if rubio turns out to be the next MAGIC JOHNSON,or even the next DEVIN HARRIS,do you make the deal?

  • knicksbro

    Rubio has more craftiness, better passing ability, and better vision than anybody I’ve ever seen play. He is perfect for the Knicks and would work the ball around and make the system flow. If you think he is ‘unproven,’ watch this video of him in his DEBUT of the Olympics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrLFdhEN2Oc

    We could use Mobley’s expiring contract, take some big ‘Wolves contracts off their hands, and maybe even find a way to throw in Jeffries. Either way, the ‘Wolves LOVE Flynn and Rubio is only good when the ball is in his hands all the time, which would mean Flynn would have to play SG. That does not make any sense, and Kahn knows that if this Rubio situation doesn’t work out, he just screwed over the ‘Wolves in a major way. The most reasonable solution is to trade him, and at least get solid players back. If he doesn’t, he is risking giving away Foye and Miller, two good players, for possibly nothing in return.

  • bob go knicks

    if rubio was a PROVEN star.there is no way that you get him for a schlub like chandler.btw CHANDLER is also UNPROVEN!

  • JR

    now we are getting into semantics here. my opinion is that a player is “unproven” untill they perform at the nba level. in my opinion gallinari is still unproven, and i have argued again and again on how good gallo is an that he will be better then turkoglu, that is also opinion. i saw the olympics too. and i think he will be very good, but i just think giving away chandler and then 8th to move up 3 spots to the 5th for anybody, the potential next steve nash or the potential next shaq, anybody, is a lot to risk for 3 spots. he still can turn out to be a bust. along with seeing the court and making passes others can’t, he does attempt a lot of passes that he cant hence his turnover numbers. he still can be a bust, just like curry, evans, harden, hill, griffen and every other pick in the 09 draft can.

  • Ftingue

    Great post Tommy Dee this is why I read and listen to you. I’m kind of happy the knicks didn’t do this because I couldn’t watch us pass Ron Artest (Curry) again.

    FT

  • knicksbro

    Yes, but at 18 years old, he is not even near reaching his potential, and those passes that he may miss, will improve over time. I don’t see Rubio being a bust because he has proven himself against the best NBA players on the planet in the Olympic games.

  • JR

    I agree with you, i was just presenting the other side of the argument…maybe i like chandler too much….darko was 18 when he was drafted too…(thats apples and oranges tho pg to 7ft prospect)

    heres an interesting thought…what if rubio signs a long term contract say 8 years with another team in europe that pays his first buyout…then he can really put pressure on minnesota to trade him to new york cheap to get any possible value and can work out a buyout with the new team….now i dont like when players do these things but i did welcom eli manning with open arms…any thoughts