Rubio not interested in going to Memphis

[charity stripe]

While Oklahoma City would obviously be extremely interested in the prospect of acquiring the top pick and drafting local product Blake Griffin, there is one team standing in their way – the Memphis Grizzlies, who own the #2 pick. From what people around the league are saying, Rubio’s camp may already be sending out feelers indicating that he’s not interested in the least bit in playing in Memphis.

“Rubio doesn’t want to go to Memphis, and he especially does not want to pay money out of his own pocket with that huge buyout for the honor of doing so. Fegan [Rubio’s agent] wants him in L.A., and if he can’t have him there, he wants him in Sacramento. Definitely not Oklahoma City. “

Unlike Griffin or Hasheem Thabeet, who don’t really have any choice where they will play next season if a team decides to play hardball, Rubio has a reasonably attractive alternative option at his disposal—returning to Spain.

“He’ll pull out if he doesn’t like what he’s hearing,” the NBA source tells us. “Or he can stay in and force the Grizzlies to call his bluff—would they really take him knowing that he may never come over? That’s one way to get him to fall to three.”

Fegan is already highly experienced in these matters, having unsuccessfully attempted to navigate fellow client Yi Jianlian towards the team of his choice in the 2007 draft, only to see Milwaukee foil his plans and pick him anyway. This time, though, he has a lot more leverage, as Rubio would likely have no problem staying in Badalona for another year or two or more if push came to shove. His buyout after all, is yet to be resolved, which in this case may actually be an advantage.

http://www.draftexpress.com/blog/Jonathan-Givony/#NBA-Draft-Roundup-May-20-3224

 

[??? ??????]

I'd take it, if Memphis wants him, they'll call his bluff. If Rubio ever wants to make really big money playing basketball, it will have to be in the US. At the very worst, they can get him at an older age (think Kukoc/Scola)...only on an antiquated rookie scale contract for four years. That's not exactly too bad.

But if Memphis takes Thabeet #2, then Marc Gasol could become available.

 

[Hendu0520]

Good Rubio can stay in Spain, Memphis didn't want to pick him anyway so he doesn't have to worry. When they pick Thabeet they'll just run him and Gasol putting Marc at the 4, Rudy at the 3, OJ and Conley as the guards, not a bad team. Conley's weakness is shooting and so is Rubio's, he wouldn't help them anyway. As for Okc if they take him they are stupid too, they should be fighting for Thabeet as well so they can have a center to fill that roster up nicely as well. So Rubio can fall to 4 and they can be happy. I used to not care about him and think he could be a solid player at best, but now I am getting more and more fed up and on the extreme side with all the talk about him, I am gonna say it, Rubio will SUCK.

 

[hardguy]

Whoever ends up picking Rubio will most likely be overpaying if he goes top 5. He's a one dimensional player at best. He is a good passer but that's about it. He doesn't have a consistent jump shot. He doesn't have the quicks to defend opposing point guards or two guards. He has the frame of a girl. His needs to put on some weight in order to post up smaller point guards but his shoulders are so narrow that it will be hard for him to bulk up at all. I know he has good vision and seem to see the court pretty well but imo that alone is just not worthy of top 5 pick or money.

 

[J-Mart]

I don't get what it is with some of these oversea players bitching about where they play, it is extremely annoying. Memphis has a solid young team and Rubio should be more than happy to join an up and coming team, why would he want to play in Sacramento? Is he serious?

Anyway if Memphis doesn't take Rubio it won't be because of all this BS he is spilling out. It will be because they are content with Conley and want to add another big man.

Also, I'm not sure how the rules work, but how do oversea player go about coming over as a free agent and not going through the draft process? I know Noc did it but I'm sure there is some sort of disadvantage to doing so since it doesn't seem to happen too often. Maybe an age limit?

 

[??? ??????]

J-Mart wrote:

I don't get what it is with some of these oversea players bitching about where they play, it is extremely annoying. Memphis has a solid young team and Rubio should be more than happy to join an up and coming team, why would he want to play in Sacramento? Is he serious?

Anyway if Memphis doesn't take Rubio it won't be because of all this BS he is spilling out. It will be because they are content with Conley and want to add another big man.

Also, I'm not sure how the rules work, but how do oversea player go about coming over as a free agent and not going through the draft process? I know Noc did it but I'm sure there is some sort of disadvantage to doing so since it doesn't seem to happen too often. Maybe an age limit?

You only can come over through free agency if no team decided to draft you.

 

[boogernights]

This is a classic Fegan ploy. Or something about Juan Carlos Navarro's experience in Memphis.

 

[Shakes]

J-Mart wrote:

I don't get what it is with some of these oversea players bitching about where they play, it is extremely annoying. Memphis has a solid young team and Rubio should be more than happy to join an up and coming team, why would he want to play in Sacramento? Is he serious?

Well Griffen is supposedly not exactly delited to be going to LA, and there have been plenty of US players who have grumbled about the team they've landed on and/or force trades. I don't think it's a foreign player thing, everyone wants a say in where they're going to go. Why not, I like a choice in where I work too, so I can't blame them.

 

[RPK]

Exactly.

Didn't our very own Derrick Rose PUBLICLY lobby to come to Chicago??

Memphis is a terrible basketball market right now. At least California has...California. Awesome weather and very close to the limelight of LA. As a blue chip player, I see nothing wrong in trying to finagle something for a more comfortable position.

And to all the Rubio nay-sayers, just wait. He plays with a great dramatic flare and has the potential to be a star.

 

[Newskoolbulls]

Steve Francis part two?

This draft sucks. Only one true good player in Griff. Who ever ends up with Rubio and Thabeet will be highly disappointed.

 

[Mike]

Can't say I blame him. It's one of the least desirable markets in the NBA for media exposure, and you can't deny the change he'd experience in "quality of life" moving from Barcelona (one of the most beautiful, metropolitan cities in the world) to Memphis. He's probably thinking the worst case scenario is pulling out of the draft, playing in Spain another year, then entering next year when/if a more desirable team is projected to pick him. Best case would be that he makes a little noise and inspires a trade to a better situation.

What do I think will happen? He stays in, Memphis picks him, then either trades or keeps him. Either way, I think he's coming over.

 

[J-Mart]

Shakes wrote:

J-Mart wrote:

I don't get what it is with some of these oversea players bitching about where they play, it is extremely annoying. Memphis has a solid young team and Rubio should be more than happy to join an up and coming team, why would he want to play in Sacramento? Is he serious?

Well Griffen is supposedly not exactly delited to be going to LA, and there have been plenty of US players who have grumbled about the team they've landed on and/or force trades. I don't think it's a foreign player thing, everyone wants a say in where they're going to go. Why not, I like a choice in where I work too, so I can't blame them.

I somewhat agree but when they are making as much money as they are they need to STFU. They are getting paid to put a ball in a hoop, no matter where they go it is a better job than 99% of other jobs.

 

[Manic Devourer]

J-Mart wrote:

I don't get what it is with some of these oversea players bitching about where they play, it is extremely annoying.

That is an extreme generalization which is entirely inaccurate.

There has only been one other instant where an international player doing this, and even then it was partly because of his own countries governments desires of wanting him to play in a bigger market and not his own.

 

[??? ??????]

Manic Devourer wrote:

J-Mart wrote:

I don't get what it is with some of these oversea players bitching about where they play, it is extremely annoying.

That is an extreme generalization which is entirely inaccurate.

There has only been one other instant where an international player doing this, and even then it was partly because of his own countries governments desires of wanting him to play in a bigger market and not his own.

Make that three with Yao Ming and four with Kobe Bryant.

I'm not buying this though. Marc Gasol plays on Memphis. He'd be showing disrespect to one of his comadres if he were to make a stink and force a trade.

 

[Manic Devourer]

??? ?????? wrote:

Manic Devourer wrote:

J-Mart wrote:

I don't get what it is with some of these oversea players bitching about where they play, it is extremely annoying.

That is an extreme generalization which is entirely inaccurate.

There has only been one other instant where an international player doing this, and even then it was partly because of his own countries governments desires of wanting him to play in a bigger market and not his own.

Make that three with Yao Ming and four with Kobe Bryant.

I'm not buying this though. Marc Gasol plays on Memphis. He'd be showing disrespect to one of his comadres if he were to make a stink and force a trade.

Yao Ming was a soft '*****', and it has been a rosey partnership with the Rockets ever since.

As for Kobe, really? You're really going for a reach there. But I guess you could make a case for him being an international player, but he isn't really.

 

[J-Mart]

Not trying to generalize, I should have said lately. The last two big name oversea players have been complaining about where they are going, lets just hope its not a trend.

 

[J-Mart]

Manic Devourer wrote:

There has only been one other instant where an international player doing this, and even then it was partly because of his own countries governments desires of wanting him to play in a bigger market and not his own.

Come on you know the Chinese Govs thoughts are the thoughts of its citizens

 

[Rose1]

I hate when these guys from overseas say they don't want to do this and that. Stay your phat head self over there then. Don't come over here with that stuff; fans could care less with his Steve Nash wanna-be!