Ricky Rubio was set to run drills for the Kings yesterday, a workout that was highly anticipated. But it wasn’t meant to be as Rubio came down with a fever and sore throat and wasn’t able to participate.
Chad Ford reported that Rubio went back to Los Angeles to get ready for his next move. He could possibly try working out for Sacramento again, but Ford had this interesting little nugget:
Sources close to the situation continue to insist that, in the end, the most likely scenario is Rubio going to the Kings at No. 4 if he’s still on the board. If he’s gone, it sounds like Flynn has moved into second place.
However, the focus on Rubio in the coming days may shift to Oklahoma City. The Thunder continue to show strong interest in Rubio and are pushing for a meeting, physical and a review of Rubio’s contract in Spain. If Rubio feels better and is up for the visit, that’s where he’ll head next.
How awesome would that be for Rubio’s first workout to be in Oklahoma City? Everyone is so intrigued by the Spanish enigma and nobody really knows what he is. But instead of running drills for the team that posts every workout on YouTube, his first NBA workout could be with the team that not even David Stern could probably get in and see. I think Sam Presti has the Integris practice facility surrounded by the National Guard.
Granted, Ford didn’t mention a specific workout, instead just a physical, a review of Rubio’s contract and a meeting, but I’d imagine they’d have him lace ‘em up for a little bit. But don’t plan on finding out for sure. The Thunder might have Rubio swim in a tank of ketchup filled with sharks and we’d never know it.
teah u dont get much nba coverage here so most of my stuff is off internet, thats y i was asking
James Hunter :
im in london...
London?!
@James Hunter
There's a website called justin.tv that streams a lot of things. Check there. And NBA.com may stream it.
im in london, so where can u watch the draft live on internet, do you guys know?
@Kev
Excellent point. We could have all the talent in the world and still be a 20 win team if our team never comes together with a set style and plan. cough**Clippers**cough
the main thing is COach Brooks - he's really got to put his stamp on the team now that he's no longer "interim". This team (outside of Thabo and Weaver) needs to step up defensively, and Brooks has to make that happen.
@James Hunter
The NBA CBA is pretty convoluted and confusing, it takes some getting used to. 41-41 would be great, but it depends on a lot of development and the impact of our top pick. The last two years, we've basically just handed the keys to our team over to the top pick and let them figure everything out through lots of minutes and mistakes. It might be the best way for them, but it was also more a move of necessity, we simply didn't have the players to keep talent on the bench and ease them into it.
Now, I feel like we might have the players (KD, Green) that we don't need to throw our rookies into the fire, so to speak. But who knows. I see us as a 30 win team if we continue to put all the weight on the shoulders of rookies and second year guys, and a 40 win team if Russ makes a huge leap and we ease our rookie into things.
we finished the season with 20-30 so hopefully we can improve a bit more than that but i guess 34 wins is still a step forward
@James Hunter
I love your optimism. I think a lot of people see us as the next 2007 Blazers. But my initial thinking is 30-34 wins.
Keith :@James HunterI’m down with Harden as a second best option behind Rubio, but I don’t like Thabeet.
As for resigning, I still don’t see the problem. One, teams are allowed to exceed the salary cap to resign player with Bird Rights. That is to say, any player we keep for at least three years (rookie contract is 4) can be resigned up to the maximum without any penalty beyond paying him. And I agree that 2-3 superstars is probably the maximum for a team both for cap and shot purposes. The thing is, we only have one star right now, so it isn’t really an issue. Jeff and Russel are as much questions as they are answers, so who knows how much they are really worth 2 and 3 years from now. Finally, even if the contracts become taxing (assuming all our top picks pan out beautifully), it’s not like we couldn’t trade them for something cheap and useful.
excellent post . . . I agree 100 percednt . . .
True KD is the only bonafide superstar. Didnt realise that about Bird rights so fair play. Its gunna be an exciting draft thats for sure, hope fully if its worth it then we can do something with free agency this year.
I know e aint drafted yet but what do people think will be a realistic record next year - im thinking 41-41
@James Hunter
I'm down with Harden as a second best option behind Rubio, but I don't like Thabeet.
As for resigning, I still don't see the problem. One, teams are allowed to exceed the salary cap to resign player with Bird Rights. That is to say, any player we keep for at least three years (rookie contract is 4) can be resigned up to the maximum without any penalty beyond paying him. And I agree that 2-3 superstars is probably the maximum for a team both for cap and shot purposes. The thing is, we only have one star right now, so it isn't really an issue. Jeff and Russel are as much questions as they are answers, so who knows how much they are really worth 2 and 3 years from now. Finally, even if the contracts become taxing (assuming all our top picks pan out beautifully), it's not like we couldn't trade them for something cheap and useful.
I hear what your saying but i do see it as a potential problem cos when it comes to resigning contracts in a couple of years then it can become difficult if theres too many players trying to get all the money. San Antonio and other teams have done it with just 2 or 3 top level players and then surrounded them with good solid team players, im not saying that he is definitily not a team player you just get the impression that he aint the type of player that OKC are looking for. But the one good thing about it is that Scotty knows exactly what he's doing.
We should get Hrden or Thashbeet and then i would like to see us go for Gortat, Birdman or Odam (only problem is they are all playing for championship teams). One thing is for sure though, playoff push next season aint beyond us.
@James Hunter
Of all the problems for a team to have, I think "too many superstars" is the least viable as an actual problem. Also, of all the players in the draft, how is Rubio, a kid used to playing team ball in Europe somehow more of a showoff and less of a team player than anyone else?
So far Rubio's draft journey seems terribly managed but it isn't over yet and if they get what they want it may end being fairly clever (except for the contract buyout being sold to the government).
I can't see any chance Rubio visits OKC unless they are afraid Sacramento is going to pass or NY scouts are there too.
No sign of Curry there yet. He was cagey earlier. Monday or Tuesday will be last chances. Probably doesn't happen. But it won't mean much. I can see Presti taking him regardless. He isn't really a guy that is unknown or appears worrisome.
I think taking Rubio would be a big mistake, one team can only have so many superstars, Rubio 3 years down the line if he is that good will want a major contract and most of our funds will go on the big three so we need players that arent show offs and that are willing to play for the team and not themselves. We are now building around the core and not trying to find the core. We need a Harden or a thashbeet.
This might sound dumb but unless we trade our pick i dont think we are looking for best player i think we are looking for best fit and that is 2 completely different things. Thashbeet or Harden it is!!!!!1
@geoff
I don't think we are that hard up that we need to drop an expiring contract for nothing. For teams over the cap, expiring contracts are like money in the bank. I don't think we should give up an asset like that for nothing. Package him in a deal with some of our excess PFs to pry away a quality center.
How about trading the #3 AND Earl's contract for the #4 or #5? It'd free up $6+M and we'd likely get Harden with Thabeet going #2, and Rubio going #3...
Rubio's body was rejecting Sac-town.
Where should he come to feel better? Integris.
Really, though--we should absolutely leverage our position as the most likely destination for Rubio at this point. Wonder what the Kings would be willing to give up to move to #3?
I say we be brutally ironic and trade for Spencer Hawes. Haha.
don't really get the fascination with Mullens - he looks like another guy to sit next to the gatorade container . . .
If I were Presti, I would take Harden with the third pick. Then, I would do the Amir Johnson/fifteenth pick for the twenty-fifth pick deal, but before I take anyone with it, I would shop it around with Watson/Wilkins and try to snag a big like Biedrins or Okafor, but if I can't get one of them, I take B.J. Mullens.
good responses . . .
If I was part of a decision making team , and the others didn't want Curry - then I would do the trade as well . . . it's a small price to pay to get a (possibly) future all star at the point -
It will be interesting to see what kind of offers Memphis gets . . .
@Kev
Yes, I would. That trade especially because the 25 holds little value to me outside of trade. Are we going to find someone who can start for us (the real holes of this team)? Highly unlikely. Are we going to find someone better than Thabo, Livingston, Krstic, Collison, Weaver, or White? Again, very unlikely given the relatively weak draft and extra experience our current players already have.
And then it comes down to who is the best player available. Harden is a great fit. Curry's shooting is a great fit. But in my mind, Rubio is the only one outside Blake who could have real superstar potential. So would you rather have a future superstar at PG or a great complementary player at SG and a throw in late rounder? That's an easy decision for me.
@Kev
It's a great question. I have no problem trading the No. 25 at all. But it's just whether or not I'd want Rubio and as a result, give up an asset that could land me something else.
@Kev
No, but I don't want Rubio. If I did, I would. I'm not sure it would be enough, though. The #25 pick really isn't a lot of value, and if Memphis has as many trade partners as rumored, they might be able to do better.
Then again, it's Chris Wallace...(hah, beat everybody to it!)
I brought this up weeks ago and got little response, so I will try again . . .
let's say that YOU are the OKC GM
for this hypthetical you can assume
1) Griffin goes 1st (shocker)
2) Rubio has NOT objected to play in OKC
3) His contract problems have been resolved
would YOU trade the #3 and the #25 to move up and get Rubio????
I agree with Joe that this is probably all Fegan. The thing that doesn't make sense is that all these tactics completely backfired last time (Jianlin). Milwaukee still picked him, he fell in the draft because of the lack of a real workout, and Jianlin ended up being a bust anyway. Why do the same crap with Rubio who doesn't have to forge his birth certificate to appear younger, who has actually proved himself against real competition, and who won't need to play against furniture in order to look good? Fegan can't really want Rubio to fall to Sacramento, since he makes more money going second than fourth. Even if he really wants a trade, Fegan could be screwing himself over by lowering Rubio's value for a trade.
a fever and a sore throat kept him from working out? i smell a fraud. if this guy was as amazing as the hype machine would have us believe, A. he wouldn't need to work out, because we'd all be sold on him and B. he wouldn't hesitate to show off his skills. considering the amount of money he could be making soon, i hope that was a sonofabitch of a sore throat...
I don't think it's Rubio who isn't willing to lace them up, I think it's his agent who is keeping him shrouded in secrecy. I'd like to think that Presti pushes hard for this guy so that we can trade him on draft day, get Harden and another little something for making the deal.
Presti is a shrewd dude.