SB Nation User Blog: swamigusto

Ricky Rubio... again...

swamigusto — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 18:16:46 -0000

As most of you probably know, Ricky Rubio skipped the Minnesota Timberwolves' press conference on Friday where the team introduced its draftees. So, what does that mean? That Rubio doesn't want to play in Minnesota? That he doesn't think he can make enough money outside basketball in the flyover states that would help him pay off his staggering buyout from his Spanish team? Maybe a little of each? The answers are fuzzy.

Did Timberwolves' new GM David Kahn have a plan for trading down to the five spot, while he already held the sixth? Was he laying in wait for his dream point guard? Was that guard Rubio or Jonny Flynn (who they then grabbed at six)? Was he surprised to see Rubio still on the board, along with Flynn so he just grabbed both? Or was it all just fuzzy thinking?

The Knicks, of course, jumped in immediately and said, they'd like to trade Minnesota for Rubio, but what do they actually have to trade? David Lee? Number nine pick Jordan Hill? (Knicks don't have a #1 draft pick in 2010). Are those good players for Minnesota? They've already got Al Jefferson and Kevin Love. The picture is... fuzzy.

So... where does Ricky Rubio want to play? Well New York, Chicago of course, maybe Miami, Golden State I guess. Pick another city, but no small market teams and nowhere in the Midwest. But none of the teams listed above seem interested or in a position to bring him in anyway.

Then there's the Clippers. They're in a big market, Los Angeles. And they have tradable pieces, Chris Kaman, Zach Randolph, Marcus Camby come immediately to mind but are any of them a fit in Minny? The TWolves have as much as announced they're rebuilding. An established team might desire those guys but that team's not in Minnesota

But, of course, we have something I think David Kahn would want a great deal. We have one of his future first round draft picks. Would Kahn take back his pick for Ricky Rubio? The pick is lottery-protected until 2011, two years from now. The TWolves are bad and aren't likely to get better fast. That pick could easily be in the top five. If you're the Clips do you make the trade? If you're the TWolves? For David Kahn, making the trade this year might be like kissing your sister but if Ricky Rubio doesn't want to report... can you get a better deal? A top five pick?

I don't think Ricky Rubio fits next to Jonny Flynn. He's a point, not a two and Flynn's a point as well, a small one at that. And sure, the Clips have Baron Davis, but they desperately need a solid backup and we saw Baron play off the ball quite a lot last year. A three-guard rotation of Davis, Eric Gordon and Ricky Rubio sounds pretty good to me.

Lakers trade #29 to Knicks

swamigusto — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 18:09:52 -0000

Lakers trade #29 to Knicks

The remarkable thing is they got the full $3 million for 29!

Outside the Lines: Cuttino Mobley

swamigusto — Thu, 28 May 2009 16:42:34 -0000

Outside the Lines: Cuttino Mobley

Another one that showed up on the Arnovitz site, but too good to miss. Larry Coon too! Seems like much ado about nothing to me, but....

Arnovitz at Olshey Press Conference

swamigusto — Wed, 20 May 2009 23:11:59 -0000

Arnovitz at Olshey Press Conference

I wouldn't usually bother with linking to KA's blog (since everyone seems to read him anyway) but Neil Olshey's comments about Blake Griffin playing the three seem particularly relevant, especially with all the talk about the crowded PF spot.

Eric Gordon Rookie Retrospective

swamigusto — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:58:19 -0000

Eric Gordon Rookie Retrospective

A pretty thorough evaluation of EJ's rookie year, comparing it with his pre-draft scouting reports.

Thoughts on the Draft But Not on Players...

swamigusto — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:47:36 -0000

Like most of us, I've been thinking a lot about the draft recently and something occurs to me: If this is as weak a draft as many predict and with a lot of team holding out for the free agent "bonanza" after next season, what is the real value of those guaranteed contracts for first round picks and how will the economy and this weak draft affect teams under economical duress?

Is it worth it for high ranking playoff teams and teams near the end of their cap-rope to bother with first rounders and their guaranteed contracts at all? We saw Denver give away Marcus Camby last year, and we've seen a lot of serviceable middle-level guys get dumped or go jobless because of cap problems (Fred Jones, Mardy Collins come to mind)... and that's certainly not going to get any better next year, if, as predicted, attendance drops and the cap and luxury tax numbers drop as well. Rookie salaries won't drop, because they're fixed through the term of the CBA, not up for another two seasons.

But... this might really benefit a team like the Clippers and other teams that are safely under the cap and luxury tax levels... and not really waiting around to land a big fish in 2011.

Even more impactful might be the situation of teams like Phoenix or New York... sitting in 14th and 8th place in the lottery. Do the Mavs (with an payroll in the 90M area) want to lock a player in for two years (team option in the third and fourth) at 1.5M or the Knicks at 2M plus? Further back, why would the Lakers cut a serviceable and known quantity (DJ Mbenga?) to take on a guaranteed contract out of this weak draft?

Are there going to be guys available in the first round who are identifiable as real NBA players (or good gambles) but too expensive for some teams to lay out cash?

It looks to me like the Clippers could pick up some first rounders for chump change. Those picks might well include guys in the lottery... and they might pull it off without giving up their own first pick. The critical thing is you have to make sure those guys are guys you want on your team the next two years... and hopefully, beyond.