— Dan asked Kahn if he was confident he could sign Rubio this offseason. Kahn said he hoped so, but he’s in no rush, because the T’Wolves are a few years away from being good anyway. And Rubio is so young, Kahn can afford to wait.
“In two years, he’ll be 20,” Kahn said.
Kahn knows the negotiation with Rubio might be difficult.
“I’m sure it will be a very turbulent summer,” Kahn said.
I really don’t know what to think about the Timberwolves’ draft. I keep waiting to hear about a trade that tells us where Rubio or Flynn is really going, but it hasn’t come, and GM David Kahn says he wants to keep them both.
It’s almost Kevin McHale-esque. Remember all of us scratching our heads in 2008 when the Wolves traded for Kevin Love, who plays the same position as their best player, Al Jefferson?
So, to recap: The Wolves traded two key players on their roster, Randy Foye and Mike Miller, and took back bad contracts to get the No. 5 pick, a questionable move. Then they got the two guys they love, Rubio and Flynn. Terrific. Then Kahn announced his idea to have Rubio and Flynn play together in the backcourt. Huh?
I could see it, I guess, had it been Stephen Curry they drafted to play alongside Rubio. But Flynn as a 2 guard? Really? The Wolves appear to have outsmarted themselves.
Here’s the problem: Even if the Wolves’ idea to play them together was a good one (and it isn’t), I don’t think Rubio would go for it. If he wants to, he can go back to Spain for the next year or two (or more) and really foul things up for the Wolves. Given how things look right now, I think he just might do it.
The Timberwovles, I’m sorry, but I think they picked a move heading into the Draft, and stuck with it even as the defender beat them to the spot.
I can’t blame them. I begged every team to take Rubio to use as trade bait, and insist that every team take the best player available regardless of roster makeup. And the Wolves got two very good players, and two guys worth looking at. They just haven’t looked good in the process. Rubio and/or Flynn are obviously trade bait, but nobody’s biting. A transparent move, even if the telegraphed shot goes in, and Rubio/Flynn are brilliant together.
Good news for the Knicks. Good news for Jonny Flynn. Bad news for the T’wolves, who look like the fool for now.
But, for now, we can tab Ricky Rubio as the 2009 NBA Draft’s “Biggest Loser.”
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