Thursday, June 18th, 2009 at 9:56 am  |  46 responses

Grizzlies Perfectly Willing to Backstab in Draft

Ricky Rubio, Stephen Curry and Jonny Flynn have all refused to meet with the Grizzlies before the Draft, but that doesn’t mean they won’t pick them: “The Grizzlies sent a message to Portland and the rest of the league this season with how they handled the Darius Miles situation. Say what you want about owner Michael Heisley but he won’t be bullied. Any direct snub or perceived threat by Rubio or his camp will compel the Griz to take him and maintain leverage. ‘If we want (Rubio), we’re going to take him,’ Wallace said Wednesday. ‘We wouldn’t have taken a 10-hour flight to Spain if we didn’t have interest in him.’”

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  • Gerard Himself Posted: Jun.18 at 10:15 am
    So there’s now literally no one who wants to play in Memphis? Knicks: get Rubio. Trade N8 and whoever for it.

  • thesubwayconnection Posted: Jun.18 at 10:16 am
    I think it’d be a good move for the Knicks to trade up for Rubio, and then sign Steve Nash when he’s available next year.

  • Jukai Posted: Jun.18 at 10:21 am
    Okay, I hope the Grizzlies are willing to wait two and a half years before they even see Rubio in America again. idiots.

  • basicallyinthenba Posted: Jun.18 at 10:29 am
    did the steve francis incident of 1999 teach you nothing

  • Mo Charlo Posted: Jun.18 at 10:31 am
    We don’t take no sh!t in Memph Bleek.

  • Z Posted: Jun.18 at 10:36 am
    Idiots? F-ckouttahere. You think Griffin wants to play for the Clips? If they do take him and he doesn’t want to come over, they can trade him for really nice pieces. He’s a hot commodity right now and teams will be willing to trade them a seasoned pro (which they badly need). The Griz already have a very young nucleus.

  • ciolkstar Posted: Jun.18 at 10:46 am
    And Jukai, Rubio is already taking Juventus to court over his old deal. There’s no way he plays for them agains next season for that measly 100k. I respect Memphis not letting themselves be bullied by this little punk.

  • basicallyinthenba Posted: Jun.18 at 10:56 am
    Z – 100% just curious, why not just trade the pick pre-draft knowing with interested teams knowing Rubio would be there instead of dealing with the hassle of having to find a suitor after the fact. Love to hear your take.

  • Mo Charlo Posted: Jun.18 at 10:57 am
    Memphis loves its players and has a good history of nurturing unproven Spaniards. Rubio’s ego is writing checks his body can’t cash.

  • basicallyinthenba Posted: Jun.18 at 10:59 am
    Z – 100% just curious, why not just trade the pick pre-draft with interested teams knowing Rubio would be there instead of dealing with the hassle of having to find a suitor after the fact. Love to hear your take.

  • Izzo Posted: Jun.18 at 11:03 am
    The difference is of course,Rubio is going to have to cash that check.

  • Mo Charlo Posted: Jun.18 at 11:06 am
    @basically- Posturing adds more sand to the grizz’s position. The nice thing is that they can ruin this kids career before it starts if they don’t get what they want. Essentially, they’re saying to the rest of the league that they’ve changed since Steve Francis did the same thing to them back in Canada.

  • MattM Posted: Jun.18 at 11:07 am
    Why is Ricky Rubio taking an Italian soccer team to court?

  • Chendaddy Posted: Jun.18 at 11:10 am
    Rubio wants to come play in the NBA, but for specific teams. If a team he doesn’t want to play for drafts him, why would he even bother going through the hassle and legal fees of taking Joventut to court? If Memphis takes him, he’s guaranteed to make that #2 pick money whether he signs now or two years later when he doesn’t have to buy himself out. Yeah, that’s a whole lot of leverage, Heisley. Pride > Sense in Memphis.

  • Mo Charlo Posted: Jun.18 at 11:16 am
    @Chendaddy, Rubio’s not going back to Spain. His options are sit around and do nothing for 2 years, or play for whatever team gets him.

  • Mo Charlo Posted: Jun.18 at 11:17 am
    The funniest part to me is that Stephen Curry is playing favorites. That kid doesn’t have a prayer no matter where he goes.

  • Izzo Posted: Jun.18 at 11:21 am
    Mo:Him being bought out of his contract doesn’t mean he can’t sign with another European clubs,as far as I know.One that can give him more than a rookie contract.Rubio can play favorites because he’s the only one in the draft who stands to,if things go badly,lose money by playing in the NBA.

  • Chendaddy Posted: Jun.18 at 11:32 am
    @Mo: He hasn’t bought himself out of his own contract yet. Why would block him from returning to Joventut or, as Izzo said, going to another European team? He’s considered the most talented 18-year old basketball player in the world. He is recognized everywhere that has a basketball court. What makes you possibly believe his only options are come to the NBA or sit at home?

  • niQ Posted: Jun.18 at 11:38 am
    I really don’t expect much from Rubio at this point. Even though he’s projected to be 2nd pick, I haven’t really been wow’d by him. On the same note, I think Memphis will take him just because every tells them not to. And yea, if rubio doesn’t want his career ruined, he might as well just stfu and play.

  • ye Posted: Jun.18 at 11:42 am
    Z, for these young guys, its already about marketing and marketing potential… of course blake griffin wants to play in LA and be the face of the franchise… and of course ricky wouldnt want to go to the team with some of the lowest… actually THE lowest attendance, that is also full of young stars, i.e. Rudy Gay, OJ Mayo

  • Jsoto Posted: Jun.18 at 11:53 am
    Rubio just rubs me the wrong way for some reason and I might just be paranoid but does anybody else think that rubio isnt ready and could just turn out to be a b*tch whos only skill will ever be the occasional behind the back pass I mean I dont buy all the hype around this guy for one second

  • underdog Posted: Jun.18 at 12:09 pm
    They gonna draft Rubio and close his player rights in a big-ass safe. Rubio is nothing but hype, tougher point guards gonna kill him.

  • Bryan Posted: Jun.18 at 12:24 pm
    Ill never understand a team that picks a guy they know doesn’t want to play for them it helps no one and hampers everyone. Just win a pissing contest? Gtfoh.

  • Bryan Posted: Jun.18 at 12:29 pm
    I think rubio is gonna be excelent. Not quite jason kidd but maybe a rebounding defending controlled jason williams.

  • al Posted: Jun.18 at 12:33 pm
    again and again, guys who have not seen 3 complete Rubio’s games are sure it is all hype.
    Well, the surprise will be bigger for you then. The guy is amazing.
    And if he does not want to go the Grizz, it might be cause he needs a bigger market to pay his slavery clause with Juventut

  • 33 Posted: Jun.18 at 12:38 pm
    The best part about this discussion is Mo Charlo (the biggest UNR bust)is actually criticizing NBA players. Howd that tryout with GS go?

  • LeMay Posted: Jun.18 at 12:42 pm
    The best part about this discussion is Mo Charlo (the biggest UNR bust) is ripping Steph Curry.

  • LeMay Posted: Jun.18 at 1:05 pm
    Rubio blows. almost every Euro drafted has been a bust. Darko all over again just at the PG position

  • Izzo Posted: Jun.18 at 1:07 pm
    My God,stupid people are stupid.

  • Son of Shawn Posted: Jun.18 at 1:23 pm
    So, if the Grizzlies draft him he´s two options, lose money playing at least two years (I supposse that Grizzs´ll try to include a team option)in one (if not the one) of the three worst franchises in the NBA (with a perennial status)or win money playing two years in Europe waitin for his actual contract to expire (a contract signed by his parents, remember he was 16), retire himself for this year´s draft and be picked in the first position in 2011 Draft by the ¿Memphis? Grizzlies (someone has doubts than in 2010 the Grizz will continue sucking?)

  • Zee! Posted: Jun.18 at 1:34 pm
    Stay in Spain young fella. At least for another year or two.

  • tvb17 Posted: Jun.18 at 2:02 pm
    why wait time with rubio or trade if a team is 1-14 in the draft to me that mean the those teams players are no better than the players the grizzlies have ready if they were their team wouldnt be 1-14 in the draft that is ridiculous talk what players wouldnt that would rebound and block shots better than thabeet answer nobody they can get a point guard or swingman in the nba they are loaded with that

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Jun.18 at 3:21 pm
    No, the Knicks must NOT get Rubio. At least I don’t want them too. He may not be Darko, but he’s got Udrih written all over him.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Jun.18 at 3:24 pm
    Like seriously, the last thing the Knicks need is another injury prone, non-athletic European player. Get Jennings, Curry, Evans, Flynn, Lawson, Ellington, or whoever else is left that’s good. They better not trade their best and only big man in David Lee for Ricky Rubio.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Jun.18 at 3:26 pm
    On a side note: I think Rubio is an idiot to not want to START alongside OJ Mayo and Rudy Gay, in a city that’s already harbored a Spanish “star” in Pau Gasol before. Not to mention his Spanish teammate Marc is there… He thinks too highly of himself.

  • Blinguo Posted: Jun.18 at 4:35 pm
    Or his camp is feeding him bad information in the sake of trusting them to do what’s best for him. Not quite High School to an NBA jump like before, actually more intense as they’ve started that court case against his team’s massive buyout contract clause. No HS player ever has to go through that in the US. But then Rubio probably never got all that ridic. college signing backlash if he ever changed his mind past an initial okay to play for one team, surmounting at worst in an Eric Gordon level of hate which some crazies never get over just as they never move out of their alumnus towns.

  • seven deuce Posted: Jun.18 at 7:31 pm
    I don’t particularly know or care too much about Rubio, but I’m glad the Grizzlies let it be know that they’ll pick who they feel will benefit them most. It may turn out to be a trade since the kid has so much buzz about him. If he wants to pick the franchise he like so much, then why come over in the draft. If I’m not mistaken, a player doesn’t have to get drafted to get started in the L right?

  • Z Posted: Jun.18 at 8:42 pm
    Bryan, everybody has a preference even if they’ll never say it. You can’t allow players to dictate where they’re getting drafted. You don’t LA guys like Pierce and B.Davis would have liked to be drafted by the Lakers? They still went to Charlotte and Boston. You think a down south dude like Bosh wanted to go to Canada? I bet it wasn’t his first choice. You suck it up and you play, then when you hit free agency you do what you want. It’s not like they’re not gonna make millions and they can spend all of their summers near the beach like Boozer does in Miami or KG in LA.

  • The Cool Posted: Jun.18 at 11:55 pm
    F*** Memphis, they should move them to OKC and the Sonics back to Seattle… and retire GP20 and the Reignman

  • what Posted: Jun.19 at 1:49 am
    I don’t see what’s wrong with Memphis doing this. They have a high pick in a weak draft. Rubio may not want to play in Memphis but he is being hyped through the ceiling and nobody knows if his game will actually translate to the NBA. So does it not make perfect sense to draft him and trade his draft rights to the highest bidder in exchange for a collection of good players? Memphis is making the best out of their situation.

  • Today’s Celtics Links 6/19 at New England Sports 24/7 Posted: Jun.19 at 10:40 am
    [...] Ray Allen: Mister Clutch Open Sports      The second round dream team Slam    Grizzlies Perfectly Willing to Backstab in Draft Lawn Chair Boys     Ranking the NBA Champions from 2000 to 2009 MacLeans   Maclean’s [...]

  • blaze Posted: Jun.19 at 5:55 pm
    Amen the cool! Grizz should try for a center anyway.

  • COLT6 Posted: Jun.20 at 9:26 pm
    F*CKOUTTAHERE DIMWITS! RUBIO IS GOOD. SEEN HIM PLAY IN BEIJING? BOTH CP3 AND JKIDD HAD TROUBLE CONTAINING HIS DRIBBLE AND HIS UPSIDE IS TREMENDOUS AT 18, NEEDS TO WORK ON HIS JUMPER AND OVERALL STRENGTH THOUGH. TEDDY THE BEAR IS A MORON BY COMPARING RUBIO TO UDRIH, WTF?! IF I WERE THE GRIZZ, I’D PICK RUBIO AND TRADE HIM FOR A SMASHMOUTH PF. MARK GASOL SHOWED HE HAS THE SKILLS AT THE SLOT. CONLEY IS AN ADEQUATE SLASH AND KICK OUT POINT FOR MAYO AND GAY. A PAUL MILSAP/BRANDON BASS TYPE 4-MAN WOULD REAP BENEFITS FOR MEMPHIS DOWN THE LINE. AND THEY NEED TO AXE DARKO, MARKO AND HADDADI AND FIND A BETTER COACH.

  • Stephen Bayer Posted: Jun.21 at 1:55 am
    Is that really Mo Charlo? haha if it is I went to Arcata High i graduated a few years after you did though (2008). but yeah the grizzlies should take thabeet…let the Kings get Rubio!!!

  • Scott Carter Posted: Jun.21 at 8:25 am
    RUBIO IS ABSOLUTELY AWSOME!! I cant wait to see him play next year, regardless of what team he’s on.

  • M-Town Reemo Posted: Jun.23 at 12:46 pm
    If Rubio is drafted by the Grizzlies his rights are retained by the Grizzlies. He can’t enter a different draft cause they own his draft rights. If he never signs, he’ll never play in the NBA

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