February 26, 2010 11:00 am  |  29 Comments

Rudy Fernandez’s Future: Lost in Translation


The fact that Rudy isn’t happy with the way things are in Portland is nothing new; it’s just funny to read the different statements he gives to the media (depending on which language they speak): “After doing an interview in New Jersey this week with a Spanish newspaper, an article was published painting Fernandez as if he wanted out of Portland. Frankly, I was stunned to hear the tone of some of his comments. That wasn’t the Rudy I had been around this season. When I caught up with him in Toronto, I discovered that the Spanish report had some truths, but also some exaggerations. ‘For sure I talked to Spanish media, but sometimes the Spanish media people write what they want,’ Fernandez said outside the Blazers locker room before the Toronto game. ‘But for sure, I want to play more. I am comfortable with you, I can talk to you right now, and for sure I want to play more. And for sure, sometimes I feel like the coach doesn’t trust me with my play. But I talk to coach after the All-Star break, and we talked together about the rest of the season. It was a good meeting. For both.’ Throughout our conversation, Fernandez made it clear that he was uncomfortable talking about his future because he and the team were in the middle of a playoff hunt. ‘I don’t want to talk about this right now. I want to focus on Portland and play hard every time I’m on the court,’ Fernandez said. ‘That’s my only goal right now.’ Fernandez said he has every intent of finishing the two years remaining on his contract. The talk of him returning to Spain to play for Real Madrid is overblown, he says. ‘I only said I won’t close doors,’ Fernandez said.”

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  • slamfan4life Posted: Feb.26 at 11:54 am
    He would be a HUGE pick up for anyteam, Blazers better worry………..

  • spit hot fiyah Posted: Feb.26 at 12:23 pm
    For sure?

  • Farman Posted: Feb.26 at 12:39 pm
    It comes down to this, either they have faith in Rudy or they don’t. They have waited for Marthell Webster for 4 years to become that top 5 draft pick they expected and it hasn’t happened yet. In order to get a idea on what kind of player Rudy is gonna become, you gonna have to give the man 25 to 30 minutes on a consistent basis to figure out if he is the player in your teams future. Clearly he has all the tools in the world, but the inconsistent play and constantly getting injuried doesn’t help his case. I think it’s team to pair him up with Roy in the backcourt and see what happens…..

  • Jukai Posted: Feb.26 at 1:46 pm
    I do agree, Blazers don’t seem too sure whether they want Webster as their go-to-guy or Rudy as their go-to-guy… and honestly, I’m not really sure who is better. But these aren’t lesser players who both can get 20 minutes a game. One of them needs 35 the other needs to fill in on the rest. Blazers need to decide soon and make a trade for a point.

  • Farman Posted: Feb.26 at 2:56 pm
    I’m from Seattle. I remember when the Sonics used Ray Allen and Brent Barry as both 1 and 2. Then Antonio Daniels off the bench as a 3 combo roatation. I think Roy, Miller, and Rudy can work. If Rudy gets 25 plus minutes a game, he will be very valuable to Portland. He needs minutes. Webster looks like he is turning into that spot up shooter. Doesn’t have really other solid moves. AKA Devean George. I think it’s time for Portland to commit to Rudy. Set Rudy free………..

  • ciolkstar Posted: Feb.26 at 4:06 pm
    Rudy looks sorta like a crackhead. All unkempt and unshaven, always grinding his jaw. But I think he handled this extremely well, I’m impressed.

  • Dma Posted: Feb.26 at 4:07 pm
    Agree Rudy needs more pt

  • niQ Posted: Feb.26 at 4:58 pm
    It’s ok Rudy, I’m sure the ladies still love you.

  • kwame Posted: Feb.26 at 5:12 pm
    i feel like every european player thinks they deserve to play in ny or la or miami…

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Feb.26 at 5:55 pm
    ^ What?

  • Anton Posted: Feb.26 at 6:05 pm
    Cavs are interested

  • Forrest Crunk Posted: Feb.26 at 6:17 pm
    I feel like every European player feels like they deserve to play, regardless of skill, experience, etc…. the list of whining Euros in the past couple of years is looooong. These cats need to learn to shut their mouths and earn it, he will play if he deserves to, otherwise take your crying ass back to Spain with that bull.

  • LeoneL Posted: Feb.26 at 7:26 pm
    I don’t care about LeBron, NY get this guy. Him and Sergio should at least give us fans something to cheer about.

  • LCD Screen Cleaner Posted: Feb.26 at 9:16 pm
    Oh dear. Let him go…the blazers are going to have a ghost of a big man hanging arounf for years to come, and i’ve got a feeling the blazers are close to blowing it all up (2 years?) and starting over.

  • Ronald Posted: Feb.27 at 12:01 am
    Long list of whining europeans? Because American players don’t whine. Is it me or does Rudy’s playing style remind anyone of Manu? Not skillset per se, but the whole all or nothing attitude. And like San Antonia, Portland has to take the bad with the good.

  • The D Train Posted: Feb.27 at 12:15 am
    First off…the ladies LOVE Rudy here in Portland (as do the dudes). I cannot overstate this. He’s got enough of the hipster-doofus look for the mens in Portland, and the ladies love his swarthy-ass like no one else on the Blazers. All of that being said…remember him throwing down on Dwight in the Olympics? Cat can straight ball. Unfortunately he has taken to just casting up trey’s, which diminishes his ability to drive and create. I love me some Rudy, so I hope he sticks, but being behind Roy he will never…NEVER be as popular here as he would be overseas…and I say that totally loving the dude. I just think he’s totally fitted for a 6th-man role, even if he feels like the ladies want more…

  • Sporting-Lisbon-Blazers Posted: Feb.27 at 2:57 am
    LCD screen, whats your team, cause you sound jealous as sh1t!

  • Sporting-Lisbon-Blazers Posted: Feb.27 at 2:58 am
    LCD screen cleaner, hahahah

  • Brickshooting J Posted: Feb.27 at 3:51 am
    If the abovementioned Spanish newspaper was Marca, then you better don’t believe 75% of what they publish.

  • therighttoremainsalient Posted: Feb.27 at 9:30 am
    rudy can’t dribble or catch properly, he looks like he’s a lose shoestring away from a turnover every time i see him with the ball..

  • mad max Posted: Feb.28 at 2:47 am
    Wish we could swap Al “I love to shoot” Harrington for Rudy. He is exactly what the Knicks need.

  • Sporting-Lisbon-Blazers Posted: Feb.28 at 5:56 am
    no he isnt max, whatcha need is DEFENSE AND REBOUNDING and Rudy does not bring much of either!

  • sopas Posted: Feb.28 at 6:20 am
    Rudy will imporve. In the playoffs and perhaps in the reg. season last 08-09 season both Travis Outlaw and Rudy came off the bench. Now that Outlaw has been traded (sadly) Rudy can now fill that 6th man spot. I hope he doesn’t turn out to be ‘that spanish player’ from the grizzlies who went to the NBA then back to the Euroleague

  • BETCATS Posted: Feb.28 at 12:06 pm
    This is what happens when you have too much talent at simmular positions, with none of them being ’stars’ and all needing heavy minutes to be effective. tsk tsk tsk.

  • Shem Posted: Feb.28 at 9:40 pm
    @Anton, it seems that the Cavs are always interested. As for playing time, I kinda like Rudy or Roy playing the point but PMills, Andre Miller and Jerryd Bayless are all deserving of playing time. I say they just let Rudy play the 3 with Webster and Batum off the bench??

  • al Posted: Mar.1 at 3:20 am
    It is not only a matter of minutes. Rudy is set on the corner waiting for the 3 90% of the times, while he has proved to be able to score in many other ways and create for his mates. Coach Nate does not know how to use him, but he is able to do what Ginobilli does for sure.

  • Hussman25 Posted: Mar.1 at 2:17 pm
    RUDY NEEDS MORE MINUTES!!! He’s too talented to be sittin on the pine… He’s my favorite Spainard in the L right now (Dirk is my fav european)! as al stated above about Ginobili; Portland needs to use him similar to how SA does Manu…

  • Clas Posted: Mar.1 at 8:34 pm
    Rudy was an absolute killer inte the Gold medal game in Beijing 2008 but something tells me he needs a new adress in the NBA or he will leave as ; Navarro, Macijauskas, Jasikevicius and Spanolis before him. Guys like Tiago Splitter and Papaloukas havn´t even botherd to come. The greek playmaker naturally getting on a bit but Splitter isn´t a sure thing regarding play inte league. Jasikevicius was quoted saying something like - I´m not good enough for 30 of the teams in the NBA, but I could score 31 points against Team USA. He was a very popular import bu he didn´t have the kind of skills wanted by the league, or was it that this superstar of FIBA ball could´t take the diminishing role? Beeing a special roleplayer rather than the sun who the rest circled? Apart from Ricky Rubio there havn´t been so much talk these days about great FIBA players entering the league, the answers could be many but something tells me that Team USA´s success have dampend some spirits and have made many talented and highly skilled FIBA player an edge, with the intent to develop the other brand of basketball to the point of loss of dominance for the american part. Money can be made in Europe too and the way world economy is going the landscape will probably be very altered.

  • -Mas- Posted: Mar.2 at 7:52 am
    Give Rudy minutes and he gives you points. That’s simple enough. I’d rather see him in the NBA than in ACB with Real Madrid.
    Right now Portland is just another team in the West but give Rudy more minutes and the become a matchup for any of the elite teams in the West. With Rudy on the floor it would be nearly impossible to double team Roy and Miller would always have an outlet and set up the 3 point play.

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