Rubio to NY? Not Likely

You could feel the excitement.
Fans smiling, crossing their fingers, hanging on David Stern’s every
word. “With the third pick, the Oklahoma City Thunder selects…James
Harden.” Instantly, they break into a chant of “Ru-Bi-O.”

He was the guy Knicks’ fans
had their hearts set on. The odds of him slipping to eight were
slim, but they had hope. When your team has had a decade like
the Knicks have since their unlikely run to the Finals in 1999, all
you can do is hope.

Ricky Rubio would be scooped
up with the 5th pick, a selection by new Minnesota GM David
Kahn that was met with resounding boos. With the 6th
pick, the same David Kahn selected Jonny Flynn. Another point
guard.

Does this make any sense?
Most media types didn’t think so. Words like “stupid” were
commonly used to describe Kahn’s actions in the hours following the
draft. But, if you look deeper, you might try using another word
to describe Kahn’s selection of Rubio.

Genius.

“He knows the business, “said
Tim Shea, former director of International Scouting for the Knicks,
Suns, and Bobcats. “They know what they have, and what they
have is a wonderful player.”

Leading up to the draft, even
before they acquired the 5th pick, Jonny Flynn seemed to
be Minnesota’s guy. But, when Ricky Rubio falls into your lap,
you don’t pass on him.

“He’s got a lot of Pistol
Pete. He’s got a lot of Steve Nash. He’s got a lot of
Walt Frazier,” said Shea.

Small-market teams knew there
would be a risk involved when considering Rubio, who has a huge buyout
in his contract with DKV Joventut. His family and agent, Dan Fegan,
have allegedly wanted New York the whole time. Perhaps they thought
they could scare teams away.

Not so fast. Just like
Milwaukee when Yi Jianlian tried to bully his way into a big market,
Kahn refused to settle for a lesser player. Then, with the next
pick, he got his man. Or, I should say, his insurance policy.
It looks pretty smart now that Ricky has said he will go back to Europe
for another year.

“They know what they’re
doing in Minnesota,” Shea said. “Contrary to initial opinions,
I think [Kahn] knows what he’s doing. He knows he’s in the
driver’s seat, and he’s got a little gold nugget that’s going
to get more valuable. Why give it away to the first team that
comes along?”

So, is there no chance that
he’ll be dealt to New York?

“Right now, anything can
happen,” Shea said. He pointed out that, in this current economic
state, money could be a deciding factor in whether or not the Wolves
trade Rubio. And New York has money.

They also have impatient fans,
desperate for something to cheer for after a fifth consecutive season
without making the playoffs. Knicks’ fans (and I grew up one
of them) are almost expecting Donnie Walsh to pull a rabbit out of his
hat and turn this team into a championship contender overnight.
Is Rubio the piece that could make that happen?

“Fans are like ‘Who’s
going to be the savior?’” Shea said. “Well, Ricky is not
the savior right now. He’s a good player, but he’s going to
be much more capable to handle what New York is [in a few years].”

By the time Knicks’ fans
were booing their hometown team’s selection of Jordan Hill, rumors
surrounding Ricky Rubio were building steam. The Knicks were at
the center of those rumors. Maybe they’d work out a sign-and-trade
involving David Lee and Nate Robinson. Maybe Donnie Walsh has
something else up his sleeve. Maybe Kahn drafted the young Spaniard
for his former boss, Walsh. The draft ended with Rubio’s rights
owned by the Wolves, and now other teams have begun to inquire about
his availability. Houston is one of those teams, with multiple
others around the League expected to get involved.

“I see it more that he will
be back in Europe,” Shea said. “Ricky should stay and mature.
He’s only eighteen years old. He’s got a lot to learn.”

If Rubio goes back to Spain,
it’s likely that he’ll get better, stronger, and more ready for
the NBA. His stock will rise. He will become more valuable.
The offers will get better and better. And David Kahn will sit
back and smile as teams bid for one of the four point guards that he
so stupidly drafted.

Mike DeStefano can be reached at
mike@hoopsdaily.com