The Wizards can still get Rubio

It would happen on draft night, AFTER the Grizzlies pick….but before the Thunder picks….

Grunfeld doesn’t want Thabeet either….

who cares – If the Owner of the Grizzlies wants to interfere with the Basketball guys (GM, Scouts, etc…) then I say – let him.

Whatever happened to Haddadi (sp?)? He was supposed to be great in the Olympics, and I know Memphis had to work hard to get him out of Iran. It seems weird that he wouldn’t play much and/or suck.

Potentially even Arenas. Though I’d have to think long about that one.

Just not JaVale.

I honestly don’t think this rumor has much legs. It seems clear that OKC isn’t really enamored with getting Rubio, because they don’t know what it’ll mean to Russell Westbrook’s development. They’re feeling out trade offers and probably called the Wiz to see what it would take. They probably asked for McGee. I doubt the Wizards would honestly give up McGee just to move up two spots.

We’d be able to trade Blatche + our second rounder + a future first rounder for Rubio. We’d get rid of our logjam in the front court without losing our center of the future, rid ourselves of Blatche (who’d excel in Oklahoma’s up-tempo system) and lose picks that we most likely wouldn’t have much use for since we need better players, not more.

I heard Blatche had some problems with the law. Not the kind of character Presti looks for.

His 2pt FG% is pretty awful (sub 40%), and those three point attempts are pretty rare. (And have fallen back to 42% from the Euro-three line).

Effectively he can hit a wide open shot but isn’t so great at finishing except in the open court. He’s brilliant at creating for other people though and that’s key. It’s especially key in helping other players on the squad develop confidence. Okay I’d love it best if he were on the team with McGee as a finisher, and I’ve been looking forward to seeing the McGee/Arenas hook-up for the same reason. But realistically McGee will struggle to find minutes for a while behind Haywood because of how lost we are defensively without Big Wood.

Will Ricky Roll also struggle for minutes with Arenas on the squad? Not really, I hope we don’t play Gil 40+ minutes per game year round until he’s gotten back his legs and confidence and game. To have an uptempo creator on the second unit should help, and this sub-20 win year came as a direct result of our failure to find a back-up plan at Point.

Dunno though. Kid is nice, I’m not doubting that, and he’d sell tickets, but this draft is thick with PG prospects that I like who will come at a cheaper price. I’m not certain that Ricky = Championship. Though to be sure, free agents will like DC better with the idea of playing next to him, making htem look good.

Still, not sure what this does to Gilbert’s confidence that the team likes him as their top option ballhandler. Or what Gil might do to Ricky’s confidence (and to his own recovery) trying to prove who the alpha-baller is on the squad. But hey competition is competition, as Pro’s they can handle it. Even if Chemistry is always an important question mark.

Actually to me Ricky’s best asset may end up being as a trading piece for other teams that covet him who don’t have a spare 7 foot shot blocker. Essentially it turns McGee into a massively hyped prospect that dozens of teams have been scouting for years. Pretty sure you can use that piece to listen to upgrade options, with the consolation prize of keeping the kid if you don’t hear anything you like.

Classic

I’m stunned (though not disagreeing) with the change in opinion of McGee this year. No way anybody expects you to say that a year ago.

It’s quite clear this is a point guard’s league. With the exception of Dwight, name another big man that has vaulted his team into elite status. Vision like Rubio’s will make your big men look better.

We have six guys on our roster under 24 (McGee, Blatche, Young, McGuire, Critt, Pech). It’s not OKC youth, but there’s a lot of youth.

well it gives them a versatile foward who is young and has potential plus he can block ok. mike james will be a vet off the bench and his expiring contract could be valuable to them. they can do what they wan’t with the fifth pick. nick collison is under contract i think until the end of the 10/11 season his salary is around 6 mil. we would get a rebounder and rubio which would help us out a lot.

A lot of analysts are saying because if they get Rubio and move Westbrook to the 2, they will have a backcourt that can’t shoot/stretch the court allowing more chances for opponents to double/triple team Durant, which makes sense. They also seem to be enamoured with Harden who could fit in with their young players well, and with McGee they would get a Tyson Chandler type player they had hoped for in the trade earlier in the season. It would benefit them greatly, as long as Harden isnt taken by the Kings.

I meant The Thunder want James Harden and McGee.

Rubio and McGee both have superstar potential. Rubio is more ready to contribute immediately, but at the expense of taking the ball out of Arenas’s hands and making him play out of position. I’m slightly leaning towards keeping McGee, only because he fits our needs a little better.

I can’t believe we keep comparing Rubio to Pete Maravich. Now I’m too young to have seen him play live, but my Dad’s favorite player is Pete Maravich. I saw lots of film on him, and I grew up watching his instructional videos.

Pete could shoot that ball since he was like 12. One of the best shooters in the game. Probably the best college player ever. I know he’s only 18 – but Rubio’s shooting sub-40% in the EURO leagues. And he’s going to get MUCH tougher looks in the NBA. Nash was a shooter, as well, at that age. You don’t just assume, “oh his jump shot will get better” – and then start comparing him to one of the greatest players ever.

Please, do NOT compare Rubio to Pete Maravich.

I’m sorry, but I don’t ever see Rubio becoming a 2-time MVP or McGee having the scoring abilities that Amare has. Perhaps,

rubio/mcgee = nash/stoudemire beta2.0 – and I mean a really buggy beta