Taylor said he hasn’t been involved in any conversations with Rubio, who was chosen by the Wolves with the No. 5 selection in last week’s NBA draft and reportedly was set to fly to Minneapolis on Saturday with his father to meet with team president of basketball operations David Kahn.
Taylor said he couldn’t confirm any meeting but later added that the Wolves wanted to get acquainted with Rubio, who didn’t visit or work out for them before the draft.
Asked if Rubio or his agent have said anything about not wanting to play in Minnesota, Taylor said, “Not to my knowledge.”
Taylor, who has kept a low media profile since hiring Kahn on May 21, said he hopes Rubio’s contractual situation can be resolved quickly, “but I would guess this is going to take a little while.”
Estoy en Minnesota discutiendo con mi familia y mi carrera de adquisición. |
I’m in Minnesota with my family discussing my buyout and career.
6 hours ago ·
Misconceptions About Rubio: The Ricky Rubio situation in Minnesota is not pretty, and over the past few days we have heard a lot of voices chime in about Rubio and what his camp is seeking. When the Minnesota Timberwolves selected both Rubio and Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn in back-to-back picks last Thursday, things came unglued for the Wolves and HOOPSWORLD spent a considerable amount of time on this subject this weekend. A lot of what we’re hearing on Ricky just simply is not true...
Thus, sources close to the situation have confirmed that, by midday on Thursday, Rubio’s representatives finally spoke with Kahn, who made a compelling pitch. Kahn indicated that if the Wolves were lucky enough to land Rubio, Ricky would become one of the franchise’s centerpieces and he would be able to take control and run the show from Day One. Rubio and his family were not overly excited by the prospects of playing in Minnesota, but Kahn’s pitch to Ricky and his agent gained some traction. Being handed the keys to the car and seeing heavy minutes as a starter right out of the gates was appealing. Accordingly, when the draft played out as it did, Rubio and his inner circle were content with Minnesota as a fall-back option.
However, as Rubio was posing for pictures with his Timberwolves cap over his mop of floppy hair after being taken with the fifth pick, David Stern walked to the podium and announced that “with the sixth pick in the 2009 NBA draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select Jonny Flynn.”
And that is when the dynamic changed…
For now, Kahn said there are no plans to trade Rubio or Flynn. He envisions the pair as a backcourt for the next generation, one that can capitalize on the NBA’s stricter enforcement of touch fouls on the perimeter while having the versatility to defend on the other end of the court.
“The organization needs to be very patient,” Kahn said. “While we ask for patience, we will also tell people that we think down the road these kids will, I hope, prove to be special.”
That stance also could be posturing to drive the trade values of both players higher, but as long as Kahn is willing to wait this out, the ball remains in Minnesota’s court.
A lighting quick point guard with wicked handles can change the pace of the game by placing opposing defenders back on their heels. The Wolves will benefit from this type of skill set from Flynn and his ability to initiate the offense. Most players at his position dream of a frontcourt with a future All-Star 24-year old in the paint.
“We have the right pieces here in Minnesota. We have two pieces down low in Kevin Love and Al Jefferson that’s going to make me and Wayne [Ellington] look really well,” Flynn said. “It’s good to come in and learn on the fly and learn how to go through adversity the right way. It’s just great to have the opportunity to come and play at all.”
“You’re going to see a lot of flair, a lot of finesse out there in Minnesota,” Flynn confidently stated. “A lot of Minnesota fans can get ready to see a great show.”
Steve Aschburner/SI.com ranks the 30 NBA markets in terms of attractiveness to players, weighing tangibles as well as intangibles
30. Minnesota: Rubio isn’t the first NBA player to notice it’s cold there. Stephon Marbury initially said the harsh winters left him no choice but to stay in the gym, working on his game. Then he bolted town barely two seasons later, his teeth chattering and thermal underwear beneath his jeans — in March. Isaiah Rider at least turned the cold to his advantage, adding a dead battery and broken water pipes (from ice expanding) to his list of creative excuses for late arrivals and no-shows. Odds are, the NBA logo today would be a silhouette in galoshes, had the Lakers not moved to L.A. the summer they drafted Jerry West.
In addition to fundraisers and appearances throughout the country donating defibrillators Gomes has been busy at work planning his second annual Hoops for Heart Health Golf Outing, set for June 29 at the Southington Country Club.
All this coming from a young and rising NBA star, making millions of dollars and coming off the best season of his career.
“He would give anything to anybody within reason,” Kehoe said. “He gives back to the community in so many ways its just remarkable.”
The Sioux Falls Skyforce announced today that they will serve as the NBA Development League affiliate of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat for the 2009-10 season. The affiliation system allows the Timberwolves and Heat to assign players in their first or second season to Sioux Falls.
