So....about hoping others teams pick PG's

[Monster]

I just listened to the spot.

Wolfson said he got a text from someone close to Rubio. that said something like "RR picked his agent based on who would get him out of MN. that was THE criteria." So not fake news. Now if you don't want to believe Wolfson's source thats fine but its there.

Now to follow that up Wolfson said just because Rubio may want out (and as the other guys pointed out the Wolves may have interest in moving him as well) it doesn't mean Thibs is gonna just give him up for nothing. He wen ton to talk about all the teams that need a PG and basically all of them could fill that role with a PG in this draft. He said the Mavs could make sense he has heard a few people there like him including Tony Ronzone. He said the Knicks obviously had some interest but what are they going to give up? Do you do a Courtney Lee for Rubio swap? nobody sounded excited and I get the idea the other guys aren't too high on Rubio. Like Wolfson said the return for Rubio is unlikely to be super exciting so there is now sure deal coming up.

I'll be interested to see if Jon K chimes in at some point. I think he tends to not want to poop on another guy's info if that guy has any type of credibility and Wolfson I think does. It makes sense if Rubio had at the very least some legit interest in wanting out. I don't fault him too much honestly. I'm not completely convinced he wants out. He was hanging out with Willie Hernangomez this week and had some funny stuff on instagram including video of him blowing a dunk while guys were playing around on an outdoor court. Yep I'm breaking news Rubio wants to go to the Knicks to play with Willie!!!! lol

[thedoper]

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/5-17-wednesday-hour-2-mackey-and-judd/id583938622?i=1000385536688&mt=2

Doogie n Rubio Starting at around 15mins then this at 15:41. Doogie got a text from colleague "RR rested on Schwartz because he would get him out of Minnesota ASAP, only criteria for him selecting a new agent"

You can blame Doogie for the spin now Teamricky.

[Lipoli390]

Doogie's source may or may not be reliable. I don't consider Doogie to be particularly reliable or well-sourced. I remember him tweeting a few minutes before the Wolves pick in 2014 that the Wolves were going to take Payne. I was at Target Center and just smiled because Zach LaVine was available and Flip told me 10 days earlier that he was going to pick LaVine. Think about that. A rube fan (me) knew who the Wolves were going to take 10 days before the draft and Doogie misreported the pick (based on his sources) 2 minutes before the draft. There are other examples of Doogie simply getting things wrong. Doogie seems like a guy who gets a lot of emails and calls from all sorts of people he calls "sources" and that he repeats the ones he considers interesting. The only local guy you can really trust to have accurate well-sourced information is Jon K.

In any event, Thibs would be an idiot to trade Ricky without a very solid vet PG to fill the gap. Who would that be? Could Thibs get an equal or better PG in return? Who would that be? Bottom line is that, even though I have my doubts about Thibs as the right fit for the Wolves head coach, I don't think he's an idiot. And as much as Thibs loves Dunn, he's smart enough to know that relying on Dunn and Tyus as our PGs next season would put us right back in the lottery and possibly put Thibs out of a job. So as Doogie and others have acknowledged, even if Ricky wants out and even if Thibs would like to trade him, the odds of a deal that would make sense for the Wolves are pretty slim.

The closest I can come to a realistic scenario would be a deal with the Bulls that would swap Ricky for Rondo -- probably as part of a bigger package. Rondo has one more year on his deal (I think it's a team option). One more year with Rondo doesn't make much sense for the Bulls given the likelihood that they'll begin the rebuilding process this summer. I see them unloading a number of their players for draft picks and possibly a young promising vet or two. Ricky is much younger than Rondo and, if he continues to shoot the way he did late last season he could actually be part of their rebuilding - at least for a while until they draft a dynamic scoring PG down the road. They'd have Ricky locked in a reasonable deal for two seasons after which they could re-sign him if it's working out or let him go for cap space. They could also potentially trade him in the second year of his deal for more prospects if Ricky plays well.

Rondo could make sense for the Wolves as an experienced vet who has championship experience. I think he'd be excited to come here as a leader and mentor to a bunch of talented young guys given his stated desire to eventually be a head coach. He's also familiar with Thibs from their time together in Boston so I can see mutual interest between those two.

If I'm right, then Ricky may want to reflect on that old adage: "be careful what you wish for." Getting dealt to a rebuilding Bulls team would get him out of the Wolves organization, but would put him even further away from winning.

[thedoper]

I agree that Doogie is hit or miss. I still believe that his position is thte most logical for Rubio switching agents. Rubio has been in trade rumours every year, has made vague overtures to leaving, and has stayed quiet and classy the whole time. Now he's switched over to Love's agent. The best we can hope for is that Schwartz can work a similar miraculous return that he got us with Love. I doubt the market is as high on Rubio even after his improved half season.

[TAFKASP]

At this point I'm considering getting a new agent who'll try to trade me to another message board whose team isn't a perpetual loser.

[Lipoli390]

I agree that Doogie is hit or miss. I still believe that his position is thte most logical for Rubio switching agents. Rubio has been in trade rumours every year, has made vague overtures to leaving, and has stayed quiet and classy the whole time. Now he's switched over to Love's agent. The best we can hope for is that Schwartz can work a similar miraculous return that he got us with Love. I doubt the market is as high on Rubio even after his improved half season.

There's a far more logical explanation for Ricky's decision to replace Dan Fegan as his agent. It's a lawsuit against Fegan that coincides with the timing of Ricky's decision. Read the following:

"A lawsuit that pits one of the most recognizable basketball agents up against his former agency was originally filed in state court in California, but has been removed to federal court; however, the agency is fighting to have the removal overturned. In the meantime, Independent Sports & Entertainment's (ISE) litigation against Dan Fegan over the alleged poisoning of ISE's business is only getting dirtier by the day, with both sides recently filing multiple declarations for use against each other that provides a glimpse of the sometimes filthy world of athlete representation."

It's a nasty lawsuit that has caused a lot of players to leave Fegan in the past couple months. In fact, the court issued a temporary injunction limiting Fegan's ability to represent clients. Given this backdrop, it's a huge stretch to conclude that Ricky switched based on a desire to be traded, especially when a far more reliable reporter has repeated reported that Ricky likes being here. Choosing Jeff Schwartz doesn't tell us anything about Ricky's motives. Yes, Schwartz represents Kevin Love. But he also represents Pek and Cole Aldrich. So it's not as if Schwartz is hostile to the Wolves or the guy you choose to get you out of MN. The Wolves have been very good to Pek and Schwartz was the agent who helped get Cole here.

Look, we've been hearing about Ricky wanting to leave or being on the cusp of a trade ever since he got here 6 years ago. It's a permanent part of the gossip mill in the NBA world. That gossip mill repeatedly spins out emails and texts to less discerning reporters like Doogie who are hungry to get attention and be relevant. I talked to some folks inside the organization a couple seeks ago and asked about Ricky. They said they have never heard anything from Ricky or his representatives about him wanting to leave. They said a deal with the Knicks was never remotely close. They said Thibs has been unsure of him, but that Ricky has grown on him with his work ethic and late-season shooting improvement. That's information I'd take to the bank along with Jon K's reporting on Ricky.

My sense is that Ricky is frustrated with losing and the lack of coaching stability on the Wolves. But he's a smart basketball buy who must know that there are only a limited number of true contenders as potential trade destinations and that there are worse situations out there with teams on the decline or just starting to rebuild. And he must also recognize the potential of this team and how well he fits surrounded by a lot of scorers at other positions -- i.e., Wiggins, KAT and Zach. In other words, we're one of the few NBA teams today not building around a scoring PG. So of course, he'd love to be traded to the Warriors, Spurs, Celtics or Cavs. But that's not going to happen and he knows it.

My guess is that Thibs will make inquiries and take phone calls on Ricky. But I don't think he'll get an offer that will cause him to pull the trigger. So I'm guessing Ricky will be with the team to start the season and that he'll play hard as he always does. My next best guess would be that Ricky gets traded to the Bulls with Rondo coming here in return -- probably as part of a bigger package.

[BloopOracle]

I tweeted Wolfson about Paul Milsap joining us and he thinks that there is no way he leaves atlanta and the extra 50 million, wtf is he talking about I thought Paul was as good as gone?

[Lipoli390]

I tweeted Wolfson about Paul Milsap joining us and he thinks that there is no way he leaves atlanta and the extra 50 million, wtf is he talking about I thought Paul was as good as gone?

Lol. Good one, Bloop. You should have tweeted me and I would have given you the true scoop on Millsap. By the way, based on my sources I can tell you that there's no way Steph Curry will leave the Warriors. There, you heard it here first. :). Oh, and Michael Jordan will not be returning to the Bulls as a player.

[BloopOracle]

I tweeted Wolfson about Paul Milsap joining us and he thinks that there is no way he leaves atlanta and the extra 50 million, wtf is he talking about I thought Paul was as good as gone?

Lol. Good one, Bloop. You should have tweeted me and I would have given you the true scoop on Millsap. By the way, based on my sources I can tell you that there's no way Steph Curry will leave the Warriors. There, you heard it here first. :). Oh, and Michael Jordan will not be returning to the Bulls as a player.

it was an almost instant response too, I was actually kind of excited until I read it lol I will have to throw my chips in with that Jon K guy from now on

for real though I think Milsap is as good as gone

[BloopOracle]

wow John responded too

"I think it's a long shot. Most think he stays in ATL, though may depend on who they hire as their new President of BBall Ops"


well that sucks hopefully he is wrong too lol