HoopsHype: Rudy Fernandez Feels "Disappointed and Deceived"
In a translation of an interview by Diario De Mallorca provided by HoopsHype, Rudy Fernandez uses some new negative adjectives to describe his life.
--------------------------
"Disappointed and deceived. I've always asked for more responsibility on the team but this season they didn't give any chance. Something like that makes you lose all focus, because you don't know what is going to happen next year."
Regarding a possible trade, Fernandez states, "I'm comfortable in Portland but I'm sure I could provide experience and talent to another team."
Fernandez also denies, again, any contact with major Spanish clubs in Barcelona and Madrid.
--------------------------
Following the Jarrett Jack mold, would you flip the #22 and Rudy for a pick in the early-mid teens and draft Xavier Henry? Or has he sunk his trade value to Sergio-esque levels at this point?
-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter
about 2 years ago
Ben Golliver
154 comments
0 recs |
Email
PrintComments
It's a shame Rudy Fernandez is so deluded over his own talent.
He would probably be a useful role player otherwise.
Silver linings. Silver linings. Silver linings.
totally agree
plus the line about not being given more responability is idiotic, corrct me if i am wrong but didnt Rudy start Game one and two for us this year and basically not show up……i mean seriously Rudy, ya couldnt even hit a three and thats all you do well.
by blazerbeliever97504 on May 27, 2010 10:17 AM PDT up reply actions
He's worth a lot more than that
Hopefully Rudy does well with the Spanish national team this offseason and comes back with his head on straight.
We are disappointed in Rudy not because we think he can’t but because we KNOW he can do better.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
by skywaker9 on May 27, 2010 9:06 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Do we know that?
Rudy feels “entitled” to the star treatment he’s received in Spain. And in Spain, he deserves it I guess. But in the NBA, he is a mediocre defender, 1 dimensional scorer, and doesn’t have the mental or physical toughness to fight for what he thinks he deserves. I don’t think he will have the opportunities he had this again in PDX. If he couldn’t take advantage of them this year, why do folks think he might next time?
I like Rudy, wish he could put it together. But I don’t think he’ll wing rings in the NBA.
future picks
I’d take a future first round pick, especially if they can’t land James.
speak up, I can't hear you, sonny...
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
What do you want Rudy?
This team has given you many chances and you haven’t delivered often enough.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
Rudy, #22, other parts?
The most sensible thing here would be to trade to Minnesota for their #1 pick. May have to sweeten pot a little, but does Rudy help Kahn get Rubio over stateside? Two Spanish connection guys surely would get fannies in the seats, which is always a big consideration for owners as well..
I don't know enough about the Wolves or the salaries.
but I’d trade him for Brewer. Don’t know if Corey would sulk being on the bench, but he’d be a good Batum backup.
dinasour type of guys choir boys
The Portland Trail Blazers don't need another defensive-minded small forward with bad handles, ...
as Martell Webster is already on the roster providing that (dis)service.
by AK1984 on May 27, 2010 10:11 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
They need a non-defensive shooting guard with no handles even less.
But I just remembered that Brewer was a top ten pick, so he probably makes 2 million a year more than Rudy.
dinasour type of guys choir boys
by mittsabishy on May 27, 2010 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions
now i'm mad at rudy for not making enough money to be traded.
dinasour type of guys choir boys
by mittsabishy on May 27, 2010 11:38 AM PDT up reply actions
that's why a Rudy+Martell deal makes sense
unless KP deals #5 to move up in the draft
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Ah Rudy....
….It was a trying season for a lot of people on The Blazers. The clumsy integration of Miller and the constant injury made role establishment difficult for everyone.
So I can forgive him his frustration.
But to say you never got a chance? With Brandons injuries, and Outlaw and Blakes departure I think this team was dying for you to step it up consistently. You’ve got to earn and create your role though….
I think Portland spent a lot of The Phoenix Series waiting for you to contribute and you had your chance…
Come on Rudy. I know from your Rookie year and from your Olympic play that you are a better player than you showed last season. I don’t want you to go because I think you can help this team. But quit blaming your performance over the course of a seaon on a lack of opportunity. I think there were obviously stretches where line-ups and roles were being tweaked and ajusted….rapidly, unexpectedly and violently…but when you are on the court…you have to show you deserve a bigger role. I think you had opportunity you just did not make the most of it.
I like Rudy and if only because I don’t think we can get equal talent for him and because I think he has skills this team can really, really use…I’d rather he remain a Blazer, but the way he is talking sure makes it sound like he’s forcing The Blazers to at least consider trading him.
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
by Krang on May 27, 2010 9:16 AM PDT reply actions 6 recs
solid points
He was given plenty of opportunities, but unfortunately he slumped quite a bit. He is great when there is something to light a fire in him, but he needs to learn how to contribute when there isn’t.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ash.
Rudy flunked his final math exam and chooses to blame it on the principal...
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
by timbo on May 27, 2010 3:06 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
this is essentially my thoughts on the topic
rec
"In fact you might say that Ugly is the Blazers' secret weapon this year."
-Dave
As for the Blazers...They are officially the NBA equivalent of a movie serial killer
-basketbawful
My thoughts exactly. I still like Rudy, but think he is being pretty obtuse right now. How did he not get a chance? He started in the playoffs.
"What people need to know is that those pictures were taken a year and a half ago, and I've grown since then." - Greg Oden
by dario argento on May 29, 2010 5:22 PM PDT up reply actions
I think we have to step outside of blazersedgedom for a second and really think from the perspective of another team
You are another GM, you just saw Rudy’s performance in the playoffs given starter’s minutes against a defensively challenged team. You hear the griping, the complaining. You get the feeling he would bolt to Spain if you haven’t added enough Spaniards to your roster by the time his contract is up. You know (because he has made it very clear) he is not happy filling a “role” and must be a featured player on your team in order to be successful. And most importantly, you know the blazers are looking to get rid of the guy (I guess that’s a bit of an assumption, but is it that big of a stretch?) this summer.
Now, what would you offer the blazers for a player like that?
The Blazers as a whole are far more like my wife than like me in the sense of their physicality on defense.
-Dave
three dollars, a ball of twine and a Rik Smits trading card.
"I'm a man, but I can change.....if I have to......I guess." - Red Green
by antediluvian on May 27, 2010 9:33 AM PDT up reply actions
Rik Smits? who do you think I am, some kind of sucker?
Make it Dale Davis and you my friend have got a deal!
Seriously though, I’m pretty sure what pushed the sergio deal over the edge last year was a pack of smokes.
The Blazers as a whole are far more like my wife than like me in the sense of their physicality on defense.
-Dave
Depends on who you call
David Kahn might give up his pick for the the #22, Rudy, Martell, and maybe some cash or a future pick or the rights to Claver or something like that. He needs a SG and a wing in the worst way.
If you call the GM of the Sixers who have Iggy and can draft Turner they are probably not terribly interested. Or the GM of the Jazz who has two SGs who aren’t brilliant but still very solid and young.
Reportedly the Hawks (#24) are outright selling their pick, so maybe an affluent team like the Blazers, Mavs or Rockets could outright buy that pick and re-package it. Another team might to it too.
yeah, I would argue Rudy alone doesn't hold much value
But as part of a package, the deals you suggested are absolutely possible.
I’m not sure if Rudy is more of a deal sweetener or a contract/numbers filler in regards to making a deal happen right now though.
I’m trying to think of an established team Rudy would start for or a young, up and coming team that would give that spot to Rudy as opposed to drafting a more talented prospect and letting them develop there. Lets face it, Rudy isn’t happy with minutes if they’re not “starter minutes” and he’s not happy being the starter by default (due to injury). I think he wants to be the man. Problem is, a lot of teams have their best player at SG and Rudy has not had success as a SF or a PG (albeit in small doses) so taking an extremely limited guard like Rudy with defensive issues…I just don’t know who goes after him
The Blazers as a whole are far more like my wife than like me in the sense of their physicality on defense.
-Dave
No, but I'll consider trading Wayne Ellington for Fernandez
Ellington is the spot up shooter. he also quietly efforts on defense, and most importantly, understands his role, and got better as the season went along.
Frankly, in some ways I’m not sure Fernandez is worth all the agita, but I might do it for the flair. And the off-chance that it makes Rubio more comfortable, though I think that idea is radically overblown.
We Are the Washington Generals
by Eric in Madison on May 28, 2010 9:33 AM PDT up reply actions
Yes and No...
While as I said above, I’d rather keep Rudy, because I do think getting equal talent for him would be very difficult, I don’t know if it’s all that impossible.
Even when complaning, Rudy has always honored his contract and stopped short of demanding a trade. You can worry about what other GM’s might think about recent " Lost in Translation" Translations…but Rudy has also said that it’s always been his dream to play in The N.B.A.. His performance in the playoffs and last season as a whole probably has lessened his trade market value. But you could also speculate that some GM’s are going to have longer memories and remember the Rudy Fernandez from 2 seasons ago, and also the Rudy Fernandez they saw in the Olympics.
Therefore, while I kind of wish Rudy would stay, and I think he can re-emerge and help this team, I don’t think it’s a hopeless situation. Even if The Blazers do look to trade him, I think he has value, maybe not as much as he might of held after his rookie season, but still he probably would be coveted by a lot of teams.
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
I think he has value, maybe not as much as he might of held after his rookie season
Last year at this time Portland could’ve gotten Goren Dragic and change for Rudy
but back then, KP would’ve been taken to task by Bedgers for underselling Fernandez
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Maybe
if he had made some shots or showed some sort of basketball ability he would have got more playing time. Seriously though, cry me a river, dont talk about being deceived. If you were a great player you would get playing time. Any coach isnt going to sit a player who they think can really play.
I hope I can get a bunch of championships, like 15. " - Greg Oden
Counterpoint: Don Nelson
He’s my go to exception to every rule.
dinasour type of guys choir boys
by mittsabishy on May 27, 2010 10:53 AM PDT up reply actions
dont talk about being deceived
It makes me wonder what Rudy was told back in his preliminary meetings with KP and Paul Allen after the draft in 2008. Were promises made to Fernandez that Nate couldn’t keep?
“Say anything” to convince him to sign on the dotted line, then when he gets to fall camp and realizes what the reality of his role is gonna be it’s too late for him to reconsider?
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
he WAS given a chance and did jack didley with it
When Brandon Roy was hurt this year and out for a while (regular season and the playoffs), not to mention when Batum was out, Rudy got a chance to play, a lot more minutes, and a much more featured role in the offense – and he did NOTHING to impress.
Bottom line is – he’s not a guy that takes people off the dribble and gets to the rim…he shoots 3s and floats on the perimeter, and takes chances on defense. Unless he’s willing to get more physical on both ends of the floor and attack more, he doesn’t deserve a more featured role
One play in particular that stands out, I can’t remember which game but it was this last season (they all meld together when you watch 82+ games a year), but Rudy beat a guy off the dribble on a swing pass, got all the way to the rim, and easily could have finished or drawn a foul, but instead kicked it out to the corner for a 3. When he passed it, he was AT THE RIM, it was an easy finish, and he totally bailed and passed out. That kind of play isn’t going to win us playoff games, period.
by rip_city_swagger on May 27, 2010 9:51 AM PDT reply actions
and I've been saying for some time...
he still holds value around the league and is on a very affordable contract, I say we use him as a sweetner with JPEC or something and get value for him while we can, before he bolts and goes back to play pro ball in Spain…we can find another decent wing
by rip_city_swagger on May 27, 2010 9:53 AM PDT up reply actions
Bayless may make mistakes
and have his off games, but I don’t ever remember seeing him mope around the court like Rudy did. Jerryd always brings intensity and effort. Mistakes will lessen with time, that consistent fire and effort is worth a lot.
I agree with ralphzillo below, should have moved him already.
shooters need ryhthm
a lot more than slashers do. It’s gotta be easier for Bayless to come in off the bench and get his. AND Rudy, already having proven himself in europe, probably feels less like doing it again than J-bay does on his rookie contract.
But I think there are two issues for Rudy:
1. Rudy needs to suck it up if he wants to be an NBA player.
2. Rudy needs to run.
by botanyjames on May 27, 2010 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions
Bayless might have started, but with BRoy out of the rotation Rudy definitely got more minutes
by rip_city_swagger on May 27, 2010 1:45 PM PDT up reply actions
but starting probably meant a lot to Rudy
and he was “passed over” by someone below him on the team’s depth chart
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Bayless got all of the starting opportunities until the playoffs
that’s why Rudy’s family left PDX, according to amlmart1. They saw the writing on the wall that the Blazers weren’t going to advance Fernandez
I’m not questioning Nate’s decision, I’m sure he had his reasons. But “not starting Rudy at the 2” when Roy was out was the final straw that drove in the wedge between #5 and the coaching staff. After that, Rudy was lonely and lost confidence, and his FG% took a dive
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
When he passed it, he was AT THE RIM, it was an easy finish
This was Sergio’s favorite move as well…perhaps it’s a Spanish thing?
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
nope...
rondo did this constantly his first few years in boston. simmons used to murder him for it regularly.
Another player that KP waited too long to move
if KP is let go, one of the reasons will be moving guys after their stock went down.
Rudy looks to be in that category.
Although moving up to get one of the better shooting guards is a good deal – we need a quality back-up for Roy.
Really?
With this logic, it sounds like you are saying KP should trade all our best players away.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ash.
Ya that is quite an odd take, i agree
The only chance K.P. had to move him “earlier” would hve been at the trade deadline last year and everyone would have been upset that we never found out what Rudy had in him.Well guess what, we know……he has a whiny european in him. Why are Euro’s such soft players…….
by blazerbeliever97504 on May 27, 2010 10:22 AM PDT up reply actions
trade deadline this year.
I think you could make a case Travis would have been more valuable in the playoffs than Rudy. I’d prefer outlaw over rudy for next year’s team too.
Webster is too inconsistent for any reliable role on a playoff team.
By far
there were many times we needed someone to attack the basket and score, Rudy looked tenative. Outlaw may drive me crazy with his shots but I would rather have that than someone who is afraid of shooting.
I hope I can get a bunch of championships, like 15. " - Greg Oden
Travis attack the basket?! You mean spot up?
by botanyjames on May 27, 2010 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions
right
at the most Outlaw will dribble up closer to his defender and shoot a falling away jumper. Webster is more of threat to drive all the way to the rim than Catfish
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Remember when
We were afraid of losing Rudy and trav was torching other teams?
by doomsdaymachine on May 27, 2010 7:11 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Travis would have been more valuable in the playoffs than Rudy
KP couldn’t have substituted Rudy for Travis in the Camby deal. Outlaw’s EC was more desirable to the Clips than Fernandez’ contract and skillset
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Agreed.
Not saying it worked in that trade, and clearly needed Camby more than outlaw or fernandez.
I think for me, the NBA seems like a really tough place to work. I don’t think the same kind of support is available to Rudy here that he is used to. Gotta be a strong confident aggressive person to make your way in the NBA, and Rudy just … seems a little gun shy somehow. Not so much on the court, but all this talk about how there was turmoil and it prevented him from playing well.
Look at the Magic right now. If they let a little turmoil shut them down, they’d have been swept. Rudy doesn’t have that mental confidence to believe in his own success despite all the distractions. It’s the coach’s fault for not trusting him more, the organizations fault for not running a system that plays to his strength etc.
I think Bayless looks at a situation like this and says “hey, fine, doubt me all you want, bench me, jerk my minutes around. but when I get in the game, I’m playing my hardest and doing my best to fit into the system around me. I WILL get my playing time.” And he earns it by that attitude. Whereas Rudy lets it pass him by. Gotta own it, and be accountable.
sounds like you are saying KP should trade all our best players away.
Not all of them, just the ones that aren’t keepers
It’s up to the GM, scouts and coaches to ID the keepers and deal the non-keepers before most of their trade value is gone
KP knew that there was going to be trouble with Rudy and tried to deal him, but Paul wasn’t willing to part with #5 at the time
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Really? When did this happen?
KP knew that there was going to be trouble with Rudy and tried to deal him, but Paul wasn’t willing to part with #5 at the time
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ash.
Before March, so probably at the trading deadline
"Paul Allen, just like I said, he loves our team, but if Rudy it´s not his favorite he´s definitively one of his favorites. And that´s one reason why Rudy is considered untradable. The opposite teams wanted Rudy Fernandez …broke the deal, Paul Allen, our management, say no way, Rudy is untradable, it´s like Brandon Roy.
http://www.blazersedge.com/2010/2/19/1317525/jason-filippi-interviewed-by-marca
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
isn’t it a little early to give up on him? He could possibly been in a sophomore slump coming off a back injury. He’s a cheap back up.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ash.
you only want players who want to be on your team
Rudy has passed that milepost, a way’s back
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
who said this?
"If I was told right out when I had my meetings that I would be a backup, then I wouldn’t have come here," XXXXX told Yahoo! Sports this week.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ash.
by Name's Ash on May 27, 2010 3:25 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Miller
but once Andre signed his contract he was stuck competing against Blake in fall camp, and when Nate chose Steve as his starting PG Dre had to suck rocks and like it
Fortunately, McMillian and Miller got “all of that” sorted out on Jan 7
Maybe Rudy needed to shout profanities at Nate to get his attention, too?
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
maybe Rudy and Nate might still sort it out.
a little over a million dollars seems like it’d be worth the risk, given what Rudy has proven to be capable of doing.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ash.
Rudy's still a tremendous bargain
which is why it’s likely his low contract and (seemingly) untapped potential will help KP move up in the draft, like he’s planning to do
but I think Fernandez has played and talked his way out of Portland, unless the Blazer’s owner isn’t fed up with his act, yet. We’ve seen players like Sergio and Jarrett Jack complain about their roles/PT and get a quick ticket out of town, in the past
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
actually i think his logic is pretty sound
he’s not arguing that the blazers should move every player but that they should consider whether a player’s value to other teams has exceed the value they are likely to bring the blazers.
i think it’s hard to argue that rudy didn’t have more trade value last summer than he has in future value to the Blazers right now.
But you are still limited to the actual value of their contract, which in Rudy’s case, isn’t that much.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ash.
there was the option of coupling him with another deal
i think last summer he was a tantalizing enough prospect that a team would consider taking rudy + filler for something.
however given the link that two4larue posted before, pritchard may never have had the option to deal rudy.
Another player that KP waited too long to move
KP didn’t wait to try to move him, Paul Allen wouldn’t allow Fernandez to be traded
Don’t blame KP for this mess, unless you blame him for failing to convince the owner to sign off on the deal
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Because I read BE
“Paul Allen, just like I said, he loves our team, but if Rudy it´s not his favorite he´s definitively one of his favorites. And that´s one reason why Rudy is considered untradable. The opposite teams wanted Rudy Fernandez …broke the deal, Paul Allen, our management, say no way, Rudy is untradable, it´s like Brandon Roy.
http://www.blazersedge.com/2010/2/19/1317525/jason-filippi-interviewed-by-marca
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
and he's an employee of the organization
that’s just a big “yikes” on so many levels.
that's what I said when I saw it
I’ll bet Jason didn’t think his comments would make it back to the US, and I imagine he got a tongue-lashing from KP about how loose lips sink ships
That interview was back in March, so I’m hoping Paul has come his senses re: Rudy, after what transpired in the post season
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I am sick of Rudy and his complaining about PT...he is a nice player but he is a one dimensional player
who trade value is not that high. Rudy is strictly a 3point shooter who can’t play defense. Portland is able to hide his on court faults because of the talent on the roster. You can bet that other GM know this as well. He was given every opportunity during the first 4 games of the Phoenix series and all Blazer fans know how that panned out. I am not bashing the guy because I am a Rudy Fernandez fan but enough is a enough………………..
COME ON MAN
Kenneth Lewis Moore
Maybe memphis will give us Zach Randolph for Rudy
I hear he finally got his head on straight and he had a good year in Memphis.
On an unrelated note, anyone know anything fun to do in Indiana?
I hope I can get a bunch of championships, like 15. " - Greg Oden
don't go to greg's mom's house
she don’t even have the cables.
dinasour type of guys choir boys
by mittsabishy on May 27, 2010 11:35 AM PDT up reply actions
I know the lasting image of Rudy was the Rudy we saw in the Playoffs
A shooter who was afraid to shoot. But if we look back at the season as a whole, I think a different picture comes up. At the end of last year, and over the summer Rudy told the Blazers and the media that he would like a larger role in the offense. According to the Blazers, they wanted Rudy to play a larger part of the offense in the coming season, so it would stand to reason that we all expected more from Rudy this season. Now that didn’t happen, so what or who is to blame? So far, it seems that most of us fans have decided on Rudy to blame, but looking back I see some very good reasons that maybe the team is just as much, if not more to blame than Rudy is for this lower production this season.
First, lets look at what Rudy did last year.
Mins: 25.6
PPG: 11.3
RPG: 2.7
APG: 2.0
3PT%: 40%
FG%: 43%
FT%: 84%
FTA: 143, 1.8 per game
This was a good rookie year, but Rudy wanted more, the Blazers wanted more from Rudy, and everyone agreed, or so it seemed. In his rookie year, the lowest amount of minutes Rudy averaged for one month was 24 mpg in Jan, in his second season Rudy averaged over 24 mpg in only 2 months, October, (27mpg, 3 games) and March, (25.4mpg, 7 games) a total of only 10 games. That is the first telling sign that the team, and specifically Nate were not completely truthful about their plans for Rudy last summer, both to the fans and to Rudy himself.
Now some might say that Rudy’s play didn’t justify him playing more than 25 mpg this year, lets look back to the first month, (plus the 3 games in Oct) of this season, when Rudy had the ‘clean slate’ if you will to make his mark and show that he was ready for increase responsibility, and when coach Nate had no reason yet to not give it to him.
Mins: 23.6
PPG: 8.9
RPG: 2.7
APG: 2.3
3PT%: 39.2%
FG%: 43.3%
FT%: 82.8%
FTA: 35, 1.8 per game
Those look pretty close to his “good rookie” year numbers, all but the reduced minutes that is. This is what i don’t understand, Rudy was the same player as last year, for the first month of the season, but even with Nic Batum out of the lineup, he still wasn’t able to get more minutes than last year, infact coach Nate cut his minutes to make room for….Steve Blake? Miller? Bayless? Outlaw? How about all of the above.
It is my belief that coach Nate failed to incoorperate Rudy, as well as almost every other important piece, in the offense early in the season, this lead to Rudy being unsure of his role, and reduce production from him once he came back from injury. Rudy could have and should have helped the situation by not dwelling on it, and just playing his heart out every minute he was on the court, but I can see why he didn’t give his all for his current coach.
How long will it take Coach Nate to realize he is hurting this team by being indecisive with his players? How long will it take him to stop saying, “my door is always open” and start saying, “I spoke to ‘player x’ today about his role because we need him”. The first month of the 09-10 season was a time where this team had almost everyone healthy, (only Batum was injured) and yet it had the most rotation and lineup changes of almost any month during the season. Nate reminded me of a little boy who had too many toys to play with, so instead of playing with the red fire engine that he loved the most, he played with 5 or 6 other toys as well, dividing his attention and getting less enjoyment over all.
Ben II Blazersedge.com || New to Blazers' Edge?
by usmcr3049 on May 27, 2010 11:31 AM PDT reply actions 3 recs
Nate and Brandon aren't going anywhere
And Bayless outplayed Rudy to gain more PT at the 2
I can see why Rudy’s frustrated, in fact, I saw this “perfect storm”coming over a year ago. Nothing has changed except there’s more water under the bridge and Fernandez has come to the conclusion that the Blazers aren’t going to give him the opportunity that he expected when he joined the team in ’08.
There’s plenty of blame to go around, but the divorce is now overdue
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
This response is to bth Two5larue and antediluvian
Bayless didn’t out play Rudy in the 1st month of the season, which is where Nate should have been focusing in on a set rotation. That was before all of the major and minor injuries except for Batum.
Bayless stats for Oct and Nov this year?
Mins: 9.3
PPG: 4.9
APG: 1.1
RPG: .7
FG%: 47%
3PT%: 20%
FT% 71%
FTA: 31
And another important fact, GAMES PLAYED: 12 of a possible 19! Bayless was not out playing Rudy at that point in the season, he was barely even playing! Travis didn’t out play Rudy because he wasn’t even playing past mid November with his foot injury, so who exactly was out playing Rudy so bad? No one.
Lets not just focus on the playoffs when it comes to Rudy’s season. The guy played as well as he did in his rookie year at the beginning of the year, yet his coach still cut his minutes after telling him and the world through the media that he wanted to get Rudy more involved. Actions speak louder than words, and coach Nate’s actions said “i don’t trust you Rudy”. We have seen this throughout Webster’s career in Portland, same with J.Jack, Sergio, and any number of other players Nate has jerked in and out of the lineup. Rudy is the most talented of those players which makes it even more of a crime.
But here is the real problem I see about coach Nate and his inability to determine a quality rotation, even though he is given plenty of talented players to choose from. Steve Blake’s numbers from Oct and Nov of this year
MINS: 29.1
PPG: 7.6
RPG: 2.6
APG: 4.0
FG% 38%
3PT%: 36%
FT%: 71%
FTA: 21
How is Blake playing 30 mins a night while producing like that? Before the year started, Nate said that he wanted Rudy to start the offense more, so he should have been seeing some of these minutes that Blake got to stink up the court on a nightly basis.
I lay the blame for the start of this season, and all of the ripples it had, squarely at the feet of Nate McMillan. His indecision cost this team dearly in so many ways, the start of Rudy’s poor play is just one of them.
Ben II Blazersedge.com || New to Blazers' Edge?
I am a little puzzled by your assertion that Rudy was afraid to shoot
Although that impression was there at times in these playoffs Rudy actually shot more times per minute in these playoffs than his rookie season either regular or playoffs. And he shot a better % as well. Rudy’s offense was fine. His offensive rating was the best on the team in the playoffs (not counting garbage time players).
His defense in the playoffs was horrid as was Andre, Juwan, Nic, Brandon and Jerryd (all over 120 rating) but the Suns are a bad match up for Rudy and everyone else with both Dudley and Richardson being 3-point shooters Rudy got the blame for their lights-out shooting. It was not just Rudy. I did not see anyone able to defend that team. And even the Lakers are having a tough time with them also. Koby is considered one of the best defensive 2’s in the game and his defensive rating for the playoffs is worse than Richardson’s and J-Rich has a 133 rating on offense as well. Rudy did shoot the ball well from 3 in the playoffs but he was over matched.
Maybe Nate is a bad coach. Maybe Phil Jackson could have wrung 51 games out of this minefield this year. But the team’s loss of Batum and its worst-possible timing also is credited with a major blow to roster plans chemistry on the team. I simply do not see siding with a whiner at any time. You parents know how that works out. You use two whiners to make your point and it loses its zing because other players accepted their role in a kaleidescope of roster juggling to will the team to wins. This year is a do-over for everyone. As Dave has noted there are no major changes that can improve them nearly as much as having everyone healthy again and now also with Marcus able to provide length once again to defend the paint and allow the perimeter defenders to stay out on their men. Juwan Howard, bless his heart, was not that presence.
I simply do not see siding with a whiner at any time.
If they bring Rudy back next fall and he’s given 25 mpg, it will completely undermine what Nate said last fall about players needing to earn their PT and make sacrifices for the good of the team
Which is why I don’t expect Rudy to be back next fall. But the owner still gets the final say
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I disagree completely
Fan’s view of Rudy is not the players view. We fans are fanatic, we get upset because Oden made a sandwich during a game and missed part of it, because “we” would never do that. We get upset when an injured player doesn’t watch every game or sit on the bench at every home game, while NBA players barely notice them even if they are there. We read everything that is available about our team, even the stories from non-legit sources and websites, while the players may watch sportcenter, and read a newspaper or two at the most. I’m willing to wager that 90% of the blazers roster from last season hasn’t read or heard about what Rudy has said yet.
But that is not even why I believe Rudy should be back and be playing close to 30 mins a night next year, he is a better player that those around him currently. Between Bayless, Rudy, and Webster I want Rudy on the floor, then Bayless, with Webster riding the pine at this point. I am not against using one or all three of these players to upgrade the bench, but as it sits right now, Rudy brings an energy to the floor when he is right, that neither Bayless or Webster do consistantly enough.
Ben II Blazersedge.com || New to Blazers' Edge?
we'll see if you're right
but I suspect the reverse is true, and Rudy will be moved during this offseason
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I think you are not looking at what I am looking at.
First I am looking at the beginning of this season, not the season as a whole, and not the playoffs, (as a side note, take away Rudy’s best two games in the playoffs, where he shot well once the team was in big hole, and he basically didn’t shoot at all. In those two games he show 14 times, in the rest of the games combined he shot 13 times.) I am looking specifically at the beginning of the year because I am trying to see things from Rudy’s perspective, and I am seeing that the guy has valid reasons to be upset over how he was used this year.
Nate’s greatest failure this season was at the beginning of the year, sure over the course of the year once he roster was depleted of all other options he settled on a rotation and the players responded. I just wish he would have done that at the beginning when his rotation would have been Roy, Oden, Miller, LMA, Webster, with Joel, Outlaw, and Rudy off the bench. Instead he kept them all in limbo with his constant indecision until injuries made the rotation Roy, Howard, LMA, Webster, Miller, with Blake, Rudy, Pendergraph and Cunningham off the bench. That is a big talent drop off in my view. One of Nate’s greatest strengths as a coach is rallying the troops, the Blazers have been good under him out of timeouts, after losses, and when they are the underdog. But I am tired of being the underdog, I want a dominate team, and for that we need the coach to know how to coach a dominate team.
Ben II Blazersedge.com || New to Blazers' Edge?
that was exactly it
for that large stretch of the early season, Steve Blake was playing almost 30 minutes a game – most of it at shooting guard in the 3-guard lineup. I remember calling over and over again at the time that if you wanted to play 3-guards, why not Rudy at the 2 instead of Blake? It made no sense then, and like you say, it likely contributed to the further downward spiral that occurred later.
"I want to be traded to a contender" is almost always code-speak for "I'm a loser."
-Dave, 2/5/2010: http://www.blazersedge.com/2010/2/5/1297509/no-amore-for-amare
Nate should be fired
If for no other reason than playing Blake ahead of Miller from day one. Borderline criminal.
if you’re looking for a reason for the reduced minutes…..I would put it on 2 things.
1. Injury. Even a few games of reduced minutes brings down the season average of minutes per game when you miss a quarter of the season.
2. Improved play of Bayless. While I’m not a Bayless homer, I do think he is less one-dimensional than Rudy.
"I'm a man, but I can change.....if I have to......I guess." - Red Green
by antediluvian on May 27, 2010 3:01 PM PDT up reply actions
To be honest
I think it was the Andre Miller signing that doomed Rudy’s season. If the Blazers don’t sign Miller, Rudy gets 30+ minutes a game this past season and we would have had a better idea of just what Rudy can and can’t do. This is why I was never in favor of signing Miller in the first place because I wanted to see what Bayless and Rudy could have done with bigger minutes in a 3 guard rotation with Roy…especially knowing that we are still realistically about a season away from possibly becoming legit contenders, at which point Miller will either no longer be a Blazer, or will no longer have what it takes to get the Blazers to the next level (even though I would argue that he currently doens’t have what it takes to get us far into the playoffs).
disagree
the Miller signing should have meant Blake went from 30 minutes a game to about 15. Instead what happened is Blake kept his 30, playing a large chunk of it off the ball at the 2-guard spot.
It wasn’t the Miller signing that hit Rudy’s minutes, it was Nate’s decision to use Blake as a shooting guard alongside Miller.
"I want to be traded to a contender" is almost always code-speak for "I'm a loser."
-Dave, 2/5/2010: http://www.blazersedge.com/2010/2/5/1297509/no-amore-for-amare
by douglast on May 28, 2010 10:04 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
exactly
Miller is a big upgrade over Blake, but Nate couldn’t see that for some reason. It took KP trading him for Nate to not play him 30 mins a night. It is amazing to me, just look at his minutes played from month to month.
Oct: 23.7(only 3 games)
Nov: 30.1
Dec: 30.4
He was injured 12/30, came back to play 23.2 mins per game for 11 games in Jan, and 18.8 in Feb before being traded to the Clips. Basically it took Blake getting injured and Miller running the show for a week for Nate to even consider reducing Blakes minutes on the court.
In contrast while on the clippers Blake averaged 26.3 mins/game, and that includes the last 3 games of the year where he played 46,42,42 mins in each game to bump his avg a bit higher. Nate inability to determine who his best players are, and set his rotation early to provide consistancy and proven roles for his players cost this team this year.
Ben II Blazersedge.com || New to Blazers' Edge?
Upon further thought...
Giving it more thought, I guess what bothers me isn’t so much Rudy saying he was disappointed, it’s Rudy saying he was deceived.
Deceived? Really? By whom? And How? What was promised to you or said, that hasn’t been provided?
This season at different points, we had so much injury that everyone had a chance at some time. I just can’t buy that Rudy didn’t get opportunity because he did.
Maybe it’s just translation. But deceived is a big word….Deceiving carries the connotations wrong doing, unfairness or even evil. I’m sure it was a tough season for Rudy….but was it an season where he was treated Unfairly?
I’m hoping it was just a translation glitch…or that Rudy explains what he means by “deceived”.
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
That's a good point. We should not over react to one translated word.
Deceived implies “lied to”, which I doubt happened.
It is not unusual in negotiations, where both sides are motivated to make a deal, that you emphasize the positives, both in words, and in your own mind. Rudy had idealized expectations, he took a pay cut to live the NBA dream. He probably had verbal assurrances of a real chance to play. But what he heard, and what exactly was available probably had some space between them. And, of course, performance is a factor; and the injury seemed to be a setback. Probably the change is style of play is a significant factor. So, I can read “deceived” as “expected something different than what happened”. But yes, a simple “Do you think the Blazers lied to you?” question, would allow Rudy to clarify rather nicely.
"You be realistic," Oden said. "I’m going to stay happy. All right?"
I assure you, the word he uses implies deceived or cheated.
Silver linings. Silver linings. Silver linings.
In fact
The reporter asks him if he feels deceived or cheated, and he replies both.
You can’t mistranslate those words either.
Silver linings. Silver linings. Silver linings.
You might want to review how fiercely KP wooed Rudy
in order to get him to agree to come over to the states instead of stay in Spain. Pretty sure that he must’ve made some pretty firm representations about opportunities to play for him to have decided to come over.
by howlingfantods on May 27, 2010 12:40 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm sure the Blazers told Rudy what they though he wanted to hear to get him to sign, back in '08
Just like Andre came away from the dinner in Vegas last July with the impression that he was going to be the Blazer’s starting PG, in the fall
It’s not personal, it’s just business
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
that is not business
That is unethical.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ash.
by Name's Ash on May 27, 2010 2:39 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I've been lied to in every job interview.
I usually lie right back.
“what’s my greatest weakness?”
“It’s probably that I work too hard.”
dinasour type of guys choir boys
you weren't signing a four-year contract
or so I imagine. Not that I’m crying for Rudy—but if he decides the job isn’t what he was promised, he can’t just quit and look for a new team.
it's called
the art of the deal
I’m not saying I like it, but it’s what makes the world go ’round
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
and it has consequences
like making it a bit harder to convince the guy you deceived to “accept his role” two years later.
I have no idea what the Blazers promised or implied to Rudy when they signed him, two years ago. But if they bent or broke the truth to get him here, they have no one to blame for the current situation but themselves.
I don't disagree with this
the Blazers made their bed with Rudy. This is why I have trouble believing that Claver will be persuaded to sign with Portland, in a year or two. Word gets around, in any language.
How do you say “fool me twice, shame on me” in Spanish?
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Beware of translation
As someone who has lived abroad and spent a lot of time being misunderstood in a language other than my native English, I urge us fans to be cautious about how we interpret what Rudy says in interviews. When he’s speaking in Spanish, the interview is translated by someone else and is prone to a lot of subjective judgments in the subtle nuance of language. It’s not always possible to “read into” Rudy’s comments in the same way that we can with players with whom we have in common a lifetime of shared language and culture.
Rudy didn’t say he was deceived. He said something in Spanish and someone else took the sentence and tried to find as close an English word as possible to convey the meaning. It’s not the same thing.
Granted, his season was disappointing and there’s a lot of reason to be uncertain about his future in Portland. But let’s be careful about pulling too much out of his spoken interviews and allow that we might be missing something in the translation.
by IntergalacticP on May 27, 2010 12:11 PM PDT reply actions
True enough. Amlmart1, you out there?
Can you validate the interpretation that Hoopshype translation provides? Does Rudy feel like he’s been deceived, fooled by the organization by not providing promised opportunities?
I’ve been giving Rudy a lot of slack over this last season. Sophmore slump happens. Back injuries are maybe-it-never-gets-better scary. But it seems like there is a consistent pattern of failing to take responsibility for his own destiny that seems to be consistent between the Spanish publications and the local ones. Repeat after me:
…aum…I have a contract…
…aum…I have a contract…
…aum…I have a contracl…
Right, I couldn’t even watch that whole clip. So there’s the same logic employed here that we needed to employ with the Hedo brush-off. If he doesn’t want to be here, we don’t want him to be here either. Part of wanting to be here is recognizing and accepting the role that’s available for you. I don’t think it’s even so much as starting although that’s part of it. He wants crunch time. He wants plays drawn up for him. I think he might be happy with a Manu-type role but on our team that would eat up enough minutes to bench Webster or Bayless entirely on top of his current floor time. He doesn’t seem to agree with the coaches or the fans that he didn’t manage to earn that this season. If he thinks he already deserves that… then he won’t ever work hard enough to actually achieve it.
I wish it weren’t so, but… maybe if this IS an accurate take on his feelings, saying goodbye is the only reasonable option for all parties involves. Trading him with a pick is a way to get tangible value out of him that is not reflected in his rookie scale.
Like the Whos down in Whoville they did it without boxes or ribbons or bows, they did without centers or posting down low. They won without All-Stars and Spaniards and Frenchmen. They won with old geezers and sub-par defense-men. They won playing rookies from deep off the benches. They won with their grit and their guts in the trenches. And some who observed them have been known to say that their hearts grew three sizes (at least!) on the way. One hopes with their poise and their passion now proven that once they are healthy their game will be groovin'.
With a pick and FOR a pick, since picks don't have a fixed $ value.
Like the Whos down in Whoville they did it without boxes or ribbons or bows, they did without centers or posting down low. They won without All-Stars and Spaniards and Frenchmen. They won with old geezers and sub-par defense-men. They won playing rookies from deep off the benches. They won with their grit and their guts in the trenches. And some who observed them have been known to say that their hearts grew three sizes (at least!) on the way. One hopes with their poise and their passion now proven that once they are healthy their game will be groovin'.
by conspirator5 on May 27, 2010 12:29 PM PDT up reply actions
*shrug* I don't blame him.
His poor performance is pretty much purely a function of playing the majority of his minutes with a ball-hog guard in Bayless. No one’s numbers look good next to JB when JB’s playing the 1 (which was the case the majority of the time with a JB/Rudy backcourt) since JB wants to score on every possession when he has the ball in his hands.
Compared to last season, when Sergio was always looking for Rudy, on breaks with Rudy trailing for open 3s, on cuts to the basket, as the outlets on dribble drives. Yeah, cold rude reality to suddenly be playing with someone like JB, who only passes as a bailout after realizing he’s about to get blocked.
by howlingfantods on May 27, 2010 12:43 PM PDT reply actions 3 recs
It's too easy at this point
Let’s just get him off the team for pennies on the dollar and call it a learning experience. Rudy checked out when Sergio left, I’m a little surprised that’s not more obvious.
The Leeroy Rule: being insistent >>>> being correct
One of the funny things about fans and press talking about sports
is the tendency for people to ascribe moral causes to events that happen or don’t happen because of the skillset of the player discussed.
Rudy didn’t “check out” when Sergio left; he became less effective because he needs a playmaking point guard who understands how to create open 3 point shots for him. Rudy has a lot of skills, but creating open jumpers for himself is very much not one of them, but he ended up trying to do so a lot since he knew this year he had to create shots for himself, Bayless sure wasn’t going to create shots for him.
by howlingfantods on May 27, 2010 1:21 PM PDT up reply actions
sure, blame Jerryd for playing well this year
There’s no doubt that Sergio looked for Rudy a lot during Fernandez’ rookie year…in fact, Rodriguez looked for Rudy at the expense of passing the ball to the other 3 Blazers on the floor
Sergio is not a defender so he was moved. Rudy can’t create his own shot so guess what?
He’s gonna get moved, too
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Yeah, fair enough, he did look out of sorts in the games against Phoenix.
Although I thought it was less disinterest and more just a complete collapse in his confidence. He was afraid to shoot even when wide open and he looked almost panicked at times when he’d get the ball passed to him. Frye in the first few games of this Lakers/Suns series looked that way too, just total lack of confidence in his shot, translating to inability to do anything right.
Rudy’s far from my favorite player, but I do think the venom spewed his way this year is just as comically exaggerated as the adoration he got last year.
by howlingfantods on May 28, 2010 1:56 PM PDT up reply actions
Rudy really checked out when he didn't get the chance to start at SG
when Roy tweaked his hammy
The whole idea of “weve gotta have two Spaniards on the roster because they get lonely if they’re by themselves” is silly. (and the flip side is…let’s trade Rudy to the Wolves and then Rubio will want to join his amigo)
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Can Zorro shoot 3-pointers?
or will he complain if he doesn’t get to start?
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Yes, and next year, Rudy will moonlight between games on horse, in black, with a sword. Here at BE, we’ll interpret this night gallivanting as a sad attempt at imitating batman, who possess high trade value and will consequently fill us with remorse by the state of things. We’ll then launch our bat signal out of distress that looks like this.
by EvilKaramazov on May 27, 2010 2:57 PM PDT up reply actions
Who didn't see this coming? Be honest now...raise you hand
then do a face palm with it
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Oh BTW, that descending note that you hear
is Rudy’s trade value plummeting, 5 weeks before draft day
Thanks a lot, Fernandez. Don’t go away angry, just go away
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
It would be moronic to trade Rudy at this point. I mean what are we suppose to do? Not draft good players
anymore because they might not get to be the star? What would be the point in bringing new talent for Rudy if all we are going to do is bench the new guy, never give him a shot, and then trade him away too? SMH. Rudy needs to stop crying.
Not draft good players anymore because they might not get to be the star?
The goal of the GM isn’t to only acquire talented players who should be starters. Rosters that win championships are filled with stars, starters, and players who accept their roles—and the largest category is the 3rd one. Too many young players who are unhappy with their PT only leads to locker room discontent.
This is roster-building 101
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
"It would be moronic to trade Rudy at this point. I mean what are we suppose to do? Not draft good players "
we should draft good players… like drafting aaron brooks back in 2007 over a guy that not only wasn’t nearly the best player available but was clearly not going to be a long term fit given that he played the same position as the team’s star.
Rudy wanted to play in the NBA to see how he matches up against the best talent in the world.
Now we all know.
Send him to New York for a still-running 1970 Volkswagen Beetle… They are going to need cheap roster filler and his last best chance to avoid embarrassment in the NBA is to reunite with Sergio in a town that loves pretty boys…
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
Oh, I just read your post
and I love it. Actually New York is the spot for him; it provides non-stop service to Madrid, Barcelona and probably Mallorca. The trip from MSG to Barcelona is a scant 20 hours, a mere heartbeat for a love-sick adolescent like Rudy. A t-shirt, a speedo and away we go…..
the sad thing is
last year that would’ve worked, easily. The Blazers could’ve traded Rudy and moved up to 21 and drafted DC (instead of Rudy’s countryman, at 22)
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Chicago Bulls 17 pick?
The poster formerly known as Freethefro.
I've always thought Fernandez is a good complement for Rose,
but I think the development of Batum precludes Rudy at the 3 for extended stretches, and if you’ve got Roy…well, I’ve never really understood where and when Rudy was supposed to play. It may be time to get what you can. Henry or Anderson might be a nice replacement, or, if you’re commited to Roy and only Roy at the 2, what about just standing pat and hoping bledsoe falls? I’m a Bulls fan so I’m not overly familiar with your situation.
The poster formerly known as Freethefro.
Wow, Portland fans can turn as fast as any
He didn’t say a single thing that’s offensive. He had a disappointing season – ask anyone here – and he said he had a disappointing season. The NERVE! My gods, people must think he just got caught in a drug bust in Tennessee or something.
And by the way, exactly how many players does Nate have to misuse and lose before people stop blaming the players for “not stepping up,” or whatever. Nate wants Rudy to play ball just like Nate played. Or at least the way people remember Nate’s legend, because nobody really wants that slow, 6ppg point guard on our team.
Gods forbid we expect our coach to be able to recognize how different playing styles can work together and utilize each player’s strengths. No no no. If you don’t play boring nateball, you’ll just have to star for someone else.
If only Blazer fans would collectively turn their venom on the people who deserve it.
by sagcat on May 27, 2010 5:06 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Here's the funniest lines of the whole interview, translated correctly of course by yours truly
G.M.P. “Parece que al menos los aficionados están de su lado.”
“It seems like the fans are on your side at least.”
Rudy “– La afición siempre me ha demostrado todo su apoyo. Sin ir más lejos, fue increíble ver cómo me animaron el primer partido después de la lesión y así durante toda la temporada.”
“The fans have always given me their support. Without getting into it, it was amazing to see them cheer me on my first game back after the injury and the same for the whole season.”
Guffaw….Hoot….Chortle….Snort…..Gag…..
Which fans is he qualuuding to? The joke is he has certainly lost the fans because he never came back from the injury. Now after his despicable, low down, take the money and run playoff performance he’s all psyched up to win some hardware in Turkey. Talk about Turkey!
Well, Portland did promise Rudy the world...
but he probably didn’t deserve it. KP told him he wouldn’t get buried on the bench like Sergio, and to be fair, 23 minutes a game was generous and more than Rudy deserved. This is professional sports and nothing is for free. At least with Martell, he doesn’t start the blame game, he’s not complaining, demanding more minutes or a trade, even though he’d obviously love more minutes. At the end of the day, we need good shooters and I can’t see the sense in moving Martell if you’re not getting something pretty special in return.
by kanakatru on May 27, 2010 5:55 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Rudy knows very well what happens when you whine...he saw what happened to Sergio's career...
And he thinks it’s a good idea to emulate that?
Interesting show of emotions here
Having read all the contributions so far there are a few wise heads that are calm and a much larger contingent that want to run Rudy out of town on a rail with some wanting to tie Nate and or KP to the same rail. Can anyone read this a year from now and not be a bit uncomfortable?
We are asked if trading Rudy + something for a high pick in this draft is a good move. There is almost no discussion over which slot we might trade for and what player we might draft to replace Rudy and something else. There is intense diatribe against certain members of the team we all profess to support. All based upon a translation of an interview that seems to be negative. The player could not possibly have been misquoted. That never ever happens by journalists. The story could not possibly have been sensationalized. No journalist would ever stoop so low. The translation could never have been shaded by the translator. Those human errors never ever happen. I suggest we all relax and see what comes next.
I am ok with trading Rudy if the organization deems it valuable to do so. I am ok with keeping Rudy if the organization deems it prudent to do so. This is a player who makes less than $2M per year. A player that is a superb long-range shooter. We need more of those. I don’t see anyone in the draft that offers this sort of ready-to-play shooting to replace Rudy but perhaps there is someone and I trust the organization to assess this ability and deal accordingly. I think we are deep everywhere else but play-making point guards (able to set their teammates up with good shots ala Nash, Dragic, Rondo, etc) and there apparently are very few of those in this draft (maybe one). So my own limited view is to keep Rudy unless a great deal comes along that needs him to complete. A healthy Rudy fresh off the summer World Championships might have regained that confidence we prized so well just a year ago and the team will be better off with him here (or at least his value may have risen).
by lee3022 on May 27, 2010 11:45 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
I don't want to run him out on a rail
I want to trade him and the #22 for Ray Felton; a real NBA style player who can be signed for the MLE. Larry Brown’s Charlotte would be a very nice system for Rudy and Nate’s gameplan would fit the hard-nosed play of RF to a Tee. The 3 million PA spent on Rudy’s pick is Rudy’s only tangible connection to this team. He’s on the outside looking in.
We need offense, and Rudy can provide that
The problem was Nate’s love affair with Blake. NBA coaches have this fear of losing. A fear of leaving their comfort zone.
Miller should have started from day one. Webster plays for the injured Batum, Travis and Rudy are your first options off the bench for energy and scoring. Blake only enters the game sooner if Miller is in foul trouble.
20 of Blake’s 30 minutes a game should have gone to Rudy and Bayless.
Goodbye Rudy. You will be missed.
"What people need to know is that those pictures were taken a year and a half ago, and I've grown since then." - Greg Oden
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
NBA Playoffs Content Module
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recommended FanShots
Recent FanShots
In Association With
Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sport
- Behind the Box Score, where the Boston Celtics are moving on to the conference finals
- NBA Playoffs Fan Fiction: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
- The Indiana Pacers? Gone till November
- Shaquille O’Neal is in a Chinese beer commercial, too (VIDEO)
- ‘Deep Thoughts’ and Cheap Thoughts: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
