This appears to be a link about Rudy...and the Blazers...and some exciting news, but my Spanish isn't good enough. Could someone translate?
Rudy News?
Thanks to Henry from Truehoop for the link!
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)
Update: Summation from NightBlueFruit in the comment section and via e-mail: "It says nothing is official, but Rudy will soon confirm that he is coming to the NBA. Team sources confirm this."
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An updated translation (with editorial notes) from Jordan:
"Although not an open secret (Not exactly a secret), people in Badalona (a spanish region) were hoping that it wasn't true. Not yet official,
Marca.com (a spanish newspaper; they would be the American equivolent of a cross between the Enquirer and Wilamette Week), will announce that Rudy Fernandez will announce that he is going to the NBA, as he had already told DKV Joventut."
Sources confirm.....
The Portland Trail Blazers, who already have Sergio Rodriguez on their team, will be the new home of the Majorcan wing (point of contention, you're translator might be right, when I was in Spain I heard the word
frequently. I'm not sure what Majorcan is.....) Rudy will become the sixth Spaniard in the NBA during the 08/09 Season. (I don't know how accurate their facts are....seems like their are a lot more Spaniards.
"The second best player in the ACB (wha????????????) will get his dream of playing in the NBA. In the 23 years of the league, Fernandez will become the 8th Spaniard to play in the 'world league' (i think that is Spain trying to say that the NBA is a world league?)"
The Two Plus One Contract (I've never heard it described like that)
Like all rookies, Rudy Fernandez has a contract that guarantees two years plus the option of one more (I thought some rookies had 4 year deals, the last two team options?). Due to the position he was drafted, 24, but the Phoenix suns who then traded his rights to the Portland trail blazers), Rudy will earn a salary close to a million dollars, much less than he could have earned from a European Team.
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For all of those on both continents wondering about the financial thing, keep in mind that because of the Collective Bargaining Agreement the key to financial prosperity in the NBA is burning through your restrictive first contract as quickly as possible. Rudy will probably lose some money in the early part of his career, but if he's really that good it pales in comparison to what he could make later. But that later will never come if he delays coming to the NBA until his prime earning years. At that point he'd be at the peak of his earning power and still saddled with a rookie contract.
--Dave
