What´s the problem?
There´s a reason why the Wolves picked two Point Guards in a row, and why Rubio slipped to the 5th pick in the first place…everyone knew he would most likely stay in Europe.

Kahn didn´t blew this pick, he invested it.

And no reason to hate on Rubio, imo, the guy would have to pay his own buyout if he wanted to play in the NBA. No matter how you slice it, this is the best possible scenario for everyone involved.

Well, except for Big Al…

they drafted the guy based on his potential, and knew he may stay in spain for a while even though he clearly wants to play in the NBA.

they have his rights as long as he plays professionally, and assuming he develops, they can either trade him or sign him. i don’t see how leverage has been lost.

the article makes very little sense to me. this is one reason they also drafted johnny flynn ~ kahn is trying to acquire assets. Rubio is still one.

if he wasnt drafted with the 5th pick it wouldnt be such a big deal… but he’ll be 20 when he comes back and far more developed… this isnt as big as a blunder as the magic drafting fran vazquez #10 and him later saying he has no intention of ever wearing a magic jersey

As stated before THIS IS WHY they took so many PG’s in last years draft, and next year they’ll draft high again. Then eventually Rubio will just drop to them in his early 20’s. This is a good move in my book.

Kahn’s been very active so far this offseason, and has a ton of expiring contracts/projected cap space to show for it.

A core of Al, Kevin Love, Flynn, and some other youngsters (Gomes, Ellington, and defensive specialist Brewer) is not too bad at all.

I was never much of a fan of Foye either.

The TimberPups ain’t going anywhere in the next couple years and Flynn is more than capable of handling the PG duties in the interim.

Rubio now gets an extra 2 years of development and the Wolves don’t have to pay for it—in fact, they’ll get 2 extra years of greater production on the other end because of it.

It’s about perspective, Green17, and you’re taking a very short-sighted view.

Rubio will be 20 when he comes into the NBA. He will be a huge trading chip, even if MN doesn’t keep him, and in two more years he will be more experienced and fully developed. Plus, the Wolves save the 7-8 million dollars they would have had to pay him.

Who should they have taken with pick #5? Stephen Curry (undersized)? Jordan Hill (raw)? Demar DeRozan (who will be a huge flop IMHO)? They had no attractive alternative. And they gave up nothing of real value to get the pick. Foye was a flop at pg and too small to play sg, and Miller is an aging shooter who doesn’t play defense any more.

The real losers are NBA fans, because Rubio is an exciting player.

who among other things sexually harassed a fellow employee. This is more like Brian Shaw going to Europe.

I’m still trying to figure out how Kahn made a mistake here. People are not analyzing the sutuation correctly.

…i would have done the same. rubio is a legit talent and best potential star player available. you always draft the best available player always and if he won’t sign with your team, then ship him out to the best deal possible. simple as that.

in minny’s case, if he ain’t signing even after a year or 2, then for sure the knicks and other big market team will be drooling over the wolves rights to rubio.

imo, there’s no loss here. they have a back up plan as they’ve drafted flynn who’s also an explosive pg. i don’t see any big deal (bad) over kahns decision to draft the best talent available.

The Wolves are publicly committed to being bad for a year or two. Kahn wanted to gut pretty much everything that Mchale left him and start over. I think the Wizards trade was as much about getting rid of Foye and Miller as it was about who he’d get in return. I think Kahn wanted Flynn to be their point guard, but needed the PR of going after Rubio. I agree with the guy that said that Rubio was his investment, more for the future. I think Kahn had to publicly do his due dilligence like he wanted Rubio, but in the end I think this worked out exactly like he wanted…

kahn knew it was a long shot to get rubio so he drafted the sure thing in flynn and he stashed rubio overseas. Rubio was the most coveted pg in the draft so Kahn has a valuble “asset” that he can use if it turns out that rubio doesn’t play for minny. Would I have drafted Rubio? No, but I understand the reasons why they took him.

I think the article is shortsighted and one-sided. No problem with it making the front page though, that’s not my call.

When Rubio fell to 5, Kahn had to know it was unlikely he’d spend $5 million of his own money to come to Minnesota ASAP. So, his options were:

- Pass on the 2nd most talented player in the draft TWICE
- Draft Rubio and try to trade the pick, with every other GM trying to steal him in the belief Minny has no leverage
- Draft Rubio, then take another PG to hedge his bets. If Rubio comes, split time or move Flynn. If Rubio doesn’t come, see if Flynn is any good while you wait for Rubio. If Flynn stinks, move or bench him when Rubio comes. If Flynn’s good, move him or keep him at backup when Rubio comes. If Flynn’s great, move Rubio for a high pick or an established player or two.

Kahn picked C, which is probably the best option of the three. As it is, Kahn gets to give the rookie scale contract to a 21yo Rubio instead of a 19yo. Same price, better player. And they get to see how Flynn is first. Basically they got a top 3 pick in the 2011 draft and a PG to try in the interim.

Nothing wrong with the attempt given the situation Minny found themselves in.

I think one aspect of this that has been overlooked is the impression this makes on the rest of the team. Kahn has publicly stated that he doesn’t view the Timberwolves as contendors for the next two seasons and is willing to wait this out.

By making this statement and trading two veteran players (in regards to that team’s make-up) I think this is the big risk.

If you don’t think Al Jefferson is looking at the success in Boston and saying to himself “I wish I was still there” I believe you’re wrong. If you compare the way OKC has handled rebuilding compared to Minnesota, Sam Presti has rebuilt a team from scratch without demoralizing them. I think Kahn is flirting with instiling a “from the top down” mentality that the present is for development and not winning before the season has even started!

 I think Kahn is one “transitional” move away from the phrase “Al Jefferson requests trade…” being published.

While developing young players is paramount in the NBA, it should be handled in a more subtle manner than the way Kahn has represented Minnesota.

I also believe that this situation is much different from Red and Bird. Red had a proven track record of shrewd management. “Blowing it up” so to speak and saying that your team, as presently constructed, will not compete before opening night is no way to introduce yourself as a GM to a city that deserves better.

You make a valid point…perhaps I was going a bit far.

But, I can provide an even longer list of the European players, drafted by NBA teams over the years, that absolutely bombed.

On draft day, Danny never drafts anything other than home-grown {USA} talent!

is an exercise in futility. Take a gander over to sites like canishoopus or twolvesblog to see how peope are reacting who have followed it way too closely (like myself). It sucks and we’re pissed at Rubio, but I’d probably do it again…His potential is that ridiculous.

KAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHNNNNNN!!!!!

no Kahn do. Only the French Kahn-Kahn. Kahn’t wait for opening night.

1. No one knows how good Rubio will ever be, and calling him the second best player in one of the weakest drafts in recent memory isn’t saying much.

2. What if Flynn is a totally bust? Do you draft YET ANOTHER point guard next year? Do you spend the next two years playing the equivalent of Tyrone Lue at the position?

Mike

Some good debating here. Interesting topic. And with any good debate, there is a way to view either side being right.

This has been an unusual situation with an unusual player from the start.

My own thoughts are less formed because I just don’t have a solid opinion on just how talented and effective Rubio will actually be in the NBA over a career.

By all accounts this was a weak draft. Why not take a chance on a guy, Rubio, that could be an elite talent? Even if he never plays for you, it’s better than drafting a bench guy or bust. Minnesota can’t afford to play it safe.

So shipping him to Washington wasn’t a huge loss in my opinion. Mike Miller played the worst of his career in Minny and wasn’t a good fit. But the fact that trade turned into nothing (Rubio) when they could’ve had Stephen Curry as a dynamic shooting guard for years to come, Kahn’s lunacy is exposed. As if it wasn’t already apparent when he drafted Flynn and Rubio back to back.