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Suppose OKC offered Westbrook to the Wolves for Ricky Rubio straight up. They said a pass-first, do-everything PG would help their team, and a #1 scorer, great defender athlete would help our team.

Do you make that trade?

No ... not that I'm a homer, I just personally don't like Westbrook ( ) nor am I sold he has the leadership necessary to lead a team to a title. Skill and athleticism are high rate nonetheless.

Right now I think this trade would make both teams better. Long term I would rather have Rubio.

Westbrook is about to get PAID. I pass.

shrink, you used to be the guy who would trade someone about to be paid for a guy early on his rookie deal. This year, you seem to have gone the opposite direction (Williams/Gordon, Rubio/Westbrook). Why the change?

Klomp wrote:Westbrook is about to get PAID. I pass.

shrink, you used to be the guy who would trade someone about to be paid for a guy early on his rookie deal. This year, you seem to have gone the opposite direction (Williams/Gordon, Rubio/Westbrook). Why the change?

Guys have financial value if they are paid less than their contracts. Economists have pointed to two groups that are underpaid:

1. Rookies in general, led by rookies that play lots of minutes. They are under market because of limitations set by the rookie scale.

2. Superstars, who generate revenue for teams, on and off the court. They are under market because of limitations set by the max deal.

We all have our different definitions of what the word "superstar" means. Personally, I think there are only about 6-8 players that are superstars now, and maybe another 6-8 who have the potential or likelyhood to become superstars.

I posted this one because I think Westbrook, with his athleticism, drive, etc, has the potential and even likelyhood to become a superstar. Maybe not Derrick Rose level, but if he gets his head around the game, something close. However, we have had time to see the bad side too.

And I love Ricky too, and I'm beginning to realize he has the potential for superstardom as well. We've only seen 14 games though, so I don't think I'm willing to put his odds as good as Westbrook. We also haven't had time to see ricky's game get vetted over time as well.

It's a tough call for me. My head says Westbrook, because he does everything we need - defends, go-to-scorer, buddies with Love, etc. But my heart says Rubio, and he's already generating tremendous revenue for the Wolves. I posted the poll because I was curious what other people would say, and if their answer has changed dramatically over the last month?

They are definitely different in style of play. So it's more than just which player is better.

Rubio makes other players score more than they would with Westbrook.

If it's a one on one game, I'd take Westbrook all day long.

If it's 5 on 5, It not clear that the Wolves would be immediately better given their current roster.

The combo of Westbrook and Harden works. The combo of Rubio and anyone who can hit a jumper works.

I want them both trade Love for Westbrook. Start Westbrook and Rubio. Get a rebounder who can dunk to play center next to D Williams

If Westbrook had the intagibles of a guy like Derek Rose to go along with the athleticism, I would probably do it, but he reminds me of a guy like Marbury who would rather be the lead dog on a bad team than the #2 guy on a potentially great team. With that type of attitude, he'll never lead a team anywhere.

After waiting two years for Rubio, he's been everything I could have hoped for and then some. Given his strong intangibles and the sense that he truly likes it here (see his recent USA Today interview), there's no way I could part with him right now. The only deals that I would make are deals that the other team would not.

Too much Starbury in Westbrook (as others have said). I just don't see that ending well for Minnesota.