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Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:26 pm**

I'm just putting this out there for people without ESPN access. Hollinger created some kind of system for rating prospects. I'm sure you saw the other thread on it where he rated the college kids. In this article he rated the foreign prospects. Here's what he said about Rubio:

Ricky Rubio
OK, it's time to shine a harsher light here. There's one thing working hugely against Rubio's status as an A-list prospect that nobody seems to want to mention, so let me put it out there: There's very little evidence he can score at anything approaching an acceptable rate for an NBA point guard.

We have very little recent Euroleague data to work with from Rubio -- just a 66-minute sample from this year and a larger sample from two years earlier -- but both sets translate to scoring about five points per 40 minutes and shooting in the low 30s. Ugh. Rubio shot better in the Spanish ACB league this season, including 25-of-62 on 3-pointers, but he also shot only 39 percent on 2s against a lower level of competition.

Same goes for his alleged breakout in the Olympics -- as heralded as he was for his play, he made nine baskets in eight games and shot 28.1 percent for the tournament. And while one of those games was against a team full of U.S. All-Stars, he wasn't bedazzling the Germans or Angolans either. Obviously he's a Jason Kidd-like rarity in that he can have a heavy impact on the game without scoring, but if his shooting numbers don't improve, he'll make Kidd look like Rick Barry.

Later in the article, he covered Pekovic:

Nikola Pekovic (Timberwolves) has been the highest-rated player in the Euroleague each of the past two years. An onerous contract is likely to keep him in Europe for a few more years, and the Wolves aren't exactly hurting for bruising big men right now. But he projects as a quality power forward with an impressive scoring rate, and sooner or later he'll be in the NBA.

So what say you? Are we all too enamored with Rubio's internet legend? Will he pale against the other prospects over time? Is Evans a better option? Curry? Flynn? Is 5 and 6 the place to be? Or does Rubio have 'it'?

Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:44 pm**

It's really tough to know the value for Pekovic. I'm willing to package him with the 6 and a late pick for Rubio, but I fear Rubio's bust potential too much to do Love for 2, or 5 + 6 for 2. We need to keep the 5 or 6 just in case.

If I were to guess, I would say Pekovic's first NBA season would be similar to Marc Gasol. But I'm certainly no expert on the guy.

Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:48 pm**

Thank you!

Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:53 pm**

1. It doesn't seem like Hollinger's system works very well with Euros.
2. His main knock on Rubio is his shooting. I'm not saying shooting isn't important but, for his position, his court vision, passing, etc. are probably more important. And those skills are much harder to learn (if one can "learn" them at all). Since Rubio is only 18, he's got time to work on his jumper so I'm not too concerned about that.

Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:55 pm**

the thing about rubio is hes not gonna make a impact scoring wise but he can do all the other things better than any pg in this draft

so its just a matter of do we want a pass first pg with little scoring??,
i say we just let memphis get him and watch as mayo hogs the ball and never passes to rubio :lol:

Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:56 pm**

john2jer wrote:Thank you!

+1

Its nice to be in with the in crowd.

Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:56 pm**

PeeDee wrote:I'm just putting this out there for people without ESPN access. Hollinger created some kind of system for rating prospects. I'm sure you saw the other thread on it where he rated the college kids. In this article he rated the foreign prospects. Here's what he said about Rubio:

Same goes for his alleged breakout in the Olympics -- as heralded as he was for his play, he made nine baskets in eight games and shot 28.1 percent for the tournament. And while one of those games was against a team full of U.S. All-Stars, he wasn't bedazzling the Germans or Angolans either.

thats 1 thing I always wondered about too, why everybody was so impressed by his olympics

Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:01 pm**

Devilzsidewalk wrote:
PeeDee wrote:I'm just putting this out there for people without ESPN access. Hollinger created some kind of system for rating prospects. I'm sure you saw the other thread on it where he rated the college kids. In this article he rated the foreign prospects. Here's what he said about Rubio:

Same goes for his alleged breakout in the Olympics -- as heralded as he was for his play, he made nine baskets in eight games and shot 28.1 percent for the tournament. And while one of those games was against a team full of U.S. All-Stars, he wasn't bedazzling the Germans or Angolans either.

thats 1 thing I always wondered about too, why everybody was so impressed by his olympics

Ford was just on epsn news talking up Rubios play in the Olympics..

Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:05 pm**

funkatron101 wrote:It's really tough to know the value for Pekovic. I'm willing to package him with the 6 and a late pick for Rubio, but I fear Rubio's bust potential too much to do Love for 2, or 5 + 6 for 2. We need to keep the 5 or 6 just in case.

No way I'd do 5 and 6 for 2 and the only way I'd include Love is if the deal was expanded with another player coming back.

I will say this. Put Rubio on a team with other scorers and he won't bust. If the Wolves could add a couple athletic scoring wings to Jefferson (and Love maybe), then we will be playing to his strengths and his scoring won't matter as much.

Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:07 pm**

Rubio is the Spanish Professor. AKA: El Profesor ;-)

But yeah, I'll be cranky if we trade a ton of assets to get him. I'd probably be happier with a Harden/Evans backcourt. Especially if it allows us to package up to Earl Clark as well. Completely new perimeter, and lengthy too. I likey.

Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:13 pm**

If you have have the belief that an Evans/Harden backcourt would suffice, then you do it. It would be straight up murder on every other backcourt in the league. How many other SG/PG tandoms could guard both Harden and Evans?

Evans/Harden/Clark would be an A+ draft.

Only problem is you have to go through OKC to get there...

1. Griffin
2. Thabeet
3. Harden (us)
4. Rubio
5. Evans (us)
6. OKC takes Curry?

Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:30 pm**

Maybe this will stop people from using Pekovic as a throw-in to some of these deals that have been going around.

Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:42 pm**

Nope because Rubio and Thabeet are going #2 and #3. Then depending on who's at #4, if the Kings trade up, either Hill, Flynn, Curry, or Jennings are the pick.

We draft Evans and Harden, then we steal Phil Jackson away from the Lakers and run the triangle with our big guards, low post option, and high post passer.

Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:45 pm**

Rubio's numbers from the Olympics aren't impressive from a scoring standpoint. I didn't really watch the games, so I don't know if he did the other things that make you think "he's perfect everywhere else and you can improve shooting". However, one other concern is that if you were to say he looked impressive in the Olympics it's not exactly a similar game to the NBA. Same with the D-league. I'd be happy with him, but wouldn't sell the farm to get him. Plus Harden and Evans would be just fine with me.

Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 7:53 pm**

Oh oh... the dreaded 'too cold' remark.

POSTED: June 24 -- 3:41 p.m. ET

Henry Abbott: There have been rumblings and suggestions that if things were to get extremely complicated with Ricky Rubio's Spanish team, DKV Joventut, he might not be able to afford to play in the NBA. Depending on where he's drafted, it's conceivable his NBA salary will approximate the buyout he owes his original team. In other words, it's possible he'd be playing in the NBA without making a penny.

Rubio says that wouldn't bother him. "I have a dream," he said. "I want to play in the NBA."

The point guard, who presumably could make some money from sponsorships, could not have been clearer that it's not about the money. If his rookie contract nets him zero, he says, "I don't care."

In a video that will be on TrueHoop shortly, he was also asked to react to various NBA cities. His gut reaction to the word "Minnesota" was: "Too cold." Oklahoma City earned a "My best friend lives nearby." And when Rubio thinks of Sacramento, the first thing that comes to mind is: "Nice weather."

Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:32 pm**

Can't defend, can't score, TOO COLD? I hope he goes #3 and Flynn goes #4 leaving us with Evans and Harden. I agree that that is a sweet backcourt with unlimited potential. If Rubio slips to 5 then we can take him, but he is behind Harden and Evans IMO. Before yesterday's trade I had him in front of those two because of Foye, but that ship has sailed.

I hope Gomes/Cardinals expiring/Pek/all other picks could get a decent 3, or as mentioned moving up for Clark would be unbelievable.

Posted: **Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:37 pm**

On Chad Ford's chat, someone brought up Hollinger's numbers on Rubio. Here's what Ford had to say:

Jon (SF)
Hollinger's system hates Rubio. Does that worry you a bit? Also the system lover Oguz Savas. I haven't seen him in any mock draft even in round 2. Any chance he gets drafted?

Chad Ford
Sure I'm worried. I take Hollinger's stuff really seriously. But I also think it's pretty hard to judge Rubio just on the numbers. The best aspect of his game (he makes everyone around him better) is hard to measure with a stat. As for Savas, I think Hollinger made that guy a bunch of money.

More on this in the Hollinger thread:
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=915125

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