A few years ago, Yi Jianlian refused to sign with Milwaukee for six months after the draft. You’d have thought they were the Red Army instead of an NBA team willing to pay him millions.
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Eventually he won out — sort of — by getting shipped to New Jersey.
And now Ricky Rubio is pulling the same stunt. He has options, but so does Minnesota, which can afford to wait. Rubio’s agent claims he has offers from Turkey and Spain. Heaven knows the NBA might fold if he stays overseas.
Agents always bring up the marketing opportunities, or lack of them, in certain places. Let’s see: Tim Duncan (San Antonio); LeBron James (Cleveland) and Dwight Howard (Orlando) all have fared just fine. Hmm; win and play well — that’s what delivers marketing chances. (By the way, Rubio couldn’t even help his team in Spain sell out this past season).
Why does Rubio want to come here? To play in warm weather and sell himself? Or to compete against the best? He’d better be good.
