Rubio drawing interest from throughout league
Four days after Ricky Rubio was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves, it appears that the teenage Spanish sensation has become the most wanted man in the NBA.
Executives across the league are flooding Timberwolves president David Kahn's office with calls offering trades to bring Rubio's slick passing skills and moptop hairstyle to their cities.
In the Twin Cities, fans can't wait to see the highlight factory zipping behind-the-back feeds to Al Jefferson and Kevin Love.
But Rubio's availability for the upcoming season has been cast into doubt by a $6.6 million buyout of his contract with DKV Joventut in Spain. His agent, Dan Fegan, is trying to negotiate that number down to ease the financial burden on his client, and there is some question as to whether Rubio wants to play in the relatively small Minnesota market.
With all of those factors, one would think Kahn is feeling some pressure to resolve the matter.
Not exactly.
Kahn is declining comment on Rubio for the time being, preferring a low profile that doesn't ruffle any feathers in the Rubio camp. But in his comments after drafting Rubio, Kahn made it clear that there is no hurry.
"The last thing we needed to do was be demanding and assertive. Not now," Kahn said. "I don't know how this is going to play out. There could be a lot of twists and turns. But I don't feel any self-imposed pressure that this needs to be resolved or concluded in any short fashion."
"The organization needs to be very patient," Kahn said. "While we ask for patience, we will also tell people that we think down the road these kids will, I hope, prove to be special."
That stance also could be posturing to drive the trade values of both players higher, but as long as Kahn is willing to wait this out, the ball remains in Minnesota's court.
BUCKS DON'T MAKE AN OFFER TO VILLANUEVA: The Milwaukee Bucks have made qualifying offers to restricted free agent guard Ramon Sessions and forward Ersan Ilyasova, but will not make an offer to forward Charlie Villanueva — allowing one of their top scorers from last season to become an unrestricted free agent.
Bucks general manager John Hammond said Monday that the team already had sent offers to Sessions and Ilyasova, giving Milwaukee the right to match any contract offers from other teams. But with Tuesday's deadline for teams to make offers to their restricted free agents looming, the team decided not to make an offer to Villanueva.
PACERS DROP DANIELS: The Indiana Pacers will not exercise their team option on guard Marquis Daniels.
Daniels' agent, Glenn Schwartzman, told The Associated Press in an e-mail on Monday that the Pacers have indicated that they will not pay the final year of the deal.
Daniels would have made $7.3 million next season, but now he's an unrestricted free agent.
Daniels averaged a career-high 13.6 points per game last season, but Brandon Rush emerged late and is the favorite to start at shooting guard next season.
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