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What to do, what to do. Ricky Rubio is locked in a difficult situation trying to decide if he should play in the NBA right away (and incur what is being reported as a $6.6 million dollar buy out) or stay in Europe and play out the next year or two of his contract. Note to self basketball prodigies under 18: Don't let your parents sign contracts for you. Or at least make sure they read them before they sign it. Now word is T-wolves VP David Kahn flew over to Spain to help negotiate with Rubio's current team DKV Joventut . So what brought on this situation? More importantly what can Kahn, Rubio, or his agent do to grease the wheels for the buyout? Lets examine.... 

The first issue to affirm before reading into this situation is that Rubio is prepared to sign long term deals with other European teams. He might be prepared to sign them BUT HE CAN'T. Any team trying to sign Rubio needs to buy him out of his DKV Joventut contract first.  Are those teams prepared to pay 4-6 million dollars and THEN pay Rubio to play for them? And more than likely short term? Maybe but in tough economic times is that a good investment?

Allegedly Rubio would've been able to afford the buyout had he been picked in the top 3 of the draft. Somehow Rubio fell to the T-wolves at #5. While the money is still good at the fifth pick, to my understanding it is something close to $600,000 less per year than being drafted third. That's 1.8 million out of Rubio's pocked in the first three years of his NBA contract. Ouch. He is also only being paid about $100,000 to play for DKV Joventut (once again prodigies, don't sign crazy contracts where you get paid 1/66th of what it costs to get out of the contract). This doesn't bring into account other sources of revenue for Rubio such as endorsements (he already has a sneaker contract allegedly). How much those pay is hard to determine.

Another little known thorny issue is that NBA teams can only contribute $500,000 towards a player's buyout. I've heard and read several comments about how the wolves should just write a check for a big portion of the buy out. The big problem is they aren't allowed to.

There is the rumor that DKV Joventut is actually now owned by the Spanish equivalent to the IRS. If that's true the buy out will be difficult. Yes you just heard me say "Oh ****" off in the distance.  

So knowing these obstacles what are Rubio's options?

Pay the massive 6.6 million dollar buyout and be done with it. Try to negotiate the buyout to a lower more realistic level. Stay in Spain and play out a year or two of the contract and then come to the NBA. Or he could be a prick and sit out all basketball activities for a full year and re-enter the draft (but that doesn't resolve the issue of the buyout).

Negotiating the buyout seems to be the best bet to get to the NBA this year. If Rubio's camp can get the buyout down to 3 or 4 million I think it might work. The wolves can contribute $500,000 bring it down to 3.5 million Rubio's camp actually has to come up with. Comparing what Rubio's NBA contract will be to Jonny Flynn (taken by the wolves right after Rubio) is encouraging. Flynn will get paid close to 3 million dollars his first year meaning Rubio taken a pick before him will be right there as well.  If they can structure a payment plan that DKV Joventut is comfortable with this could work. The wolves VP is an ex attorney from the same firm that produced Commissioner David Stern, and he is said to be an expert on the collective bargaining agreement. That is probably useful knowledge in this situation. Kahn returned from his trip to Spain only commenting that it was "productive".

DKV (and its alleged IRS like owners) can pay Rubio 100K to stay and play for a year or two OR accept 3 or 4 million dollars to let him go early. From my understanding the team is good but does not draw a large fan base (thus the Spanish IRS take over I assume). I would hope 3 or 4 million is more attractive. Chris Sheridan at espn ran a rumor before the draft that the Spanish team reportedly offered a cheaper buyout if Rubio played one more year for them. If that is true that might appeal to Rubio but I'd want to get that in writing (and confirm how much it would decrease too).   

I'm sure Rubio and his family is frustrated by this process, the good news is while sometimes cold in MN, the T-wolves are one of the better positioned teams for the future. With plenty of cap space, draft picks, young talent and a GM willing to try and help in negotiations; Rubio is positioned to have a team crafted around his specific talents whether he make his NBA debut now...or soon.