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Alright I'm sick of the national media types (that's you ESPN) and the incredibly biased east coast reporters trying to skewer the T-wolves and David Kahn for the draft and how the Rubio situation played out. A great example is Bill Simmons and Chad Ford from ESPN. They blast the Wolves on Simmons podcast (from 9/7) without ever really bothering to analyze the situation from the wolves perspective. Yet all their arguements have holes in them. Here is a refresher:

David Kahn is brought in to rebuild a broken line up that only mustered 22 and 24 wins over the last two years. He removes McHale, and trades away a good portion of the under performing team. The biggest names traded were Randy Foye and Mike Miller for the #5 pick (Rubio). He has made numerous trades to position the Wolves financially to be a player in the 2010 free agent class while setting the team up with young potential filled players who will get plenty of playing time this year. He also brought in a new coaching staff headed by Kurt Rambis.

The big time media will tell you that he blew up an up and coming team, and that he mishandled the draft and Rubio's very unique situation and that the WOLVES are the reason Rubio stayed in Europe??!.

Thats laughable to me. 

Simmons and company (on his podcast as well as when he was on the local sports radio station KFAN) are quick to point out the wolves successful January before Al Jefferson got hurt last year as the grounds to keep the team together. Guys that was one month. I enjoyed it but that was ten wins out of 82. Look at the numbers people. 22 and 24 wins with that line up. The players traded away were not corner stones. Foye while productive can't defend and will be a 6th man at best else where. Miller (to be fair played hurt most the season) under performed as well and is a free agent this year. Those are the biggest names traded and that specific trade netted us the opportunity to have Rubio on our team. From one side of their mouths they say it was a good move to take Rubio...yet it was stupid to trade away the guys that netted them the #5 pick?

That brings me to Rubio and the sticky situation revolving around him. Rubio entered the draft, and said all the right things, that he'd play for free if it meant being in the NBA etc. He fell to #5 and the Wolves. Kahn drafted Rubio but also took Jonny Flynn. ESPN will tell you that was the wolves undoing. How could you take two point guards back to back? What are they thinking? Let me put my thinking cap on and explain it to you guys...

Rubio the 18 year old phenom was paid about $100,000 to play for his Euro club. His buyout turned out to be over 5 Million dollars. NBA teams can only contribute $500,000 towards a buyout. That means Rubio would've had to pay 4.5 MILLION dollars out of his own pocket to come play in the NBA. 4.5 MILLION he doesn't have (but would've come from his NBA contract and endorsements). Kahn pulled a rabbit out of his hat (along with Rubio's agent Dan Fegan) and they were able to come up with a package that was attractive enough to the Euro club that Rubio could've come to the NBA this year if he really wanted to. The other option on the table for Rubio was to stay in Europe, develop and get a bigger paycheck of about one million a year for the next two years at least.

Hmmm lets see here, either pay 5 million out of his own pocket ...or stay close to home and get paid a million bucks. That decision would be easy for both you and I. But you dont' hear any of the "experts" talking about that.

It is clear Rubio wants big market money. His agent tried to steer him clear of Memphis at the #2 spot in the draft despite the fact that he'd be paid handsomely at that spot. Could it be that Rubio doesn't like small market teams...like the wolves? Don't you think that also impacted the wolves decision making? There are already rumors Rubio could stay in Europe 3 years as he'd be able to negotiate a bigger contract. But instead of taking the next best player on their board (Flynn) they should've passed on him and taken someone who would allegedly fit better with the 18 year old that wasn't guarenteed to play for them this year or next year? Riiight.  

So knowing it'd be an up hill battle to get Rubio to the Wolves/NBA is Kahn really that stupid for taking Flynn? Especially given how the situation played out? What would Simmons and company be saying if Kahn had taken Rubio #5 and Curry #6? Rubio stays in Europe and we've drafted Randy Foye 2.0. I know what I'd say but I can't print it.

Looks more and more like a smart move to me. The big media argues that taking Flynn helped convince Rubio to stay in Europe. They argue taking Curry would've been a better move for the wolves (Curry: rail thin combo guard that is maybe 6'2 is supose to be able to play with Rubio better than Flynn? At least Flynn is built to play in the NBA and fills a much needed void on the Wolves) I think that 5 million dollar decision weighed more on him than possibly being out played by another rookie (especially when Kahn had said Rubio would be the starting point guard if he came to the wolves). Kahn has given the wolves a great opportunity with Rubio and Flynn. Now the wolves have Rubio's rights and they have a two or three year window to see what type of talent Flynn will be.

Also I find it ammusing that the "experts" think we should have drafted Curry yet knock the wolves for taking Flynn...when both are undersized guards. If its stupid to think Flynn and Rubio could play together (because of the strength/height issue) why is it better when Curry is just as small and weaker?

The last arguement I'll address is that the wolves should've drafted a player at another position. Simple answer: There wasn't anyone worth taking at other positions at that point in the draft. Simple as that.   

The wolves went from a team of Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Foye, Miller, Gomes, Craig Smith, Brewer and Telfair to a team of

Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Jonny Flynn, Ramon Sessions, Gomes, Wayne Ellington, Brewer and 29 million in expiring contracts THIS YEAR to play with (and the rights to Rubio).

As a wolves fan I can tell you I'm more excited about our current line up and the future of this team than anything I've seen over the past two years. But wait, the ESPN goons say otherwise, and do it while talking out of both sides of their mouths regarding what the wolves should've done. Take some time to examine and analyze the situation.