To Fly You Must Have Wings: The 2012 T'Wolves Offseason Thread II
- Thread starter tremonthustler1
- Start date
DoubleJ13
Smooth sailing from here on out...
I know he is a free agent but signing him the Wolves would have Rubio (when healthy)/JJ/Luke/Williams someone would likely have to go.
tremonthustler1
aka bx_representer
Rubio’s Rehab Progresses Through Doubts | HOOPSWORLD | Basketball News & NBA Rumors
In a recent interview with Marca.com, Ricky Rubio discussed his ACL injury that occurred on March 9. When he planted his foot and his knee buckled before a collision with Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, the good vibes around the Minnesota Timberwolves were crumpled on the Target Center floor with him. To make matters worse, the injury occurred in the final seconds of the game. While Rubio puts on a brave face in public, of course, he was devastated.
Not only could I lose, but I said, This cannot be happening to me, Rubio said. Is typical of what you see other players who are seriously hurt and you think you are not going to play ever. Then I started thinking positive. I thought of the players who had gone through something similar, even some that I thought I called or wrote me an email. They said, I had this injury and you already see me and I played after the NBA. I thought about how Im going to recover, so I would lose and would remain the same, if it could be Ricky again.
During those darkest of days for Rubio, there was one thing that helped keep his spirits up or, at least gave him the added boost to continue on the difficult journey to good health: his fans. His fans around the world took to Twitter to send him get well messages and it meant a lot to the Timberwolves rookie.
The fans treated me very well through social networks, said Rubio. They gave me a rush and I came up. I felt very loved. I could only think to recover to return to the court and try to make happy those people who both love me, let them enjoy. I want to give back the love you gave me at the time, although it will be difficult.
It may be the NBA offseason, but Rubio has a long road to recovery. There is no offseason for him, but Rubio is already into the swing of things, creating a schedule to get back on track. Hes also taking advantage of the opportunity to get to know his surroundings better in Minnesota, making impromptu appearances all over town as well as attending quite a few games of the defending WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx.
I get up early, said Rubio. After nine or nine thirty, am going to rehab. Im half an hour or two. I do two sessions a day, morning and afternoon. The aim is to bend the leg, trying to catch in the quadriceps muscle. Then, as it does good in Minneapolis, I take for a walk and go out to eat at a restaurant close to home. In the afternoon, I have another session where I work the upper body with weights. Now it is extending the knee. Little by little we are moving forward. The day is much recovery work and some leisure to know a city and a state that Im finding now because the season had failed.
While Rubio is progressing well in his rehabilitation efforts, there are still challenges to overcome. They are both physical and mental, but he continues to push through the pain and doubts when they may begin to creep back into his mind.
The truth is I never thought it was so difficult, said Rubio. Its been a little harsh. You have to fight hard, endure the pain to move on and get more range of flexion. You have to push, while it hurts and do not want to push, but have to.
After Rubios injury, the Timberwolves essentially collapsed, but he doesnt think that his knee was the only reason. Of course, basketball is a team game where there are many factors in the success or failures of the squad, but when he went down for the season, he saw some things from the sideline he believes need to be addressed.
The team had a physical and mental slump, said Rubio. Pekovic was playing injured and had surgery. Kevin Love could not play the latest games. Ridnour did the same. He did a little of everything. Yes, it may be that the decline started with my injury, but then there was a physical and mental downturn was widespread.
While rehabbing, Rubio has had a lot of time to think over his rookie season in the NBA. His first season in the NBA may have ended on a sour note, but the overall experience was good Rubio. Most importantly, he found a mental comfort level on the court again that he hadnt possessed in his last season overseas.
I learned a lot, said Rubio. I enjoy basketball again, something I could not do in the last year in Europe. It was when I had no confidence in myself. The truth is that I suffered enough. In the NBA, I have returned to smile on a basketball court and this feeling was nice. Then I had another obstacle. Its not something that can overcome right now, I need time and extra care to recover well, but with effort can regain the level of before.
Rubio is doing all he can to return to his fine level of play in order to help his Timberwolves team improve next season. Those questions of whether or not he can fully return from his ACL injury creep into his mind from time-to-time when things get difficult in the rehabilitation process, but Rubio fights through and has plans for both his individual future in the NBA, as well as for his team.
Of course there are doubts on how to return, said Rubio. I think if I can physically return to the level that was either required by the NBA. There are concerns and doubts, but I forget when I return to rehabilitation or training. They dissipate and I think I can be the same or even better.
If Ricky Rubio returns as a better player, no matter when that may be for the Minnesota Timberwolves, the good vibes that filled Target Center in the 2011-12 season will return in 2012-13.
tremonthustler1
aka bx_representer
-Tim Allen
RIGHT THE WRONG!
Id take B-ROY in a New York minute breh!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
Yes we Kahn
Sit him the entire game and throw him in to play the 4th quarter
Yes we Kahn Sit him the entire game and throw him in to play the 4th quarter
tremonthustler1
aka bx_representer
We're frontrunners to go get Alexey Shved. All I know is that the cost to sign him would probably be 3 years $10 mil, which if he produces like he did at CSKA Moscow, that's a steal and probably our starting SG.
Nemanja Bjelica who we drafted in 2010 is meeting with the team this week to see what they're gonna do with him. I don't think he's gonna blow up like Pek or anything but he is versatile.
Nemanja Bjelica who we drafted in 2010 is meeting with the team this week to see what they're gonna do with him. I don't think he's gonna blow up like Pek or anything but he is versatile.
Tell me more about Shved breh 
Tell me more about Shved breh
This is from nbadraft.net, a lil old but
Strengths: A 6-7 natural point guard with immense upside ... A real competitor, also very smart. Charismatic ... Really has a great feel for the game at a young age ... Has it all offensively with the ability to shoot off the dribble with range as well as take it to the basket ... Tremendous passer and ball handler ... Has a nasty crossover and handles the ball well against the quickest of defenders ... Makes the game look very easy ... Creates baskets for his teammates and makes those around him better ... Very bouncy, good leaper with huge wingspan ... Looks very young. Could still be growing ... Has huge hands giving him added control over the ball ... Applies himself defensively and shows good instincts staying in front of his man and not biting on fakes ... One of the top overall prospects in all of Europe ...
Weaknesses: His frame is very long but his shoulders are narrow and he is very skinny ... May never be a very strong player, but as a point guard, that's less important ... Added strength will allow him to drive to the basket and absorb contact better ... He'll also be able to use his size better on the boards ... Being from Russia, he has some hurdles to cross as a number of recent Russian players (besides AK47) have struggled to make the transition to the NBA/USA culture ..
Hmmm...Chase and a Euro for 18 confirmed today. I'm on the fence. On one hand Chase is way better than Wes J 
but I was hoping the 18 would be able to get something a little better...martin? Buds is an Adelman guy, hopefully he can play well. He could be special with Ricky since most of his scoring comes from three's and lobs.
but I was hoping the 18 would be able to get something a little better...martin? Buds is an Adelman guy, hopefully he can play well. He could be special with Ricky since most of his scoring comes from three's and lobs.
tremonthustler1
aka bx_representer
So Chase Budinger is here now #10. Hopefully he's better than the last #10 we had.
40% 3 point shooting. That's all he has to do. Shoot 3's and catch lobs. I guess this means Beasley's door is shut, but I don't know what this does for Wes. Not that I care, but I hope this means he gets subsequently moved.
40% 3 point shooting. That's all he has to do. Shoot 3's and catch lobs. I guess this means Beasley's door is shut, but I don't know what this does for Wes. Not that I care, but I hope this means he gets subsequently moved.
tremonthustler1
aka bx_representer
The Timberwolves today traded the No. 18 pick in Thursday's draft to Houston for swingman Chase Budinger and prospect Lior Eliyahu, a source has confirmed.
The deal reunites Budinger, a former second-round pick who can play both small forward and shooting guard, with Wolves coach Rick Adelman, who coached him at Houston.
"I'm very excited," Budinger said from his home in San Diego this morning. "Rick Adelman was a great, great coach for me. I have much respect for him. I love his system. I feel like it fit me very well. I'm excited to get up there and see all the coaches."
It also would appear to take the Wolves out of most of the fun for draft night, unless, of course, his deal is a precursor to another.
Budinger, you might remember, scored a career-high 35 points against the Wolves in the 2010-11 season finale at Target Center.
Might there be more 35-point nights there for him now?
"Let's hope so," he said. "I do always play well in that gym. That's another good thing: I love playing in that gym."
When asked for his memories of that game, he said, "Just how it felt everything I shot, every time I went to the basket, I couldn't do any wrong."
The Wolves have until Saturday to pick up a team option on Budinger's contract that will pay him $942,000 this coming season.
He'll be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
"I hope so," Budinger said when asked if he can see a California kid staying long term in Minnesota. "I've just got to go buy more warm coats."this question always must be asked I guess
The trade now gives the Rockets -- and a guy named Kevin McHale -- the 14th, 16th and 18th picks Thursday and allows them to package those picks for a higher pick in the draft, which presumably they could use to then deal to Orlando in a package for superstar Dwight Howard.
The Houston Chronicle first reported the trade.
sounds real sad to leaving McHale
FA hasnt started yet so Im not sure who we will add but right now it should be a line up like this:
Rubio
Chase
Williams
Love
Pek
our D will suck bad next year brehs
Rubio
Chase
Williams
Love
Pek
our D will suck bad next year brehs
tremonthustler1
aka bx_representer
FA hasnt started yet so Im not sure who we will add but right now it should be a line up like this:
Rubio
Chase
Williams
Love
Pek
Actually I'd probably put Chase over Williams and leave SG blank.
I finally figured out the word that best describes the trade: "anti-climactic."
tremonthustler1
aka bx_representer
As far as Eliyahu goes, I could care less about him for this team, but apparently he'll be at Summer League to see if he'll make the team.
I agree my emotions were
in that order...So u agree SG is tops on the list in FA right?