Acquiring Rubio

The media is starting to catch up with the obvious. I have speculated for weeks that the Knicks have the wherewithal to secure Ricky Rubio and with Memphis holding the pick this is actually a much easier task than it may seem.

I'll use this post to more clearly elaborate the pros and cons for Memphis aside from the latest speculation that Rubio has no intentions of buying out his contract to play in Memphis.

On Hahn's blog, I elaborated by saying;

The Knicks need superstar potential. The East is going to be a monster division for a long time. Consolation picks aren't going to get the job done. And Curry, though smart, is a little too smug and fuzzy for my taste. Ty Lawson is a certifiable winner. If Curry is a Mark Jackson type then I prefer the Rod Strickland, Ty Lawson prototype.

But trumping both of these guys is a Maravich clone. I mean, how do you not pull out all the stops in securing this guy for MSG? In New York this personna prints money. In Memphis, it will be a career of "what a shame such a talent is wasted".

If the Knicks can secure Rubio this year, sign Lee, and tinker around the margins enough to make the playoffs then we're in great shape in 2010 (and I expect nothing to happen) and going forward.

If D'Antoni can get Darko and Marko straightened out, the Knicks, as Hahn is fond of reminding us, the Knicks "have a chance".

I have nothing against sCurry but realistically, Rubio is the prize. Here's a guy who has that superstar potential, will fill the Garden and the papers with glam, and he's playing a key position that gets locked down for a decade. Rubio is to the Knicks what Jeter was for the Yankees.

So let's break down the deal:

First, neither David Lee nor N8 are involved in any way shape or form!

The deal is a swap of picks - Memphis's #2 for #8 ***AND***
Mobley, Chandler and Duhon for Darko and Marko.

Why Memphis does it? answer: 1.) cash flow, 2.) better contracts for worse, 3.) equivalent draft talent at a more inexpensive (e.g. long-term affordable) price.

Let's take the last thing first. Yes, the Grizzlies would lose Rubio but Rubio is already calling that shot anyway. So, the next best thing is to secure another close pick to compensate. At #8, Jennings, Clark, Lawson, Hill and a parade of PG candidates are available and Memphis can have their choice. Chances are that they'll get a very good prospect.

But Memphis's operational problem is cash and some contracts that are more expensive than profitable; Darko and Marko. And yes, there are lots of potential trading partners but none have the kind of kicker the Knicks have in Mobley's contract.

A Darko M. and Marko Jaric swap first needs to work and many teams could offer player for player matches but that means Memphis still foots the bill for that amount. Unless the team swapping is giving up lots of inexpensive talent for two contracts gone bad then the swap is not so desirable either way.

But the Knicks can offer Duhon and Chandler in addition to Mobley's contract which reduces Memphis's cash obligations by millions this year and next (Jaric erased).

So, now, Memphis fills out their starting unit with Chandler (very inexpensive) to look like: Conley, Mayo, Gay, Chandler, Gasol. They add Duhon as a backup PG and work #8 pick into the mix. Not too shabby.

AND, they can resign their own FA's with the money saved in Mobley's contract ($10-20M depending how you slice and dice it).

For a financially fragile outfit, this is as compelling as it gets.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The assumption is that the Rubio pick is worth it. Here, at the Mecca, it's a risk worth taking. Rubio is a potential superstar caliber player that is out of reach unless an extraordinary effort is made to secure his services.

Forget all the bullshit about endorsements and so on. The Knicks need a star worthy of the franchise's more esteemed history. Rubio appears to have the goods.

The suggested trade is an overpayment for the right to sign this kid so care would need to be taken in getting assurances but it looks legitimate to date.

In forum conversations, some fans object to trading Chandler and I understand their sentiments. We're so beaten down that our found gems are the players we're most proud of. And Chandler is blossoming.

But the Knicks need to start winning ball games and we need some changes.

If D'Antoni can straighten Milicic out, the Chandler risk is remediated. Lee can go back to the PF position. And expensive as Jaric might be, he's another guard who has some game left in him.

In another Hahn blog response I explained it this way:

I think Chandler makes such a trade possible and fair. The key word being fair. Knicks fans cannot believe that Rubio will be acquired cheaply. Make no mistake about it - this would be a blockbuster and the money saved by Memphis is extraordinary.

First, Donnie would have his (potential) superstar no matter what happens in 2010 (Kobe being more likely than James, Wade, or even Bosh).

But Larry Hughes is being vastly underrated by the Knicks fans. If the trade goes down as I speculate. The Knicks look like:

Rubio/*Nate*
Jaric/*Hughes*
Gallo/*Harrington*
Lee/*Wilcox*
Darko/*eCurry*

Are you really going to miss Chandler? I think there's a starting five in that bunch of players that can compete. And such a trade makes the resigning of Nate possible because Duhon is moved as well. All the players within asterisks are still on the summer trading bubble no matter what.

And if your backbone is going to be Rubio, Lee, and Gallo then this summer the main job is securing a center candidate - say, Gortat who can tag team with Darko should Eddy stumble.

Suddenly, the Knicks are LeBron-friendly for lack of a better term.

You've got to give to get.

I hope this clarifies the details.