NBA.com Notebook: Rubio reportedly staying in Spain

Is it the weather, the playing time or the buyout?

That's the follow-up question we all want to know the answer to after hearing a report from El Periodico, a Barcelona newspaper, that Ricky Rubio will complete his contract with DKV Joventut and play the next two seasons in Spain, rather than come to the NBA.

The Timberwolves gave up two starters to get the fifth pick in this year's Draft. Now, they've got nothing to show for it, unless you think Oleksiy Pecherov, Darius Songaila or Etan Thomas are going to make an impact this season. Rubio may eventually play in Minnesota, but at this point, this is looking like a Fran Vazquez situation and David Kahn isn't looking like much of an improvement over Kevin McHale.

Of the three possible obstacles keeping Rubio out of a Timberwolves uniform, the most likely factor is the buyout, reported to be $6 million. Whenever (or if) he comes to the NBA, the 18-year old point guard is set to only make $5.7 million in his first two seasons combined.

Before the Draft, Rubio said that it was his dream to play in the NBA and he was willing to do that for free, as long as knew he would be getting enough playing time. But when the Timberwolves selected Syracuse's Jonny Flynn right after Rubio, playing time became a big question and Rubio was admittedly perplexed as he made his way around the media circuit at Madison Square Garden.

And of course, after he was selected, Rubio didn't exactly say that the Minnesota weather would not be a concern.

So what's keeping Rubio in Spain? Maybe it's a combination of the three. No matter what, the Timberwolves and their fans will have to wait ... and hope Rubio eventually makes it over.

-- John Schuhmann

Did Pistons overpay for Gordon, Charlie V?

The Pistons have made the first big splash of free agency, but is spending $98 million on Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva a wise use of their cap space?

The money freed up last season by trading Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess to Denver for Allen Iverson must have been burning a hole in Joe Dumars' pocket, because he was too quick to spend it.

The question is: Why is Dumars giving Ben Gordon almost $12 million a year? Not only is Gordon undersized, but his game is limited. As a guy who can create his own shot and make big buckets in the postseason, Gordon certainly has some value. But $58 million over five years (as reported by David Aldridge) is too much, especially since the Pistons had two big holes on their frontline entering the summer.

Additionally, the Pistons already have a full stable of guards with Rodney Stuckey, Richard Hamilton, Arron Afflalo and Will Bynum. Stuckey and Hamilton are the only ones with real experience, but Afflalo and Bynum made positive impressions in the Pistons' first-round sweep at the hands of the Cavs in April. Afflalo looked ready to be Detroit's first guard off the bench, the role now slated for Gordon.

Villanueva fills one of Detroit's frontline holes (at a more reasonable price), of course. With Carlos Boozer exercising his contract option, Dumars never got to talk to the guy who was reportedly his biggest target.

But if Dumars had some patience, he would have had a shot at talking to Boozer next summer. Or maybe Chris Bosh ... or Joe Johnson ... or Amar'e Stoudemire. As you've ready many times, next year's free agent class is talented, deep and well worth waiting for. But the Pistons just took themselves out of that market by overpaying for a pair of second-tier free agents.
-- John Schuhmann

Nuggets, Andersen close; not so with Jones

The Nuggets are increasingly confident that they will be able to re-sign free agent center Chris Andersen. Andersen's representatives and Nuggets officials met in Los Angeles on Wednesday and both sides came out of the meetings sounding as if they would get something done soon for Andersen. The 30-year-old Andersen, who became a cult hero among Nuggets fans this season, when he finished second in the league both in total blocked shots and blocked shots per game, feels at home in Denver, where he first played for the Nuggets from 2001 to 2004.

During his two-year suspension for substance abuse while a member of the Hornets, Andersen retreated to the Denver area, where he's subsequently built a home in the mountains that serves as a retreat . His wife is also quite happy living there and Andersen has a support system of friends and family in the area as well.

However, it may not be as easy for the Nuggets to re-sign their starting point guard from last season, Dahntay Jones.

The problem is this: Because neither Andersen nor Jones has played three straight seasons in Denver, the Nuggets don't have Bird rights on either player. If they did have Bird rights, they could exceed the salary cap to re-sign each player. But because they don't, the only method they have to re-sign them is to use the mid-level exception (last season's started at $5.585 million, with annual 8 percent raises for non-Bird free agents looking to re-sign with their current teams), bi-annual exception (last season's began at $1.91 million) or veteran minimum (for players with six seasons of service, as Andersen and Jones both have entering next season, the minimum salary for 2009-10 is $1.033 million).

And the mid-level can't be split in order to re-sign more than one of a team's own free agents.

So, in essence, the Nuggets may have to choose between Andersen and Jones, and if they're close on a deal with Andersen, it would be that much more difficult to re-sign Jones, who'd have to accept a two-year deal for the bi-annual or veteran minimum.
-- David Aldridge

Raptors eyeing Lee

The Toronto Raptors like free agent Shawn Marion and would like to have him back. If they can re-sign the former All-Star and make a couple of smaller moves, they would be happy to see what they can make of next season. But Bryan Colangelo did not go into this free agency period without a back-up plan ... or five.

The Toronto Star reports that the Raptors are making a push for restricted free agent David Lee. As we suggested yesterday, Lee-to-Toronto makes a lot of sense on the court, but making the deal happen salary-wise is another story.

Because Lee is restricted, the Knicks can match any offer the Raptors make. But New York won't pay too much, because they want to keep as much 2010 cap room as possible. So Lee can be had for the right price.

For the Raptors to sign Lee to an offer sheet, they would basically be choosing the double-double king over Marion. And they might also lose the ability to re-sign Anthony Parker or Carlos Delfino (who played in Russia last season). The same would apply if they signed Hedo Turkoglu instead of Lee.

A better scenario for Colangelo would be to work out a double sign-and-trade deal, where the Raptors sign Marion to a new contract and trade him for a re-signed Lee or Turkoglu. If he does that, Colangelo could bring back Parker and Delfino, and still have the mid-level exception to get another free agent.

Of course, if Toronto and New York start talking sign-and-trade, the Knicks may set their sights on Toronto's other forward: Chris Bosh.
-- John Schuhmann

One-year deal for Lee with Knicks? No way

Just in case you thought the Knicks had any chance of convincing rLee to take a one-year deal -- which would make him unrestricted after next season, when other teams will have cleared significant room under the salary cap, and which would also not impact the Knicks' plans to be heavily involved in free agency in 2010 -- forget about it. Lee won't take a one-year deal under any circumstances, according to his agent, Mark Bartlestein.

Lee is ready to cash in after finishing second in the league in rebounding last season.

"He's played there basically for nothing," Bartlestein said. "He's gotten better and better every season. It's time for David to be rewarded for all the hard work he's put in the last three years."

Making a deal work both for Lee and prospective teams remains difficult, however. Any sign-and-trade deal, even if the Knicks agreed to one, would almost certainly have to involve a third team, because New York won't take back any contracts with more than one season remaining. And the number of teams with existing cap room that Lee would be interested in going to is small. Toronto has an interest in Lee, but is waiting to see how much it will take to sign free agent forward Hedo Turkoglu, who is being courted by Portland as well. If Turkoglu goes to the Blazers, as most expect, then the Raptors would turn their full attention to Lee.
-- David Aldridge

Polish Hammer's Texas two-step

If center Marcin Gortat's days are numbered in Orlando, the restricted free agent could wind up in Texas. But where in the Lone Star State is the question. Houston and Dallas are both in the mix, with the full mid-level exception, believed to be worth around $5.6 million, in play. (Gortat also makes sense in San Antonio.)

Gortat's stock rose after his solid showing in the Playoffs as Dwight Howard's understudy. His hard-working style, better-than-average skills and potential (he's only 25) belie his stats -- 3.8 points and 4.5 rebounds last season.

The Polish Hammer would act as a much-needed Yao Ming insurance policy in Houston. As for the Mavs, team insiders insist that Gortat is better right now than starting center Erick Dampier, a 13-year vet. Former Dallas coach Avery Johnson used to say that Dampier set the best screens in the NBA. That was somehow worth $10 million per year.

The Mavs are trying to trade Damp, who basically has an expiring contract. (His 2010-11 salary isn't fully guaranteed.) The logic of spending the full mid-level on a center with rather pedestrian numbers will be questioned in Big D.

The Mavs spent the full mid-level to get Desagana Diop back last summer. How did that work out? He was traded in February.
-- Art Garcia

Thunder chasing Millsap

Oklahoma City is in hot pursuit of Paul Millsap, but the chances of landing Utah's restricted free agent are iffy. Unless the Thunder or any team blows the Millsap camp away with an offer well beyond the mid-level, say something in the $10 million per year range, the prevailing thought is the Jazz match the deal and shop Carlos Boozer.

Utah is higher on Millsap long-term anyway, so why keep Boozer for a season when he'll probably bolt next summer? Millsap would make a nice addition in OKC, which is quietly building a young and talented roster with much upside. The Thunder is also high on Gortat.

As with most teams, Utah has to keep the eye on the bottom line. Even before the potential signing of Millsap, the Jazz are already expected to be over the luxury tax threshold thanks to the return of Boozer, Mehmet Okur and Kyle Korver.
-- Art Garcia

Spurs in pursuit of 'Sheed

Wallace is getting the full-court treatment in Boston, but the temperamental forward is on San Antonio's A-list, according to league sources. The Spurs are in dire need of frontcourt help with only three players under contract taller than 6-foot-7 -- Tim Duncan, Matt Bonner and little-used Ian Mahinmi.

Wallace is going to take a pay cut wherever he goes. The lack of state income tax in Texas, plus the addition of Richard Jefferson, could tip the scales in favor of the Alamo City.
-- Art Garcia

When it's best to go without Z-Bo

If you're lucky enough to get the No. 1 pick (after an incredibly unlucky season) and you have Zach Randolph on your team, trade him. That's happened twice now. Portland dealt the moody power forward after landing Greg Oden in 2007 and not the Clippers sent Randolph packing this week after bringing on Blake Griffin.

Making room for Griffin on the frontline for a team loaded with big bodies is the obvious explanation in Clipperdom. But perhaps both the Blazers and Clips didn't want Randolph influencing (poisoning?) the mind of their new franchise player. Just a thought.
-- Art Garcia