Wolves GM Accuses Ricky Rubio of Backing Out of Agreement

Largely, Timberwolves general manager David Kahn's final statement on L'Affair Ricky Rubio is concillatory. Kahn echoes the assertion that Rubio will actually become a better basketball player by competing in the world's No. 2 league for the next two years instead of getting 25 minutes a night in the NBA. He says he understands and even endorses Rubio's decision.

But before he gets to all that Kumbaya, he lets the world know that Rubio, DKV Joventut and the Wolves had a handshake deal Saturday night to bring Ricky to the NBA immediately ... and that Rubio backed out on Monday.

In fact, the first two paragraphs of Kahn's statement are devoted to laying out the betrayal.

On Saturday night, an agreement was reached between Dan Fegan, the agent for Ricky Rubio, Jordi Villacampa, the president of Joventut Badalona, and myself on behalf of the Minnesota Timberwolves to buy out the last two years of Ricky´s contract with Joventut so that he could play in the NBA next season.

While the term sheet was being finalized Monday night, Ricky informed me that, despite considering us his first option the previous weekend -- and, admittedly, after some back and forth throughout the summer -- he preferred to stay at home to play for FC Barcelona, which earlier this summer had made a buyout offer to Joventut. He also reaffirmed that it was his intention to join us in Minnesota two years from now when he will be 20.

More than 90 percent of the statements and decisions NBA team executives make are devoted to protecting their job. And this is fine. Job security is a top concern for most Americans -- not just NBA GMs. No one begrudges Kahn his self-defense.

I do wonder, however, whether it is the best step to take here. I mean, are Wolves fans expected to rally to Kahn's side now? Is getting snickerdoodled by an 18-year-old the best impetus for sympathy? Losing Rubio to Barcelona after striking a deal for Ricky's freedom does not speak of success. It speaks of failure.

Is the statement meant to paint Ricky in a bad light? I certainly hope not, considering Rubio is scheduled to come to the Wolves in 2011. (Maybe.) It is not in Kahn's interest to turn Minnesota fans against La Pistola, and it's really not in Kahn's interest to deflate Rubio's trade value any further. Again, the need for self-acquittal is understandable, and understood. But there's a lesson about digging your way out of hole that Kahn does not seem to have grasped.

(This is not meant to absolve Rubio or his family of fault, of course. If you didn't want to come to Minnesota, don't agree to come to Minnesota. If you don't want your son to leave for Minnesota, don't let your son agree to leave for Minnesota. Pretty simple, really.)

(One more thought: Russ Bengston's intrepretation of Rubio's brief statement gets an A+.)