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Disgruntled Rudy Fernandez prepared to sit out final two years of contract after Trail Blazers fail to trade him
Rudy Fernandez will not report to the Trail Blazers training camp in October and the disgruntled guard has no intention of playing for the Blazers for the remaining two years of his contract, his agent said Wednesday.
What has been a simmering trade request since last summer has now reached a boiling point: Fernandez has informed agent Andy Miller that he is prepared to be suspended by the Blazers and forfeit the final two years of his contract in order to return to Europe and play in his homeland of Spain in 2012.
Fernandez, 25, is unhappy with his role and is frustrated with the offensive style of coach Nate McMillan, whom he says limits him to just a shooter, and not the playmaker he has shown he can be in international play.
Miller said new Blazers general manager Rich Cho has "overreached" in his attempt to trade Fernandez, turning down offers from Chicago, New York and Boston, leaving Miller and Fernandez with no option other than to hold firm that the former first-round pick will not report.
"All I can do now is stand on the roof top and scream 'He's not coming!'," Miller said. "He's just not coming back ... I've made that clear."
Cho said he has made offers, counteroffers and talked about package deals with teams, but has yet to find a scenario that makes sense for the Blazers.
"I'm not going to be pressured into making a deal,'' Cho said. "I'm not going to make a trade just to make a trade. It has to be the right deal for the team.''
Miller said Fernandez has become so frustrated with NBA politics that he no longer wants to play in the league.
"In Rudy's mind, this is long over," Miller said. "Promises have been made, sacrifices have been made, and it didn't work out."
Cho, who has yet to make a deal in his first month on the job, has long known about Fernandez's tumultuous situation in Portland, dating back to his time as an assistant general manager in Oklahoma City.
Cho has maintained that the Blazers value Fernandez as an asset, and will not under any circumstance release him. However, Miller is asking Cho to release Fernandez in a goodwill effort that Miller says will also go a long way to show international players that the Blazers can be reasonable. FIBA has an agreement to honor NBA contracts, so Fernandez cannot play in Europe unless the Blazers release him.
"I would like to have an amicable divorce," Miller said. "That's the best resolution at this point. I have tried to let them get an asset back but that hasn't worked. Portland's stance is that they have legal rights, but they can't let this type of thing take place. If you send the message that this is how you will treat one of the most highly decorated players in Europe, why would anyone come to you?"
Fernandez has two years remaining on his contract, which will pay him $1.25 million this season. After averaging 10.4 points as a rookie, during which he made an NBA-rookie record 159 three-pointers while averaging 25.5 minutes, his numbers dropped last season. He averaged 8.1 points in 23.2 minutes, which included him missing 19 consecutive games after undergoing back surgery in December.
Fernandez got a chance to show what he could do with a bigger role in the 2010 playoffs against Phoenix, but he struggled. He started the first three games at shooting guard in place of the injured Roy, but was tentative and ineffective, making just two of his first 12 shots in the series. He had two flurries – making four three pointers in the fourth quarter of a Game 3 blowout loss and five three pointers in the season-ending Game 6 loss.
During the 2007 NBA Draft, the Blazers paid Phoenix $3 million for the rights to Fernandez, who was taken with the 24th overall pick. A star in Spain, the Blazers had to recruit Fernandez to come to Portland, and shortly after he signed with the Blazers in July of 2008, he was greeted by more than 250 fans at Portland International Airport.
A fan favorite, Fernandez was an exciting player, who on successive possessions could swish a long three-pointer, then dunk off an alley oop pass. He also had a flair for flashy passes, more than once bouncing a pass between an opponent's legs. He was also a favorite with female fans, who were drawn to his movie-star looks, resulting in rampant T-shirt sales of I (heart) Rudy.
But now, all of that appears over. Fernandez not only wants out, he says he is out and gone from Portland for good.
Now all that is left is how Portland will handle the situation.
"Why would anyone want to hold anyone against their will?" Miller asked. "He's not going to want to practice, he's not going to want to be around his teammates. I mean, if they thought he was difficult when he was contributing, imagine how difficult he will be when he is not."
http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/08/disgruntled_rudy_fernandez_pre.html
This is a shame. Portland was too greedy. They wanted a 1st round pick + Taj Gibson from Chicago. Now they pay for their greed. They get nothing and a very good talent will not be playing in the NBA.
This could just be a bluff. I'm sure Rudy would accept a trade to the Knicks but unfortunately I don't think the Knicks are interested anymore. Too bad, he would have been a perfect fit and solution to our starting SG needs. I would have loved to see him in a Knick uniform.
We have four 2nd round picks (I think). Three 2nd round picks for Rudy is more than enough.
Keeping a talented player out of the NBA for spite. They can trade him if they want. F#ck Portland!
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