Draft Prospect: Rudy Fernandez

[Marcus Bryant]

http://www.nba.com/media/draft2007/rudy_fernandez.jpg

Full Name: Rodolfo Farres Fernandez
Position: Guard
Height/Weight: 6-5 / 185
Birthdate: April 4, 1985 (Palma de Mallorca, Spain)
High School:
Team: DVK Joventut Badalona
Country: Spain

nbadraft.net profile (http://nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/rudyfernandez.html)
nba.com profile (http://www.nba.com/draft2007/profiles/RudyFernandez.html)
draftexpress.com profile (http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=22)

[Phenomanul]

Ginobiliesque at times.... but we are complete at the 2 spot. Were he 2 inches taller he would be perfect.

[ThomasGranger]

If by the grace of God he falls to 28, I'd bet everything I own the Spurs take him.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

If by the grace of God he falls to 28, I'd bet everything I own the Spurs take him.

Ginobili is 30 and this guys seems to remind everyone of #20, so i wouldnt be surprised

[Darkwaters]

This is my favorite player in the draft. I honestly feel that we should trade up to get him if we can. If he falls I promise you that we snatch him up. We're getting really thin at the 2 and since hes a year away from coming to the NBA the timing will be perfect for him to replace whomever doesn't return from Finley/Barry/Bowen/White who all expire in a year.

[timvp]

This guy was a lottery pick a couple years ago if he would have entered the draft. He's had a couple injuries over the last couple seasons, so his stock has fallen to the point that the Spurs could snag him at 28.

Bruno has also reported that Fernandez is saying he'll most likely sign a multi-year contract in Europe if he isn't picked in the lottery. That should also push him further down the draft board. The Spurs probably won't be scared of the European contract because they'll want him to play overseas a few more years anyways.

[Darkwaters]

I'm not sure if it will be a few years or just simply one year. Of course, who would have thought that Scola would still be over in Spain back when we drafted him. I love the guy, but he might decide not to sign that contract once he sees the team he'd be coming to. With Finley/Barry/Bowen/White all being FAs in a year it'd be a great time for him to come in and try and jockey for a spot in the rotation.

[Mr. Body]

Bruno has also reported that Fernandez is saying he'll most likely sign a multi-year contract in Europe if he isn't picked in the lottery. That should also push him further down the draft board. The Spurs probably won't be scared of the European contract because they'll want him to play overseas a few more years anyways.

Givony (Draft Express) has a new podcast where he discusses Fernandez' situation. I didn't realize how hairy it is. Either he makes the lottery and fairly good money, or else the slim rookie scale contract at the end of the first round may not come close to competing with what he could make in Europe - while he wants to play for an NBA team, it's hard to make $300K versus $3M/yr. You just can't do that.

The alternative is to slip into the second round, where rookie scale does not apply.

We may have a Fran Vasquez-similar situation on our hands.

[timvp]

Givony (Draft Express) has a new podcast where he discusses Fernandez' situation. I didn't realize how hairy it is. Either he makes the lottery and fairly good money, or else the slim rookie scale contract at the end of the first round may not come close to competing with what he could make in Europe - while he wants to play for an NBA team, it's hard to make $300K versus $3M/yr. You just can't do that.

The alternative is to slip into the second round, where rookie scale does not apply.

We may have a Fran Vasquez-similar situation on our hands.

Yeah, if the Spurs picked him at 28, it might be a loooooong time before they could bring him over. It might be impossible depending on what type of buyout clause the contract he signs in Europe has.

It'd be ultimate CIA if this false info was being created by the Spurs to lower his stock.

:smokin

[velik_m]

Rudy will be long gone before the Spurs draft.

[Bruno]

Fernandez has one year left on his contract with Joventut. His buyout for the nba is 1.6M€ and his buyout for another european team is 3M€.

He has three possibilities :
- Staying with Joventut for one more year. It's the less interesting solution BB wise. Joventut won't play the euroleague next year.
- Signing with another european team like Barcelona. He will play the euroleague and have a quite big salary. His contract with his new euro team won't be a one year contract given that the euro team will have to pay a 3M€ buyout.
- Going in nba and having a small salary given that the biggest part will be to pay his buyout. It's not even sure that he could be able to pay his buyout.

The nba team that draft him can :
- If Fernandez decide to stay one more year with Joventut, the nba team can say to Fernandez to renegociate his contract with Joventut : add a $500K buyout at the end of the year and raise Rudy's salary by $400K. Fernandez one year wait with Joventut will be easier to swallow with a biiger salary.
- If Fernandez decide to come in nba, the nba team can pick the team options on the third and fourth years of the rookie contract at the signing. With the 28th pick, Spurs can give a guaranteed $5M/4 years rookie contract (+$500K to pay his buyout).

Salary for players pick between 22nd and 28th are quite close.
Fernandez can be ready to stay one year with Joventut or come in nba with a quite low salary only if he feels that he will be in a great situation. Spurs has a lot of edges over other teams : great team, playing time available, spanish speaking players, spanish speaking city ;)...
Ferandez can choose to stay one year in Joventut instead of going for three years in Barcelona if he ahd the perspective to play for Spurs. Not sure he will be ready to do that if Sixers, Bobcats or Knicks draft him.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

is Fran Vasquez ever going to come over?

[AFBlue]

Rudy Fernandez at #28 would be an absolute steal, and I had predicted from the beginning that Rudy could possibly slide due to buyout concerns. Even if his contract situation is hairy, he's too good to pass up....

I just thought about this situation....

What if Rudy slides out of the first round and the Spurs pick him with #33. As second round picks have no pre-determined salary, the Spurs could wait a year until they had cap room and sign him next off-season with the buyout amount included in his salary...what do you think?

[kyleo]

Rudy Fernandez at #28 would be an absolute steal, and I had predicted from the beginning that Rudy could possibly slide due to buyout concerns. Even if his contract situation is hairy, he's too good to pass up....

I just thought about this situation....

What if Rudy slides out of the first round and the Spurs pick him with #33. As second round picks have no pre-determined salary, the Spurs could wait a year until they had cap room and sign him next off-season with the buyout amount included in his salary...what do you think?
Presti would jump all over that at 31.

[MoSpur]

Would like to have him, but seems injury prone. I would like the Spurs to draft a SF though.

[AFBlue]

Presti would jump all over that at 31.

That was my thought initially after posting. If the Spurs could think of it, so could Presti. And what's crazier is that they might have the cap space to do it this year assuming they don't bring back Rashard Lewis....

Damn, I just predicted the Sonics draft. Imagine a draft of Durant and Fernandez. If they could pick up a defensive center via sign-and-trade of Lewis or via Free Agency...they'd be an up-and-coming team in the west.

PG Ridnour/Watson
SG Allen/Fernandez
SF Durant/Wilkens
PF Collison/Petro
C Wilcox/Swift

And that doesn't include who they might be able to snag if they do a S&T with Lewis or grab a FA with the cap space saved by not re-signing him.

The Sonics might just become my second favorite team...

[Darkwaters]

Damn, I just predicted the Sonics draft. Imagine a draft of Durant and Fernandez. If they could pick up a defensive center via sign-and-trade of Lewis or via Free Agency...they'd be an up-and-coming team in the west.


I would love to see the Sonics try and trade Rashard Lewis, Robert Swift and the 35 pick for Pau Gasol. Then if they draft a quality SG with the 31 (Fernandez, Belinelli, Almond etc...) they could also look into moving that prick Ray Allen. Can you imagine Gasol, Fernandez and Durant on the floor together? Wow.

[mountainballer]

Can you imagine Gasol, Fernandez and Durant on the floor together? Wow.

yes, wow.
but do I wish this happened? well...no.

[Bruno]

The strangest about Fernandez is that I haven't seen a single report saying that he has worked out with a nba team.

[AFBlue]

The strangest about Fernandez is that I haven't seen a single report saying that he has worked out with a nba team.

Does this guy even want to play in the NBA? It's certainly something to ponder....

It would be an ingenious move if he was trying not to get drafted so that he could be an unrestricted free agent and pick his team....

[Darkwaters]

The strangest about Fernandez is that I haven't seen a single report saying that he has worked out with a nba team.

Maybe hes already been promised a spot by somebody?

[Mr. Body]

Does this guy even want to play in the NBA? It's certainly something to ponder....


From what I've heard, yes, yes he does.

[timvp]

The strangest about Fernandez is that I haven't seen a single report saying that he has worked out with a nba team.

I think him, Splitter and Gasol's brother are just waiting out the draft in Europe. If a team calls their agent, they get sent a tape of game action.

I think part of the issue is that they are under contract and their current teams aren't allowing NBA contact.

[Mr. Body]

I think part of the issue is that they are under contract and their current teams aren't allowing NBA contact.

Bingo.

[AFBlue]

It just seems like an odd set of circumstances. What he's essentially saying is "pick me in the lottery or don't pick me at all".

I've heard of many different tactics to increase your draft value, but that one seems like a high-risk proposition. It makes me think that maybe he fully intends to follow through with his plan to sign a long-term deal overseas if he doesn't get picked high enough in the draft.

The only motivation I can think of for being a lottery pick is the money....and I'm not too sure that paints him in a good light to teams wishing to draft him.

[Mr. Body]

If he slides into the second round he's in good shape.

[AFBlue]

If he slides into the second round he's in good shape.


How so? You think a team would make an unprecedented deal to bring him over for more than he would make as a lottery pick? Not even Luis Scola would get that kind of money...

[timvp]

The best thing to happen to Rudy Fernandez would to not be drafted at all. Then he'd become a world wide free agent at the end of this coming season and can sign with the highest bidder.

That's why Scola was praying to not get drafted back in 2001 or whenever that was.

[Mr. Body]

How so? You think a team would make an unprecedented deal to bring him over for more than he would make as a lottery pick? Not even Luis Scola would get that kind of money...

No salary restrictions for a second round contract. It wouldn't have to be an unprecedented deal at all.

If he were taken #28, he is set to make $730,000/year, which cannot compete with the $3M/year he can make in Europe. But if he were drafted #31, by Seattle, they could pay him much closer to the estimates for his European earnings.

[Mr. Body]

The best thing to happen to Rudy Fernandez would to not be drafted at all. Then he'd become a world wide free agent at the end of this coming season and can sign with the highest bidder.

That's why Scola was praying to not get drafted back in 2001 or whenever that was.

The difference is only one team was clever enough to draft Scola back then - San Antonio. This year, I don't think five teams would pass on drafting Rudy Fernandez in the second round.

[coopdogg3]

Only 2 teams would have to pass on Rudy for him to be available in the 2nd round for the Spurs.

[El_Mago]

No way, now how...Fernandez slips into the second.

Heck, if the Spurs land him at 28, I think Fernandez reconsiders the extension contract over in Europe.

Championship team, Spanish speaking city, Spanish speaking players, and some legit playing time....

[Darkwaters]

Rudy Fernandez a Spur. You would seriously have to pinch me for me to believe it were true. Oh wait, I guess it isn't true...yet!

Well, make it happen!

[AFBlue]

The best thing to happen to Rudy Fernandez would to not be drafted at all. Then he'd become a world wide free agent at the end of this coming season and can sign with the highest bidder.

That's why Scola was praying to not get drafted back in 2001 or whenever that was.

Yeah I put this as one of my conspiracy theories in either this thread or another, discussing Fernandez. But I agree with Body that there are too many teams in the second round that would consider him a "value pick", even if there is a risk that he might not play for them until 2010, if ever at all.

Someone said Presti would jump all over him at #31 and I have to believe that to be true. Presuming the Sonics let Lewis go, they would have enough cap space to sign Fernandez to an above-market deal...though I still don't think it will be in the $$ range that lottery picks get.

IMO, he's such a value pick at #28 that I would have to draft him despite the risk, and hope that we could work out a deal that brings him here by 2008....but that's just me. I don't know if the Spurs value him THAT much.

[Mr. Body]

Rudy Fernández wasn’t in Treviso for the EuroCamp. Actually he was playing in the ACB playoffs trying to lead Joventut to the Finals--which he was not able to do. But we had the chance to discuss his immediate future there with his Spanish agent, Gerard Darnés.

That conversation comes extremely handy as, soon after the Treviso camp finished, one of the hottest rumors in Spain was European powerhouse Winterthur F.C.Barcelona being relatively close to sign Rudy. Those rumors have only intensified as of late. According to the newspaper Sport, Rudy would sign a multi-year deal that would pay him between 800,000 to a million Euros (1.07 to 1.36 million dollars) per year after taxes. Convert it to dollars and calculate the taxes and you will easily realize that, short-term, a first-round (and only two-year guaranteed) rookie contract in the 15-30 range has no business competing against this kind of money.

Fran Vázquez all over again?

We believe not. And of course, so does his agent. Darnés explained to us back in Treviso that Rudy wants to go to the NBA no matter what. The only doubt about it would be the timing. He has a buyout escape clause in his contract worth around 2.2 million dollars for the NBA (4 million dollars for another European team), and depending on how high he’s selected and which team picks him, would make an effort already this summer to get out of his contract to start his NBA career, even losing money in the process. Otherwise, he could also wait until his contract expires in 2008 and he becomes a free agent, meaning only one season of wait, while Joventut would lose him for nothing.

Why do we believe it? Well, Rudy is an ambitious player that already had declared for the draft a couple of years ago, and went to Chicago to workout in front of a number of NBA teams. He’s also a confident guy concerning his own possibilities as a basketball player, and we’re sure he loves the challenge that the NBA means for him.

As we discussed following the Fran Vázquez debacle two years ago, this is a common problem that the NBA will have to address at some point. Excellent international players like Rudy Fernández or Tiago Splitter—who don’t have the potential and/or the right overseas contract situation to be drafted in the lottery—are being priced out of the NBA by the rookie scale contract before they even get a chance to be drafted. As much as they might love the idea of playing in the NBA, it doesn’t make financial sense for them to give up millions of dollars over a 4-year contract to accomplish that goal if they are locked into the 20-30 portion of the draft and rookie scale.

Some NBA teams we spoke to drafting in the early twenties have enough doubts about their ability to ever be able to bring them over that they might pass on them altogether, allowing them to fall to the second round. This would actually be an ideal situation for Fernández and Splitter, as they wouldn’t be locked into the rookie scale contract anymore and would be able to negotiate a contract right out of their new team’s mid-level exception.

From Luis Fernandez over at Draft Express (http://www.draftexpress.com/viewarticle.php?a=2132) .

[Marcus Bryant]

The NBA is too big of a draw for international talents to ignore. Ginobili is a great example. If you have the talent to make it in the NBA, you will get paid. I don't really see this as a problem.

What about Scola? Well the problem for him all along has been his Tau buyout.

[Mr. Body]

What about Scola? Well the problem for him all along has been his Tau buyout.

Partly. He'd be here already, maybe two years already, if the Spurs hadn't 'trapped' him into not coming over.

[Marcus Bryant]

Partly. He'd be here already, maybe two years already, if the Spurs hadn't 'trapped' him into not coming over.

Hmmm...perhaps, but with a $13.5 mil buyout that would mean a NBA team would have to offer him a contract that would allow him to cover that and make his 'true worth'. How many NBA teams would dole out, say $30 mil for an unproven international prospect?

Then again, someone gave Adonal Foyle and Brian Cardinal each $40 million.

[Mr. Body]

Ok, I said "maybe two years already". He'd be here (in the league) since last summer if he had been a free agent.

[Marcus Bryant]

Ok, I said "maybe two years already". He'd be here (in the league) since last summer if he had been a free agent.

Right, but to make the step to the NBA he'd have to give Tau $13.5 mil. If Fernandez falls to the 2nd round and some NBA team uses their leverage to sign him to a small contract, then at least he can go over that hurdle and eventually get paid.

[Mr. Body]

Is it $13.5M? I'm not sure it was that much last summer. This summer it's either $3M or $1M. Next summer, nothing.

[Marcus Bryant]

At one point it was reported as being $13.5 mil last summer. I recall that because for a while it was thought that it was $3 mil. Maybe it was Scola's agent making it up, but I thought someone from the Spurs' FO confirmed it was that high.

[ArgSpursFan]

The NBA is too big of a draw for international talents to ignore. Ginobili is a great example. If you have the talent to make it in the NBA, you will get paid. I don't really see this as a problem.

What about Scola? Well the problem for him all along has been his Tau buyout.

Manu´s draft steal was a long long time ago,since the spurs have been pulling those moves in the draft and winning a championship every other year all GMs know what´s going on outside the U.S
My guess Rudy will be picked in the 1st round.

[ArgSpursFan]

Scola´s buyout this year is about 3.5 M I belive,not sure though.
But Tau will deal for less $ this year.
I´d say it´ll be around 2M.and the spurs can pay 700 K towards that.

[Marcus Bryant]

Manu´s draft steal was a long long time ago,since the spurs have been pulling those moves in the draft and winning a championship every other year all GMs know what´s going on outside the U.S
My guess Rudy will be picked in the 1st round.

Sure, Manu has helped to give credibility to international talents, but the NBA is still a business and if a team has leverage they will use it.

[wildbill2u]

You have to make a mental adjustment and realize the NBA is up against Euro teams that are also able to offer (relatively) big bucks and are smart enough to tie up young players early with contracts that prevent easy pickin's by NBA teams.

Anyone who thinks a player is gonna give up a million or two just to play in the NBA is crazy--or the player who'd do that is. NBA prestige can only impress so far, then money talks and bullshit walks.

[Martin R]

that's the natural replacement for Manu. Not THAT talented but mor athletic.

[Darkwaters]

trade all of our picks to NJ for their pick and take rudy.

amen

[RADECK]

Rudy is pick that should be done from Spurs if they have any chance!

[ArgSpursFan]

question to you all.is there a legal tool for the int´l or Domestics players to legally stop the NBA drafting them if they dont want to????
I´m saying this coze Fernandez can become a free agent next year,and if a team draft him and them can´t bring him over,He´ll most likely be another Scola.
Is there a legal way for the players to stop getting fucked? like going to an Ordinary Judge/court or something?

[naico]

A contract is a contract..and a contract has the same value as a law..so unless the team's contract isnt a valid one, there is no way

[SenorSpur]

I keep hearing this guy's name. Tell me what the fascination is with him. Is he a Ginobili reincarnation?

[timvp]

I keep hearing this guy's name. Tell me what the fascination is with him. Is he a Ginobili reincarnation?

Possibly. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXAucLSrYv8)

:smokin

[T Park]

Wow, the way that guy moves, he is Ginobili esque looking.


What are the buyout issues supposedly? Is it as complicated as Scola?

[Marcus Bryant]

Hopefully teams in the lower third of the 1st round are scared off by the contractual issues and he falls to #28.

[AFBlue]

Wow, the way that guy moves, he is Ginobili esque looking.


What are the buyout issues supposedly? Is it as complicated as Scola?

Buyout is a stated $2.5M or thereabouts....

But he's working with his Euro squad to sign a MAJOR long-term contract, so it's possible there might be a Fran Vazquez situation...

[timvp]

Wow, the way that guy moves, he is Ginobili esque looking.


What are the buyout issues supposedly? Is it as complicated as Scola?

Supposedly his buyout is reasonable next summer. However, his Spanish team is prepared to offer him a huge contract that'd pay him more than an NBA rookie contract will.

So it could become an even worse situation than Scola, depending on whether Fernandez wants to come to the NBA or not.

[SenorSpur]

http://www.realgm.com/src_feature/936/20070627/nba_mock_draft_version_51_(final_version)/

Real GM's Mock Draft.

Here's the analysis and evaluation of Fernandez and projection of where he may go.

24. Rudy Fernandez - Phoenix
Shooting Guard. Spain

It looks like Fernandez won’t be ready to come over to the NBA for another season or two, which will probably make him even more attractive to cap-conscious Phoenix. It will be unfortunate that Fernandez won’t get to play in the world’s best league immediately because he could become one of the best shooting guards we’ve seen in recent history.

Analysis and projection of the Spurs pick @ #28

28. Marco Belinelli - San Antonio
Shooting Guard. Italy

Belinelli shoots it better than Fernandez, but struggled this past season due to his shot selection. Belinelli gives San Antonio much needed youth and athleticism on the wings. He is actually a lot like a young Brent Barry, though not quite as complete

[Vito Corleone]

What are the chances we trade down with Seattle, giving us the 31 and 33 pick? I hae a feeling we can snag two really good Euro players that we can take our time with. Fernandez and Splitter.

Together this will give us an A+ draft night IMO.

Yes, I know, wishful thinking but combine the draft depth with their respective euro contract problems I could see both falling out of the 1st round.