A representative for Ricky Rubio's agency in Spain told The Post yesterday the 18-year-old flamboyant point-guard phenom is receiving offers this weekend to play for a club in Turkey and Real Madrid, which would decrease the likelihood of him playing in the NBA next season.

Meanwhile, Knicks team president Donnie Walsh spoke to Timberwolves general manager David Kahn yesterday. According to a source, Kahn's being patient and is not interested in talking trade yet and is "trying to keep him."

Tim Shea, the former Knicks European scout who is a consultant for Rubio's agency, Winners Factory, said he expects a formal offer from a Turkish club tomorrow. The offer would be about $1 million, with another $2 million going toward a $6 million buyout for his Spanish team, DKV Joventut. Real Madrid also is in talks with Joventut, according to Shea. An NBA team is allowed to pay just $500,000, with the rest coming out of Rubio's future earnings.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/06282009/sports/knicks/rubio_receives_overseas_offers_176502.htm

If he signs in Europe somewhere Rubio will inversely become a god in NYC.

This is just one reason to pass on European players and also why Minny took Flynn right after him as insurance.

I'm sorry...but something HAS to be done about european draft eligibility. If you put your name into the draft whatever you sign allowing this must work as a contract binding you by law to report to the NBA team that drafts you. If you don't report you should face massive fines that will either force these players to report or force them to decide against entering the draft.

It is terribly unfair for the teams who burn picks on them to be spurned so easily. These guys see where they are drafted and by who and if they either go too low or not to a team they want they just turn around and stay in Europe.

Another thing: If they are still under contract in Europe - regardless of a buyout situation - they should be barred from entering the draft. It should be for legit FAs ONLY!

It's not unfair at all. The American clubs know what they're getting themselves into by drafting Euros. It's not like it's a secret or anything.

Posted by Pharzeone:

Ricardo is well on his way.

I think that's Brandon Jennings more than Rubio. Rubio is a humble nice kid by all accounts.

Jennings is the one that didn't show up for the lottery but then after he was picked he decided to come down and he had the nerve to ask to be introduced on someone else's time. What an attention whore.

It's completely unfair and what can be done? They're applying for work in the United States. We damn sure do have control over that.

It's absurd this has been allowed to continue all these years and defending it leaves me speechless.

Teams know exactly the risk they take on when drafting a Euro and their contract issues. Thats why Rubio was taken 5th and not 2nd in this draft. Don't fall under the spell of Kahn.

if Kahn let Rubio slip past him at 5 & 6, he wouldn't have a job still in MIN... but had that happened NY would've ended up w/either Rubio or Curry, so i'm sure he would have been able to find a job in NY soon after.

We could trade our 2011 pick and whatever combination, since they are ready to let him play in Spain for 2 years, a pick two year later would work, no?

Isiah Thomas, the gift that keeps on giving.

Posted by Cosmic:

This is just one reason to pass on European players and also why Minny took Flynn right after him as insurance.

I'm sorry...but something HAS to be done about european draft eligibility. If you put your name into the draft whatever you sign allowing this must work as a contract binding you by law to report to the NBA team that drafts you. If you don't report you should face massive fines that will either force these players to report or force them to decide against entering the draft.

It is terribly unfair for the teams who burn picks on them to be spurned so easily. These guys see where they are drafted and by who and if they either go too low or not to a team they want they just turn around and stay in Europe.

Another thing: If they are still under contract in Europe - regardless of a buyout situation - they should be barred from entering the draft. It should be for legit FAs ONLY!

Wait - how about you let NBA teams pay more than a token $500k towards his buy out. The Turkish team is giving him $2mm towards his buy out.

And why did Kahn pick him and then Flynn? Because he knew Rubio didn't want to go to Minnesota?

Then, Kahn knows the only reason he picked him was to trade him.