The prospect of drafting Ricky Rubio is about to become less risky.
A source close to Rubio said the $6.6 million buyout of the Spanish point guard's contract with his current team, DKV Joventut, was likely to be reduced Sunday or today to an amount where "he knows he'll be able to make the payments."
Such a resolution will, in effect, clear a major obstacle for teams considering Rubio as their first pick in Thursday's NBA draft but that have concerns about the financial albatross to which he has been tied. That, of course, includes the Kings.
Assuming the arrangement is finalized as expected, Rubio would plan on joining his team at the NBA Summer League in July. Yet while Rubio's visit to Sacramento last week was his first with an NBA team in America, the Kings are no longer alone in that regard.
Rubio – who measured at 6-foot-5 in shoes with a 6-7 3/4 wingspan in his Kings physical – visited with Oklahoma City representatives Saturday in Los Angeles. The Thunder, which picks third, was allowed to examine his DKV Joventut contract, just as the Kings had, to gain a better understanding of those particulars. The visit would appear to increase the chances of the Thunder opting for Rubio, if only because the uncertainty that loomed before the visit almost certainly meant it would go another direction.
While Memphis, which holds the second pick, visited with Rubio in Spain before the Kings or Thunder, the Grizzlies did not see the contract, nor did any other team. Rubio could make more visits, however, as his camp surely will explore all options in the coming days. Among the possibilities, Minnesota is believed to be interested in moving up from its No. 6 spot to select Rubio.
Rubio's eventual NBA team is permitted to pay only $500,000 of a buyout, meaning the player will pay the rest. Because he made approximately $97,000 last season with DKV Joventut, his representatives had asked an arbitrator to settle the matter while claiming the buyout is disproportionate to his salary. They also claimed Rubio never signed his contract when it was drafted – he was 16 at the time – although he reportedly did sign an addendum last season.
Yet the Kings continue to look at all options for their first pick. Their sights also are set on several other prospects who were in Sacramento for a workout Sunday: Syracuse's Jonny Flynn, Memphis' Tyreke Evans and Davidson's Stephen Curry.
Coming off a franchise-low 17-win season, the Kings, according to league sources, also are willing to discuss deals for anybody on their roster. That includes shooting guard Kevin Martin, who previously was seen as untouchable but who continues to attract significant attention from around the league.
Read the Kings blog at www.sacbee.com/kingsblog.
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