Rudy

The overpaying of Wesley Matthews pretty much finalizes what many already predicted: Rudy Fernandez will not be with the Portland Trailblazers next year. The disgruntled Fernandez has been frustrated with his role on the team for some time, and while he has the talent and tools to become a Hedo Turkoglu-type player (Orlando Hedo, not Toronto Hedo), it looks like it will not happen in Portland. Rudy does have a 5-team wishlist of where he hopes it will happen: The Knicks, the Bulls, the Nets, the Celtics, or the Heat. On top of those 5, a return to his Spanish homeland will always be at least in the back of the mind of international star.

If what Rudy wants is to get playing time and become a quality rotation guy, the Knicks and Nets would be his best options. Both teams have plenty of cap space and need plenty of help, so he could come in a contribute immediately, instantly earning a spot in the starting lineup. The Knicks reportedly offered a deal earlier in the summer, but don't have enough enticing pieces to make it worth it for the Blazers. They can't even really offer draft picks since Houston has theirs from the T-Mac deal. The Nets also don't have many good trading pieces, and don't seem to be showing as much interest in Rudy. The Blazers could possibly accept the expiring contracts of Kris Humphries or Quenton Ross plus a draft pick, which would then give them two contracts to be able to turn come this February's trading deadline firesale (CP3, anyone?). Rudy in turn would fit in nicely to a starting lineup featuring Devin Harris, Brook Lopez, Derrick Favors, and Terrence Williams.

Miami instantly became a prime destination for players wanting to win, but Rudy wants playing time, and at his position that looks like it would be hard to come by on South Beach. On top of the three stars, the Heat also have sharpshooting Mike Miller, Big Z, and Udonis Haslem. They might also be picking up a 39 year old Penny Hardaway. Not that that makes much of a difference, but it's a funny little tidbit to throw in. Rudy would be pretty much what he is now in Portland, a fourth option at best. By all accounts, this is not what he wants. While the weather and night-life would treat the international Rudy quite well, he seems to want more.

Finally, there's Boston and Chicago. Both make sense from a basketball standpoint, as both teams could use him. In Chicago, he would be jumping on to what now looks to be the second best team in the East. He probably wouldn't start over the highly regarded Deng, but he would get quality minutes off the bench while still being able to play with quality teammates. For it to be worth Portland's while, ideally they'd be able to pry away Taj Gibson and a draft pick, but that seems unlikely.

Boston would be the most enticing for Rudy. He would not become an immediate starter on a team with The Big Three, but all three are on the decline. He'd be a potent contributor off the bench and his unselfishness would go great with their team chemistry. It would also better prepare the Celtics for their major overhaul once Allen's and KG's contract are up in 2012, and Rondo and Fernandez would provide a solid nucleus with a role Rudy should be happy with. It's unclear what Boston could throw in to entice Portland, but this is where he should be looking. The sad thing is, with Martell Webster gone, there's room for Rudy on Portland. It just looks like he doesn't want a part of it.