David Kahn’s feverish attempts to work out a deal that would allow Rubio to come play in the NBA in 2009 have all failed. Rubio finalized the deal to go to Regal Barcelona this week, leaving the new Wolves’ GM dumbfounded and embarrassed. Hey, at least he got to go to Spain three times in a month! How can that be all bad?

Now Kahn’s back-to-back drafting of Rubio and Jonny Flynn doesn’t look so fool hardy. He was hedging his bets, and for the most part it paid off. The problem is that Kahn could have addressed a huge amount of team needs instead. Or, he could’ve kept Randy Foye and Mike Miller instead of trading both of them to Washington. Whoops.

My whole problem with the draft pick is that other teams, like Oklahoma City and Memphis, would’ve also been bolstered had they been able to bring in Ricky Rubio. Maybe they were scared of his buyout clause with DKV Joventut. Maybe they knew Ricky wasn’t ready to play in the NBA at the tender age of 19-years-old. Whatever the case, Kahn and the Timberwolves were the ones left holding the bag.

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Ricky supposedly backed out of a deal with the Wolves after Kahn had worked some magic to promise the buyout be paid back over the course of a few years with a combination of Ricky’s $3.7 million rookie salary and his endorsement deals. However, Ricky himself has come out saying that maybe he isn’t ready. Again, as a great man once said, that’s information you could’ve told the NBA at the Draft! Where was this information five months ago?

The Wolves will retain Rubio’s rights as long as he his still a pro, whether in the NBA or in Europe. His current deal allows an opt-out clause in 2011 where Rubio will be 21 and will likely make the jump to the NBA. Whether Kahn is around to see the fruits of his hard labor and poor decisions is up to the Timberwolves’ brass.

At the end of the day, the Ricky Rubio Saga of 2009 panned out like a Mastercard ad.

Ricky Rubio Drafted 5th overall: $3.7 million a year

Ricky’s Buyout With DKJ Joventut: $8 million

Three Trips To Spain For Kahn: $3,000

Wolves To Win NBA Championship: +1500

Rubio knowing that he wasn’t going to play in the NBA at all in 2009: Priceless

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