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Jim Mone
BASKETBALL: Flynn mentioned in trade rumor as Wolves resume summer games
Now, Jonny Flynn knows what it’s really like to be an NBA player.
Midway through his first series of summer exhibitions, and still three months from the start of his rookie season, the Niagara Falls native is already being mentioned in trade rumors.
Adrian Wojnarowski of YahooSports.com reported Thursday that David Kahn, the Minnesota Timberwolves general manager, will soon travel to Spain to try to work with Ricky Rubio’s current team, DKV Joventut, to lower a $6.6 million buyout clause, and allow the 18-year-old point guard prodigy to join the Timberwolves this season.
“If Rubio gets the buyout done, most expect Kahn will trade Flynn,” wrote Wojnarowski, a St. Bonaventure graduate who has a good track record for breaking NBA-related stories.
Minnesota selected Rubio with the No. 5 overall pick in last month’s draft, then took Flynn with the very next pick. Since then, it’s been widely suspected that Minnesota would trade one of its rookie point guards, though most of the speculation has centered around the coveted Rubio, who had given indications that he would rather stay in Spain than play for Minnesota.
But the Spanish Web site Marca.com reported Wednesday that Rubio has resigned himself to the fact that the Timberwolves are his only option for playing in the NBA next season.
Kahn insisted after the draft that he plans to keep both Rubio and Flynn, and will play them together.
“I truly believe that Jonny is as much a scorer as a playmaker and will thrive off of Ricky,” Kahn wrote in an open letter to Timberwolves fans following the draft. “I also believe that, together, we will have one of the most dynamic defensive backcourts in the NBA over time.”
After watching Flynn play two games at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas earlier this week, Kahn told the Pioneer Press: “He’s going to be great. I’m telling you. He’s going to be great. There’s so much more to him. There are intangibles. He’s a leader. A very special kid.”
Flynn started at point guard and averaged 11 points and 10.5 assists in the Timberwolves’ losses to the Houston Rockets and D-League Select squads this week.
Fellow Niagara Falls native Paul Harris has been productive in limited minutes off the bench in Minnesota’s first two games, particularly on the defensive end. An interview with Harris, who has cut off his trademark braids, will be posted on Timberwolves.com today.
In an interview with the Pioneer Press, Flynn said he would welcome the chance to play alongside Rubio, who joined the European professional leagues at age 14, saw heavy minutes in last summer’s Beijing Olympics, and has become a Youtube sensation due to his passing skill.
“He’s going to make our team that much better. I’d love to have him by my side, making me better,” Flynn said. “You see the NBA going to two point guards at the same time. I think we would just be labeled as guards. I don’t think we’d have a position.”
Flynn played stretches at shooting guard during his freshman season at Syracuse, and throughout his remarkable four-year career at Niagara Falls High School.
“He really picked up the scoring load,” former Wolverines coach Dan Bazzani said after Flynn’s junior year. “He’s the best shooter I’ve ever coached.”
Heading into college, one of the biggest questions about Flynn’s game was whether his playmaking skills were on par with his scoring abilities. Flynn proved himself to be a natural point guard at Syracuse, and was regarded as one of the most NBA-ready rookies in this year’s draft class.
Minnesota resumes summer league play at 8 p.m. tonight against a Washington Wizards squad that includes four players who received significant minutes during the regular season.
Timberwolves.com will provide free play-by-play commentary of tonight’s game.
NBA.com is offering live and on-demand video broadcasts of every summer league game for $14.99.
E-mail reporter Jonah Bronstein at jonah.bronstein@niagara-gazette.com
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