(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
It's September 3, meaning the NBA regular season will get underway in a little less than two months.
With the season already so close, there are still a few noteworthy free agents available, including Allen Iverson, Nate Robinson (restricted), David Lee (restricted) and Ramon Sessions (restricted).
Given the financial situation around the league, it's no surprise to see those guys still out there.
Why bother negotiating a contract for someone when their old team will just match it and keep him?
There's no sense in doing somebody else's work and ending up with nothing to show for it.
This is the first edition of the "Roundball Roundup," an NBA feature I'll be coming out with daily once the season begins Oct. 27.
This time of the year is typically the slowest in terms of NBA news, with free agency winding down and training camps set to begin soon.
In case you've missed it, here's what's been happening over the course of the past few weeks in the NBA.
Ricky Rubio not coming to Minnesota yet; traded to Regal Barcelona
It appears one of the stranger NBA Draft stories we've seen in a long time will be coming to a temporary end.
Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio, drafted fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, has agreed to be dealt from DKV Joventut to Regal Barcelona, in a buyout that will cost the Euro equivalent of $5.72 million.
According to T'Wolves GM David Kahn, the team initially had been able to strike a deal with Rubio Saturday evening in which the player would appear in a Minnesota uniform this fall.
Rubio's agent, Dan Fegan, was apparently able to assemble a package of several lucrative endorsement deals for Rubio that was initially attractive enough for both Rubio and DKV Joventut to agree to.
Rubio then decided to back out of the NBA deal, opting instead to play for at least two more seasons in Spain.
Newsday initially reported the Knicks had still been trying to trade for Rubio's rights from Minnesota, in a package that would've included David Lee, Nate Robinson and a future first round pick.
However, Newsday also then reported that several legitimate sources claimed those rumors to be completely false.
The deal with Barcelona means Rubio likely won't be appearing in an NBA uniform until the 2011 season at the earliest, when he will be 21 years old.
Minnesota GM David Kahn had taken at least three trips to Spain this summer in attempts to negotiate with DKV Joventut to get Rubio to come to the NBA sooner rather than later.
His new contract with Barcelona includes a buyout after two seasons.
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