David Kahn's European Vacation

After several weeks spent denying the fact that the Ricky Rubio situation is an embarrassment to his franchise, Timberwolves president David Kahn is headed to Spain to talk buyout.

It is unclear what he's hoping to accomplish. The situation is pretty clear:

• According to the terms of his contract, Rubio must pay a $6.6 million buyout if he wants to leave DKV Joventut.
• NBA salary cap rules limit the amount that the T-Wolves -- or any NBA team -- can contribute to about $500,000.

Rubio made about $100,000 playing for Joventut last season -- he probably doesn't have six million bucks on hand. And even if he did, he's yet to show the slightest inclination towards playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves, or to split time in the backcourt with Jonny Flynn, the point guard that Kahn drafted sixth overall.

Theoretically, Rubio might be able to swing a deal with, say, a sneaker company to help fund the buyout. But that assumes he wants to devote a huge chunk of his potential marketing income to getting out of his European contract, which seems unlikely as long as Minnesota is holding his rights. His outlook might change in a hurry if he was traded to, say, a team that plays in much closer proximity to the advertising agencies of Madison Avenue.

Another way to make the buyout a bit more palatable would be to reduce the number, which is what Kahn is reportedly hoping to do. But that also gets complicated -- according to some reports, the buyout money has already been promised to Spain's equivalent of the IRS.

Enjoy the trip, Mr. Kahn... I hear Spain is lovely this time of year. But I hope you didn't buy a companion ticket for the return flight... I suspect you'll be coming back alone.