Rudy Fernandez Suddenly Loves Portland

Rudy tells an understandably skeptical media that he wants to stay in Portland for as long as possible. From The Oregonian: “The guy had just played 21 minutes, shot 1 for 7 and scored two points. He complained of a bad back. But given all that, Fernandez was sitting in front of his locker smiling like a man sailing on the open waters of Bora Bora in a Hobie Cat. And yeah, I had to ask Fernandez if his agent was blowing smoke about his love of the Northwest, or if this was truly news that the guard has had a 180-degree change in attitude. ‘Your agent,’ I said to Fernandez as I asked him about the news, ‘is poco loco, no?’ Fernandez laughed and said, ‘Yes, he can be. Thank you for asking me.’ Then, he explained, ‘I want to be here. I’m having fun. I bought a home. I bought a car. I don’t know what else I can do to prove I want to be here. I’m playing now, too.’ [Patty] Mills leaned in and said: ‘I think he should leave.’ They cracked up, laughing, together. Fernandez wants to stay. He’s happy. Which likely means he’ll promptly be traded. Sports can be cruel like that. But as long as he’s around, it’s probably worth pointing out that Mills feels like the biggest reason Fernandez is finally comfortable again.”