National Basketball Association

Mavs may lose Fernandez to Real Madrid

Published Jul. 3, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Rudy Fernandez’s time with the Dallas Mavericks might be short-lived.

Fernandez, who was traded from Portland to Dallas on NBA draft day, might soon end up in his native Spain.

According to reports Sunday by Mundo Deportivo and Sportando.net, Real Madrid has offered the 6-foot-6 guard a six-year deal worth about $4.35 million a year. Fernandez is scheduled to make $2.2 million in 2011-12, after which he would be eligible for restricted free agency.

However, the NBA locked out its players July 1 when the league’s owners and players could not reach agreement on a new collective-bargaining agreement. Whenever a deal is reached, NBA salaries are expected to be lower.

If Fernandez agreed to the deal with Real Madrid, according to the reports out of Spain, he would would play for the NBA-champion Mavericks during the 2011-12 NBA season, whenever it might begin, then leave the US league at the end of that season return to Spain.

The Mavs acquired Fernandez and point guard Petteri Koponen from Portland for the rights to newly drafted forwards Jordan Hamilton and Tanguy Ngombo. Portland then traded point guard Andre Miller and a second-round pick to Denver for point guard Raymond Felton.

In three NBA seasons, Fernandez has average 9.1 points and 2.2 assists. His best scoring season came in 2008-09, his rookie season, when he averaged 10.4 points.