Ricky Rubio has been a topic of discussion during the NBA offseason. The point guard earned a contract extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves last year when Kevin Love was traded, but there was doubt he was in the long-term plans for the franchise. With young stars like Andrew Wiggins taking over, Rubio was rumored to be getting pushed out of the picture, but that is not the case according to general manager Milt Newton.
Rubio's career has been up and down. The point guard signed a four-year, $56 million contract last offseason and then promptly played only 22 games while dealing with ankle injuries. A report surfaced from the Boston Globe stating that the Timberwolves were losing patience with Rubio and if rookie Tyus Jones turned out to be the real deal, the franchise would shop the point guard in a trade. Newton denies the idea.
"We're not talking to anybody about trading Ricky," Newton said, via The Associated Press. "We expect Ricky to be an integral part of our team this season. We expect him to be here come training camp and leading our team. He's one of the best facilitators in the NBA. We've got a young team of guys that are athletic, that are going to get up and down. And we're going to utilize those talents that they have."
Rubio stated early in the offseason that he did not believe the Timberwolves would trade him, but rumors were getting loud. International basketball site Sportando reported the New York Knicks would be interested should Rubio be available in a mid-season deal. The rumor made sense considering the Knicks were not thrilled with their point guard options and they potentially could offer up Jose Calderon in a trade. Rumors also swirled that the Los Angeles Lakers would try and add to their rotation while the Dallas Mavericks were raised as an option. The Lakers are very unlikely at this point, as they have Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell at point guard.
For now, Rubio stays put. The point guard could be one of the best when healthy. If he can start the season off on a high note, he has nothing to worry about. However, if the veteran were to struggle and Jones improves quickly, the Timberwolves could take a different turn. The team is moving on with a younger group of players. Wiggins along with Karl-Anthony Towns highlight that while Kevin Garnett and Andre Miller return as the veterans. Chances are slim anyways the Minnesota Timberwolves would have found a trade deal for Rubio right now anyways, but the mid-season deadline could be a different story.
