Minnesota Timberwolves enter this season with heightened expectations thanks in big part to the fact that they are the first team in NBA history to have three consecutive No. 1 overall draft picks on their roster – including the reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, Andrew Wiggins.
However, the season hasn’t even started yet and already there have been rumors that the Timberwolves are shopping around point guard Ricky Rubio, who was limited to 22 games a year ago and has played a full 82-game slate only once in four NBA seasons since coming in to the league.
Part of the trade rumors are fueled by the fact that Minnesota’s second 2014 first-round pick, Zach LaVine, has looked fantastic while Rubio has been out.
Minnesota would need to get the right package in return for the fifth overall pick from the 2009 NBA Draft but the fact that they have tested the trade waters would mean that they don’t feel he is a part of their future.
Here are four teams where Rubio could be a good fit.
Milwaukee Bucks
Michael Carter-Williams was a replacement for Brandon Knight but there is no guarantee that Jason Kidd is sold on him as his long-term solution at the position. Kidd was a pass-first point guard himself and it’s easy to imagine Rubio in that role for Milwaukee.
He would be the perfect facilitator surrounded by a strong cast of young players including Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Greg Monroe. Carter-Williams was a decent replacement for Knight last season but he hasn’t continued along his Rookie of the Year trajectory. Rubio is still just 24 years old and if he can stay healthy, he would represent a major upgrade for Milwaukee at the point guard position.
New York Knicks
The Knicks reportedly entertained trade offers for starting point guard Jose Calderon and couldn’t find the right deal. The fact that they were willing to part with him in the first place is a testament to the idea that they would be willing to upgrade at the position.
Langston Galloway is a capable backup at a reasonable price and rookie first-round pick Jerian Grant is the future, but after missing out on several big-name free agents this summer, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Phil Jackson pulled the trigger on a deal for the veteran Rubio. That would allow them to bring Grant off the bench instead of start him and potentially overwhelm him too soon. And if Rubio’s injuries did crop up again, Grant could move and Galloway could claim the backup role.
The Knicks are still a project but adding Rubio with Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis would push them to the fringes of playoff conversations.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets just offloaded Deron Williams and his monster contract to the Dallas Mavericks this summer and while Jarrett Jack is a capable replacement for this season, their long-term point guard situation is clearly unsettled at the position.
Brooklyn still has some quality pieces in Joe Johnson, Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young but they need some young building blocks for the future. While Jack is a quality point guard, he’s a veteran he isn’t the elite playmaker that Rubio has the potential to be. Brooklyn could use a facilitator that gets its scorers the looks they need so Rubio could definitely be an option.
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Dallas Mavericks
Dallas might not seem like a viable option at first glance after they acquired Williams as their starting point guard but the reality is that Williams actually played his best basketball off the ball last season when he was on the floor at the same time as Jack.
And let’s face it: Williams is an old 31-year-old and he’s much more suited for a bench role. The Mavericks aren’t winning a championship with Williams as their starting point guard.
The Mavericks are coming off a terrible offseason in which they lost their leading scorer Monta Ellis and they still have room to add to their backcourt heading into this season. Pairing Rubio with Williams in the same backcourt could definitely be an option for Dallas.
