Wolves owner Glen Taylor says a Ricky Rubio trade is not likely
Minnesota reportedly tried to trade him on a couple of occasions
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2 min read
When the Minnesota Timberwolves drafted Kris Dunn No. 5 overall last month, it seemed like the end of the Ricky Rubio era. They selected Rubio at that same slot seven years ago, and they're both point guards. The Wolves were reportedly shopping Rubio throughout draft week, and the New York Daily News reported four months earlier that he was available at the trade deadline, too.
Wolves owner Glen Taylor, though, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune's Sid Hartman that a trade is not imminent:
"I don't see that as a likely possibility," he said about a Rubio trade. "I just think the coach, everybody, likes Ricky. I think we want him to come in and improve on his shooting. But his other things, he plays defense, he gets assists, he helps the others get better. He has some wonderful qualities.
"I think the coach wants to bring an assistant coach to help Ricky on his shooting and I think that's where we're going to start out and go and we'll see how good Kris Dunn is."
Rubio has been working with shooting coach Mike Penberthy for years, so it's a little weird that Taylor is talking about bringing in a shooting coach as if he's never had help with his shot. Anyway, his main point is that Minnesota isn't desperate to send him elsewhere.
Two thoughts:
- Let's say the Wolves were doing everything they could to find an acceptable deal for Rubio right now. Let's say they tried to do that a couple of times before, and they were unsuccessful. Even if they've made the decision that he's not a part of their future, it would not make any sense for them to announce their plans to the world. Taylor's comments can't be taken at face value.
- This doesn't mean he is lying. Pretty much every team has something close to a full roster right now, and there hasn't been a major trade in a while. It's quite possible that Minnesota missed its window. Right before free agency started, it was reported that Rubio was on his way out, but the trade might not happen until midseason. Perhaps that's the most realistic scenario here.
Essentially, Taylor's comments do not mean that the Wolves are committed to Rubio as their long-term point guard. Maybe they'll be open to that if he suddenly becomes a reliable shooter from the perimeter, but it seems like a longshot now that Dunn is on the roster. As much upside as Dunn has, this is a little disappointing for people who like Rubio's game -- he is still only 25, and he fits well with Minnesota's young core of Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine.
