Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 bold predictions for 2017 NBA Draft
1. Ricky Rubio finally gets traded
Poor Ricky Rubio. He has been part of trade rumors for almost as long as I can remember. It appears that he is getting to his tipping point and is fed up with the Timberwolves not valuing his talent. I have to agree with him as he’s a top 10 Timberwolves’ player of all-time but isn’t treated as such.
We all know Rubio lit the world on fire during the second half of last season. He averaged 16 points and 10.5 assists per game after the All-Star break. The questions Wolves’ fans have is two-fold: 1. Where has this been the past six seasons? and 2. Is it sustainable in the future?
Due to that, Rubio’s trade value might be higher this summer than ever before. However, there might be fewer suitors as the draft is deepest at the point guard position.
We all know the New York Knicks are extremely interested in Rubio’s services but they don’t have anything Thibodeau and co. would find attractive.
Even given these barriers, Rubio will be traded on draft day. He will get traded for another role player at a position not named point guard. He may even help facilitate a much better player being moved, not necessarily to the Timberwolves.
Next: Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 draft prospects
By the time we wake up on Friday morning the following will be certain. The Timberwolves have multiple rookies on their team, one of them is named Lauri Markkanen, and Rubio is no longer a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves.