Will Ricky Rubio Be Traded From Timberwolves Before NBA Trade Deadline?

The Minnesota Timberwolves have started the season with a disappointing 20-33 record which is good for 13th in the NBA Western Conference. They have a very talented young trio consisting of Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, and Zach Lavine. None of the three are over 21-years-old and the Timberwolves organization is going to build around this core. They drafted point guard Kris Dunn last year and he figures to be a part of the equation as well. Dunn is currently backing up Ricky Rubio and many speculate that once he gets his NBA feet wet, he could eventually replace Rubio in the starting lineup.

That change to the Minnesota Timberwolves roster could come sooner rather than later with Rubio reportedly being on the trading block this year. As the Inquisitr previously reported, a devastating ACL injury to Zach Lavine further complicates things and the team may be looking to make some moves before the deadline to shore up their roster. Rubio could simply just be the odd man out. Here are a few potential destinations for the 26-year-old point guard.

Philadelphia 76ers

A move to Philly makes sense for Rubio because of the lack of quality depth at point guard on the Sixers roster. TJ McConnell and Sergio Rodriguez are serviceable, but not the long-term answer at the position. The Sixers currently have a logjam in their frontcourt with budding star Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel, and Jahlil Okafor.

With Joel Embiid quickly becoming the face of the franchise, he’s definitely not going anywhere. The Sixers could move defensive specialist Nerlins Noel to the Timberwolves in exchange for Rubio, as suggested by Fansided. This would be a good deal on both ends because Rubio would be an immediate upgrade at point guard for Philly and Noel could start alongside Karl-Anthony Towns, forming an imposing tandem in the Wolves frontcourt.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks are another team that could use the services of a guard like Ricky Rubio. Right now the 6-foot-11 “Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo is running the team at point, with rookie Malcolm Brogdon and free agent acquisition Matthew Dellavedova helping out. Bringing in a true point guard like Rubio could be devastating to teams in the Eastern Conference. Imagine a backcourt of Ricky Rubio and Kris Middleton to go along with Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker, and Greg Monroe to round out the starting five. That would be a dangerous and very entertaining team to watch. The Bucks could probably steal Rubio away from the Wolves by sending them Michael Beasley, Mirza Teletovic, and possibly a draft pick.

This scenario is a win-win for both clubs and something that should be monitored as the trade deadline approaches.

New York Knicks

Despite all the negative press that the New York Knicks have received in recent weeks, they’re still a team with many holes to fill. Derrick Rose is talented, but not what the team needs at this point because he doesn’t really have a pass-first mentality. Not to mention that Rose is only playing on a one-year contract and will probably be plying his trade with another team next season.

Ricky Rubio would be a great fit alongside phenomenal second-year forward Kristaps Porzingis, and since he’s only 26-years-old, Rubio could still fit into the organization’s timeline for building the team around Porzingis. The Wolves would probably have to take on Derrick Rose’s expiring contract in order to make a deal work, but that’s probably not out of the question depending on how badly the team wants to move Rubio.

With the NBA trade deadline right around the corner, the Minnesota Timberwolves only have a couple of weeks to weigh their options and come up with a plan to move Ricky Rubio, if they move him at all. Minnesota could very well keep Rubio in the fold but with all the teams in need of a quality starting point guard, they will probably at least test the waters to see what assets they can get in return for him. Things should become a lot clearer before February 23 and then we will have a better understanding of what the team wants to do with Rubio.

[Featured Image by Harry How/Getty Images]