Is Ricky Rubio part of the Minnesota Timberwolves future?
The immediate answer would be a resounding yes but after spending a lot of time in sick bay, questions are now cropping up on whether the 24-year-old star from Spain will be around for long.
There is no doubt on Rubio's talent but an angle that the Timberwolves may be looking at right now would be his contract.
Rubio signed a $55 million contract extension last October, seeming to indicate that the T-Wolves have a lock on the Spanish star. This was despite the fact that Rubio was scarcely seen on the court, no thanks to an ankle injury that kept him in the sidelines.
But at the right price, the T-Wolves could deal Rubio and all that could happen on draft night. With teams like the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets on the lookout for a point guard, Rubio could be an interesting player to deal for.
The Knicks and Lakers of course have the salary cap but Rubio's durability is put into question. How healthy can Rubio stay should he be moved? Such is expected to be a problem if there are teams who would be interested in taking in the talented point guard.
Of course, there is something that underlies this from materializing. If Rubio would be let go, Minnesota will have to look for a replacement.
Looking at the coming 2015 NBA Draft, D'Angelo Russell or Emmanuel Mudiay could be a suitable replacement for Rubio. However that may all depend on who picks him.
With the first two picks expected to be Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor, the third and fourth picks should be interesting.
Philadelphia picks third while New York takes crack at fourth. With the two teams likely to land Mudiay and/or Russell, could the Timberwolves trade? Better yet, could the T-Wolves deal before they even draft?
Of the two scenarios, a trade after the pick seems to make more sense considering the enormous contract that Rubio holds.
