The trade deadline is looming and rumors are circulating the internet. Ricky Rubio’s name has been thrown into the mix as a possible trade candidate. There have been conflicting reports on his availability and the Wolves aren’t necessarily seeking out trades, but they may be taking calls and listening to offers. A Rubio trade isn’t likely by tomorrow’s deadline, but it is something to watch over the next 24 hours. The rumors are out there now though and it’s something to think about.
Should the Wolves look to move Rubio?
Yes, and that’s not a slight to Rubio. A young team like the Wolves shouldn’t get too attached to any player they don’t view as a franchise cornerstone. The only players on the roster that fall under that category are Wiggins and Towns. Rubio is right around an average starting point guard in this league. Being that point guard is the deepest position in the NBA right now it shouldn’t be difficult to find a replacement in free agency or the draft over the next few years.
The problem with Rubio is the unique roster construction issues he creates. He can’t shoot and he struggles to finish at the rim, two glaring weaknesses that are hard to mask when combined together. To build a successful offense around Rubio the Wolves needs to make very specific personnel moves. Normally, a poor shooting point guard needs to play with a couple good shooters so the defense doesn’t sag in too much and wall off the paint. The threat that a quality outside shooter poses creates space for the point guard to penetrate into the defense and get to the rim or pass the ball with the defense rotating. Russell Westbrook and John Wall thrive in offenses like that because they are both great finishers and willing passers when the defense reacts to them. With Rubio that extra space doesn’t help because defenses aren’t afraid of him getting to the rim. So it’s not as simple as signing a couple good 3 point shooters to give Rubio more room to work. Rubio needs to be surrounded by multi-dimensional offensive threats. Players that are great shooters, but do more than just catch and shoot, and there aren’t a ton of players like that.
That’s where the current roster makes it even more challenging for the Wolves going forward. Wiggins and Rubio don’t complement each other well on the offensive end. Both players need the ball in their hands to be effective and neither has much value off-ball. When they share the court there is limited spacing. Hopefully Wiggins can turn into a good shooter that defenses need to respect, but that looks less likely as this season goes on. Wiggins is a huge part of the future obviously so the Wolves should prioritize finding players that fit well with him.
Is now a good time to move Rubio?
Yes and no. This trade deadline is interesting because there are an inordinate amount of teams that are fighting to make the playoffs and looking to make a move. That means there are far more buyers than sellers. The Wolves are one of the few teams that should be sellers, meaning that they hold lots of leverage at the negotiating table.
The problem is that there aren’t a ton of teams with a need at point guard. The few teams that may be looking for a point guard are the Jazz, Knicks, Nets and Bucks. The Jazz are interesting but it’s unclear what they’d be willing to part with. The Nets have Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, but he doesn’t seem to be on the table. The Knicks have some young players that would be worth taking a flyer on, but nobody that stands out. They’d have to throw in some picks to any deal, one of which would have to be a future first rounder. The Bucks have a number of interesting pieces, including Minnesota-native sharpshooter Rashad Vaughn. Jason Kidd is reportedly a fan of Rubio and could push the front office to move for him, meaning the Wolves could potentially get a decent haul in return.
Part of the value in trading Rubio is creating an opening at point guard. The Wolves might have a chance to take Kris Dunn in the upcoming draft. With Rubio on the roster that is far less likely. Waiting until after the draft to move Rubio might be the right plan, because there is no guarantee Dunn will be on the board when the Wolves pick. However, they lose negotiating leverage if they have both players on the roster because teams will know they want to dump one of them. Dunn isn’t a lights-out shooter, but he’ll be better than Rubio from behind the arc. He’ll also be better attacking the rim and playing off-ball. Dunn’s real value comes on the defensive side of the ball where he has the potential to become an All-Defensive team type of player. He’d be a much better fit playing with Wiggins, and he’d be on the same development curve as the rest of the young core.
Rubio is a pretty good player. On the right team, surrounded by the right players, he can be valuable. The Wolves can keep him and try to mold the roster to fit his needs. It limits their options though. The Wolves should try to keep all avenues to success open. Keeping Rubio sets them down a specific path. Maybe the opportunity to get the perfect complementary players alongside Rubio will present itself. It’s not the best way to attack free agency and the draft though, looking for players that fit with the third best player on your team. That isn’t to say they need to get rid of him before the deadline this week. Maybe someone will make a great trade offer on draft night, or over the summer. There certainly isn’t any desperation to move Rubio, but they absolutely should be ready to move him if and when the time is right.
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