Timberwolves Rumors: Andrew Wiggins will be face of franchise over Ricky Rubio
By Josh Hill
Kevin Love is out of Minnesota and the Timberwolves snagged great return for him, but one player is going to have a make-or-break year thanks to the trade.
More from Minnesota Timberwolves
- NBA Rumors: When to expect Karl-Anthony Towns trade talks to heat up
- NBA rumors: Karl-Anthony Towns trade talks will heat up in February
- The new NBA flopping rules explained
- NBA rumors: 4 teams not named Heat or Nets engaged on Damian Lillard trade
- 2023 NBA Free Agency: 5 underrated deals that could shift NBA landscape
Ricky Rubio was someone the old regime earmarked a max contact for over Kevin Love a few years ago but now that it’s time to pay up, Minnesota doesn’t want to. But with Love out of Minnesota, the Wolves need a face of the franchise and Rubio’s camp wants the Wolves to pay a premium to make Rubio that guy.
According to Darren Wolfson from ESPN 1500, the face of the franchise moving forward will not be Ricky Rubio, rather Andrew Wiggins.
"Wiggins will be the face of the franchise, in my opinion. Answered some of this above. But his value at the time is what only the Wolves are willing to pay him: 4-years, $43 million. His value next summer will be what the league will pay him and then the Wolves will decide if they want to match the offer. And yes, I think at the moment the Wolves are plenty fine with letting another team set the market next summer."
Rubio was looking to inherit the role of franchise leader and while he can still be a very prominent face in the franchise, he won’t be the face of the Timberwolves in the future. That’s going to come back around when Rubio gets max contract offers in the summer of 2015 — or near max deals — as the Wolves will have to decide just how valuable he is to them.
Be sure to check FanSided.com’s official NBA page to keep up to date on the latest news and rumors from around the league all summer long.