NBA Rumors: Ricky Rubio not expected to be traded

NBA rumors have been coming in fast and furious with the trade deadline just a few days away, and one player that has been mentioned is Ricky Rubio of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Recently we heard rumblings the Timberwolves had made Ricky Rubio available for a trade, but as of now, he isn’t expected to be dealt.

Rubio is just 25-years-old, but he has a young point guard right behind him looking to take his spot in Slam Dunk Contest winner, Zach LaVine. After winning two straight dunk contests, LaVine is a rising star in the NBA, but besides his great leaping ability, he is also a pretty good player.

At just 20-years-old, LaVine is averaging 12.8 points per game mostly off of the bench for the Timberwolves this season, as they envision him and not Rubio as their future point guard.

Rubio was selected with the fifth pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Timberwolves but didn’t arrive in the NBA until the 2011-12 season. Rubio had the reputation of being a traditional point guard, as he was an internet sensation with his amazing passing abilities before he was drafted.

There are some glaring holes to Rubio’s game, however, as he is not a very good defender, and is also a dreadful shooter from the field. In his career, Rubio has shot 36.6% from the field and has been even worse from beyond the arc at 30.6%.

While he does have flaws, Rubio is a great floor general, as he has averaged 8.3 assists per game in his career. The Timberwolves haven’t been good since they drafted Rubio, and he is the type of player that needs to have talent around him to be able to succeed.

Rubio has a very similar game to Rajon Rondo of the Sacramento Kings, as they are both excellent in the pick-and-roll, and need to have some talented players around them to pass the ball to.

If the Timberwolves do indeed decide not to trade Rubio before the trading deadline, look for his name to come up again in trade talk when the offseason starts.