Chad Ford of ESPN reports that Minnesota Timberwolves president and coach Flip Saunders allegedly hasn’t ruled out drafting D’Angelo Russell first overall in the 2015 NBA draft. Saunders is a “big fan” of Russell and may be willing to trade Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio this summer to make room for the Ohio State freshman.
The Minnesota Timberwolves and Ricky Rubio (6’4”-G-90) agreed upon a $55 million contract extension last October, but it seems the team is prepared to consider dealing him in the right deal. I personally don’t think that this is a great idea unless Saunders is looking for another lottery pick in next year’s draft.
Rubio did just sign a big contract and also had a pretty shortened season due to injury, and in my eyes right now his value is not as high as it used to be. With all the good Rubio does when he’s on a court, Flip would honestly be foolish to move him at the moment. That’s why a trade like this seems too early, and extreme to me. Do they really want Zach Lavine throwing lobs and post entry passes to Wiggins or Towns/Okafor? You need a player making sure those guys get the ball in the right spots, and that player is still Ricky Rubio.
Two reports indicate Saunders prefers Duke center Jahlil Okafor to Kentucky center Karl-Anthony Towns in the draft, but according to Ford, Saunders hasn’t dismissed the idea of selecting Russell with the No. 1 pick and trading Rubio.
“Do not totally discount (Russell) here either. I am told Saunders is also a big fan and might be willing to move Ricky Rubio for the right deal,”
Ford wrote Tuesday.
What we have to remember is that Rubio is no scrub, he made his Euroleague debut at age 16, becoming the first player born in the 1990s to play in a Euroleague gam, and he remains one of the league’s most gifted passers while being only 24 years old.
