The Timberwolves Suddenly Have a Tough Decision to Make on Ricky Rubio

The Ricky Rubio question has been in the air for what feels like an eternity in Minnesota. The Timberwolves starting point guard is the last holdover from the Kevin Love era, and for years we've wondered whether he'll be part of the team's long-term future, as they build around Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, or if he'll be traded elsewhere. The decision has been difficult because his game is such a mixed bag; Rubio is as talented a passer as you'll find in this league, but his inability to hit jump shots is glaring, especially now when the three-ball has become king. And yet, it's hard to part ways with someone who has the ability to get Towns and Wiggins so many wide open looks.

There's no easy answer here, but there is one factor that could influence Minnesota: Rubio has been really, really good lately.

For much of this season, Rubio was the same player he's always been: a low-usage guy who doesn't shoot much because he's aware of his own limitations. In the 13 games since the All-Star break, however, an entirely new Rubio has emerged, one who is not only willing to take shots but also showing that he can make shots. After shooting .386 before the All-Star break, he's shooting .463 since, including .429 on threes. This increased offensive effort has extended to his passing game, too. Since the break, he's averaging 10.8 assists, compared to 8.4 before it. In the past month, Rubio has been brilliant by just about every measure, and he's looked like the player we all had hoped he would become back when he was a hyped-up teenager. After six years in the league, it feels like Ricky Rubio has finally arrived.

Of course, there are those three words that no basketball fan enjoys hearing: small sample size. A strong performance in a 13-game stretch doesn't necessarily indicate that this is how Rubio is going to play from here on out. The final 12 games will paint a fuller picture of the would-be Rubio Renaissance. It could also go a long way in determining what the Wolves do with him.

Here's the rub, though: if Rubio actually has figured it out and keeps performing at this level, it still won't be an easy decision for Minnesota. If they stay with him and he regresses, they missed their chance to move him when his value was highest, but if they let him go and his improvement turns out to be permanent, they will have lost the ideal point guard to pair with their young stars.

Another factor that has to enter into the front office's calculus is the other point guards on the roster. Kris Dunn was drafted No. 5 overall last year with the hopes that he would eventually replace Rubio. He's struggled a great deal as a rookie, however, and he currently has more shots than points for the season. That'll happen when you shoot below .400 from the field in every month except December. Dunn still hasn't adjusted to the NBA game, which is a concern for someone who entered the league at the age of 22. Second-year man Tyus Jones has looked a little better, but not to the point where you'd be fully comfortable having him as a backup point guard, let alone a starter. The lack of other options on the Wolves roster likely makes it difficult for them to pull the trigger on a Rubio trade, unless perhaps they receive another point guard in return.

At the finish line, league sources say, New York was prepared to trade Derrick Rose for Ricky Rubio straight up. But the Wolves balked.
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) February 23, 2017

The Wolves front office has a difficult decision to make with Rubio this off-season. Keep him, and they run the risk of chaining themselves to a player whose offense will always be limited. Trade him, as Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski has reported they are looking to do, and they could be parting ways with a player just as he's hitting his stride, while also leaving themselves with a huge weak spot at the point guard position. The notion that Rubio is a leftover piece from a bygone era in Minnesota has persisted the past few years, and that may come to fruition this summer, but if Rubio keeps this up for the rest of the year, it would be awfully hard to let him go.