Ricky Rubio (Photo : Getty Images / Rocky Widner)
Some NBA trades seem to fit so well that fans are puzzled on why their teams won't pull the trigger.
Trades are complicated in real life as opposed to fantasy basketball. Players are real people and a "good fit" refers to personalities and not just talent. This is why some trades that are predicted to do well turn out to be a disaster while some turn out better than expected.
Ricky Rubio is an unselfish, pass-first player and it's hard to imagine a team would not want him, but the Minnesota Timberwolves have considered trading him-and the team also drafted a point guard to affirm the intention. There are at least three point guards on the team-Rubio, rookie Kris Dunn and Tyus Jones. Zach LaVine also gets some time at the "one" spot.
There's another team that has stockpiled point guards. The Phoenix Suns have two and also drafted a point guard in Tyler Ulis, as Bleacher Report noted.
"The Phoenix Suns have a pair of quality point guards who cost a lot of money and can't stay healthy," Rob Goldberg wrote. "When the two players are in the lineup together, they overlap each other at the point guard position while taking away minutes from promising shooting guard Devin Booker."
Booker is the future of the Suns and any roster decisions they would make is in the context of his development. The Suns' twin point guard combo are both scorers in their own right-Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight could both pull in 20 points a game any given night. There are times they have to share the court together pushing playing time off Booker.
The Timberwolves were rumored to be in the hunt for another veteran point guard as local beat reporter Darren Wolfson mentioned.
#Twolves FO had another personnel meeting today. Bottom-line: the current 15 isn't the 15 they envision in a few months. Wing, PG = targets.
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) July 20, 2016
It was not clarified whether Rubio is the one in exchange, but Bledsoe or Knight qualifies as veterans. The bonus for the Suns is that Rubio is a passer/facilitator, the type of point guard who will maximize the scoring talent of Devin Booker.
Will the Timberwolves trade Rubio for Bledsoe or Knight? The trade proposal is simply based on the rumors reported and the respective team needs, but the front offices could be discussing the possibility.
