Knicks Trade Rumors: Top 5 Point Guards To Consider
1. Ricky Rubio, Minnesota Timberwolves
Age: 26 (10/21/1990)
Experience: 6th Season
Remaining Salary: Three Years, $42.3 Million
2016-17 Slash Line: .386/.281/.872
2016-17 Season Averages: 32.1 MPG, 8.9 PPG, 8.4 APG, 3.8 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 0.7 3PM
Perhaps the most intriguing player on this list is Ricky Rubio. Rubio a legitimate two-way player who can provide stability on both ends of the floor.
His facilitating touch would help create a healthier flow on offense and his defensive tenacity would help stop some of the bleeding on the other end.
Though something could have changed in recent weeks, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reportedly in mid-January that the Minnesota Timberwolves were attempting to trade Rubio.
"The Minnesota Timberwolves are actively shopping point guard Ricky Rubio in trade proposals, league sources told The Vertical."
Few teams make as much sense for Rubio as the New York Knicks.
It’s no secret that Phil Jackson covets players who have experience in Spain’s Liga ACB. The likes of Willy Hernangomez, Mindaugas Kuzminskas, and Kristaps Porzingis are examples of players whom Jackson has poached from the Spanish league.
Far more important than the Liga ACB connection is the fact that Rubio’s strengths are identical to the Knicks’ primary weaknesses.
New York is an abysmal defensive team, while Rubio has routinely ranked in the Top 5 at his position in Defensive Real Plus-Minus. The Knicks struggle to create consistent ball movement , while Rubio has a career average of 9.6 assists per 36 minutes.
A generational passer and a ferocious defender, Rubio makes up for his nonexistent scoring with elite skills as a traditional point guard.
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With the trade deadline nearing and blockbuster moves beginning to surface, the New York Knicks could soon make a splash of their own.