Ricky Rubio is Wolves second best player without any doubt.

[Avihs7]

So because of like 8 games where he managed to actually shoot well? What about the rest of the season?

Why are people bringing up names like CP3 and Curry like Rubio has any business being mentioned anywhere near them. Rubio is in the bottom half of the league's point guards (without looking, but definitely not top 10).

Curry, CP3, and now Wall have all been outplayed Rubio in the past 10 days, that's why those names were brought up

[Avihs7]

So because of like 8 games where he managed to actually shoot well? What about the rest of the season?

Why are people bringing up names like CP3 and Curry like Rubio has any business being mentioned anywhere near them. Rubio is in the bottom half of the league's point guards (without looking, but definitely not top 10).

Curry, CP3, and now Wall have all been outplayed Rubio in the past 10 days, that's why those names were brought up

Curry, CP3, and now Wall have all been outplayed by Rubio in the past 10 days, that's why those names were brought up

[bondom34]

He's been really good lately, and it was crazy they were rumored to want to trade him. He's a top notch passer and a top half of the league, maybe top 10 PG (you could make a case).

[Klomp]

Read on Twitter

[FinnTheHuman]

Rubio's weaknesses are very real, so I understand the haters. But he's beyond elite at the things he's good at. He's a transcendent passer. He's an elite defensive point guard. The biggest question is his shooting/finishing so bad that teams will be able to neuter him in the playoffs. Until then, I cringe when i see trade rumours involving Rubio for (insert mediocre point guard who can shoot here).

I hardly watch Wolves unfortunately but is Rubio better than prime Rondo? Because when you mentioned great passer and defender with bad shooting Rondo is the first name i remember. I'm just wondering how Rubio manage to survive in this league when almost all the great PG are great or above average shooters now.

I think he's a tier above Rondo as a passer. It seems like about twice a game, he'll make a pass that I don't think anyone in the league would/could have done with consistency since Kidd's prime. The only player in the league right now that I think comes close to Ricky as a pure creative passer is probably Lebron.

I'd say Nikola Jokic is ahead of both of them when it comes to pure passing creativity.

[Warriors07]

He has always been solid and super fun to watch; his dribble, pass, defense, driving all great. The guy has the potential to be superstar since his rookie year if he could develop consistent shooting..

[jimmy_smith]

Wolves second Best?

More like THE best right now.

[Egg Nog]

Wolves second Best?

More like THE best right now.

Easy now, Towns just won player of the week after averaging 29/12 on 63% shooting.

[Phreak50]

Agreed.

I said in the gameday thread after the Wolves/Spurs game recently how good he was.

He is such a brilliant passer and makes scoring easier for his teammates. He's a good defender too and offensively, he is competent enough.

In the preseason thread in the Spurs board I even said we should try to get him. He'd be ridiculous on the Spurs.

I'm glad he didn't get sent to hell in NY. Minnesota should treasure him and appreciate how good he is.

[Pure_Basketball]

Suggest watching this to anyone who starts over rating him, granted he's been great since all star break, but this video explains what was happening before it.

Watch on YouTube

[jptremblay]

He's been really good lately, and it was crazy they were rumored to want to trade him. He's a top notch passer and a top half of the league, maybe top 10 PG (you could make a case).

Curry
Westbrook
Paul
Wall
Lillard
Isiah Thomas
Kyrie Irving
Lowry
Kemba Walker
Conley

Those are clearly being better than him, maybe you can make a case above Lillard since he is horrible at defense.

So there's only 1 spot to get into the top 10, but Rubio, Dragic and George Hill will have a case to belong in the top 10.

PD: a true PG for me is someone who can run the offense while defending the opponent guard, something that Giannis and Harden can't do or never seem to do it. If someone thinks that Giannis and Harden are real PGs, then obviously Rubio and others have no chance to get into the top10.

[Johnny Firpo]

Wolves second Best?

More like THE best right now.

Easy now, Towns just won player of the week after averaging 29/12 on 63% shooting.

And yet I wouldn't be shocked if it would turn out that Rubio destroyed him in +- during that period. Towns is an amazing offensive player, but really bad on defense, and as a big, that shows in the stats. I know it's only one game, but case in point last night, Rubio was like +20, and Towns was +4. On pure impact, I have little doubt that Rubio is still their best player, but Towns is so talented on offense that he enchants (is that a word?) us fans, similarly to Jokic.

[Roy The Natural]

He's been really good lately, and it was crazy they were rumored to want to trade him. He's a top notch passer and a top half of the league, maybe top 10 PG (you could make a case).

Curry
Westbrook
Paul
Wall
Lillard
Isiah Thomas
Kyrie Irving
Lowry
Kemba Walker
Conley

Those are clearly being better than him, maybe you can make a case above Lillard since he is horrible at defense.

So there's only 1 spot to get into the top 10, but Rubio, Dragic and George Hill will have a case to belong in the top 10.

PD: a true PG for me is someone who can run the offense while defending the opponent guard, something that Giannis and Harden can't do or never seem to do it. If someone thinks that Giannis and Harden are real PGs, then obviously Rubio and others have no chance to get into the top10.

Well, if you're going to hit Lillard on his defense, you gotta hit IT as well.

[Johnny Firpo]

He's been really good lately, and it was crazy they were rumored to want to trade him. He's a top notch passer and a top half of the league, maybe top 10 PG (you could make a case).

Curry
Westbrook
Paul
Wall
Lillard
Isiah Thomas
Kyrie Irving
Lowry
Kemba Walker
Conley

Those are clearly being better than him, maybe you can make a case above Lillard since he is horrible at defense.

Why are those players clearly better than him? I mean, some of them obviously are better than him, at least 5-6 players, but the rest? Just based on RPM, Rubio was 5th last year, 11th two seasons ago, and 9th three years ago. Right now he is 16th, but easily top 10 since Thibodeau changed tactics and allowed him to create.

Before that he was sent into the corner while LaVine and Wiggins played pick & rolls, and he was predictably horrific in that role. Your list and how you put that sentence clearly shows me that just because Conley, Walker, Thomas and Lillard score much more, you aren't even willing to entertain the idea that Rubio could be more impactful, or even if he is not, at least close to them.

Which, in my humble opinion, just reflects how most fans view him. For some reason, people just can't wrap their head around a player like Rubio, because he is so unusual in the sense that he is terrible at something. We think that if a player has a glaring weakness, he cannot be top 10 at his position, which is a flawed thinking imo, and the advanced stats show this for the most part.

[bondom34]

He's been really good lately, and it was crazy they were rumored to want to trade him. He's a top notch passer and a top half of the league, maybe top 10 PG (you could make a case).

Curry
Westbrook
Paul
Wall
Lillard
Isiah Thomas
Kyrie Irving
Lowry
Kemba Walker
Conley

Those are clearly being better than him, maybe you can make a case above Lillard since he is horrible at defense.

So there's only 1 spot to get into the top 10, but Rubio, Dragic and George Hill will have a case to belong in the top 10.

PD: a true PG for me is someone who can run the offense while defending the opponent guard, something that Giannis and Harden can't do or never seem to do it. If someone thinks that Giannis and Harden are real PGs, then obviously Rubio and others have no chance to get into the top10.

I'd honestly debate him over IT and possibly Irving (I'm really low on Kyrie though), and I'd take him over Dragic. So borderline top 10, definitely top 15, which is what I said.

[bondom34]

Suggest watching this to anyone who starts over rating him, granted he's been great since all star break, but this video explains what was happening before it.

Watch on YouTube

Not this in particular, but BBD videos are generally really biased and "coach" Nick isn't very insightful. He's a high school hoops coach.

[E-Balla]

2nd best? Ricky is easily better than KAT. Still mad Phil didn't do the trade.

[E-Balla]

Wolves second Best?

More like THE best right now.

Easy now, Towns just won player of the week after averaging 29/12 on 63% shooting.

Same stretch Ricky averaged 16/6/11 and was +14 (Towns was -4).

[mcmurphy]

I hardly watch Wolves unfortunately but is Rubio better than prime Rondo? Because when you mentioned great passer and defender with bad shooting Rondo is the first name i remember. I'm just wondering how Rubio manage to survive in this league when almost all the great PG are great or above average shooters now.

I think he's a tier above Rondo as a passer. It seems like about twice a game, he'll make a pass that I don't think anyone in the league would/could have done with consistency since Kidd's prime. The only player in the league right now that I think comes close to Ricky as a pure creative passer is probably Lebron.

I'd say Nikola Jokic is ahead of both of them when it comes to pure passing creativity.

I agree

Jokic has at least 10 assist as this only in the last month

Watch on YouTube

Rubio is still definitely top5 as passing creativity.

[jptremblay]

He's been really good lately, and it was crazy they were rumored to want to trade him. He's a top notch passer and a top half of the league, maybe top 10 PG (you could make a case).

Curry
Westbrook
Paul
Wall
Lillard
Isiah Thomas
Kyrie Irving
Lowry
Kemba Walker
Conley

Those are clearly being better than him, maybe you can make a case above Lillard since he is horrible at defense.

Why are those players clearly better than him? I mean, some of them obviously are better than him, at least 5-6 players, but the rest? Just based on RPM, Rubio was 5th last year, 11th two seasons ago, and 9th three years ago. Right now he is 16th, but easily top 10 since Thibodeau changed tactics and allowed him to create.

Before that he was sent into the corner while LaVine and Wiggins played pick & rolls, and he was predictably horrific in that role. Your list and how you put that sentence clearly shows me that just because Conley, Walker, Thomas and Lillard score much more, you aren't even willing to entertain the idea that Rubio could be more impactful, or even if he is not, at least close to them.

Which, in my humble opinion, just reflects how most fans view him. For some reason, people just can't wrap their head around a player like Rubio, because he is so unusual in the sense that he is terrible at something. We think that if a player has a glaring weakness, he cannot be top 10 at his position, which is a flawed thinking imo, and the advanced stats show this for the most part.

I agree with you in part, I really believe that Rubio is more impactful than guys like Lillard or Kemba, I just hadn't the balls to say it. But I disagree a lot with your view of IT and Conley, IT is a monster at offense and 5 year old child at defense, but he's guidding his team to a top seed in the EAST, while Conley is a two way player, a very good efficient scorer, a decent playmaker and arguably a better defender than Rubio.