Ricky Rubio is Wolves second best player without any doubt.

[Illmatic12]

He might be now, but the Wolves won't become a great team until either Lavine or Wiggins live up to their potential and become the second best player. Rubio won't be good enough long term.

Will draw an an analogy to the Wizards .. for the past couple years, our second best/most consistent player after Wall was actually M Gortat. Now he is a very solid player, but Washington didn't become a true threat until Beal stepped into that #2 role and realized his potential. At this point a guy like Gortat now becomes somewhat expendable because of how well the younger guys are playing.

If KAT, Wiggins, Lavine achieve their potential - at that point Rubio will be expendable. So the idea of building the team around Rubio's strengths won't get them anywhere long term

[SF_Warriors]

Rubio is a solid player, but anyone that would take him over all star caliber guys like irving or dame are severely overrating him.

I feel liek the current day wolves are a perfect fit for him. Wiggins, lavine, and towns are great athletes that would benefit from a pass first guy like rubio. Their presence also gives him easier shots and even then he is still a below average scorer as a starter.

I do agree with everyone who says that he affects the game in many ways besides scoring at a high level, but that particular weakness is what keeps him from being one of the elites imo.

As far as his defense goes, the greatest defensive PG is not going to affect the game as much as a high level scorer at PG..If I replaced rubio with dame, the wolves would be a title contender once they got lavine back..yes I said it.
He has been playing well scoring-wise the past couple of games or so. If he could play like that or even get to 14-15ppg consistently he would be an all star caliber player but until that happens, I'm just gonna say rock solid starter and nothing more.

[Johnny Firpo]

No he is not. Have you **** watched more of him than the last Game? That guy is terrible offensivly and defensivly - the only thing he can do is passing! You can't be sure if he can make a wide open layup consistently...

I'm embarrassed for you my fellow Mavs fan. That's wrong on all accounts. Heck, even if you identify offense with scoring, that's still terribly wrong. Rubio is an absolutely elite defender, there is no argument against this. He is consistently in the top 5 in DRPM, probably in the top 3 in multiple seasons. He has good lateral quickness, a great ball hawk, and thanks to his size, can guard even SGs. You are really, really wrong.

[Foye]

He's been great.

Whole team has been phenomenal last few weeks. Ball movement is great and even a defensive liability like Bazz is buying into Thibs system and providing defensive effort.

Would be great if they can make the playoffs but given Denvers 3 game advantage and Timberwolves road heavy schedule it seems relatively unlikely.


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[Clay Davis]

Ricky Rubio it's arguably Wolves' second best player, Wiggins obviously has more ceiling and value, maybe Lavine too, but right now Rubio's game is the key of the late MIN success after Towns.

Since the all star break:

14.0 PPP
5.3 RPP
10.9 APP

.440 FG
.389 3PT
.558 TS
+13.3 with him on court.

Add a great defense to those numbers, and the intangibles of his game (how he runs the floor, involve teammates...)

It's a shame that Wolves tried hard to trade him this season...if he's moved, MIN will be out of the PO until Dunn developes (something wich probbaly won't happen soon). Also, Thibs prioritzing Lavine and Wiggins tu run the offense before Rubio is one of the dumbest decisions by a head coach in NBA recent years.
You just have to see MIN record without him and how they struggled hard early in the season because Thibs dumb decisions, parking Rubio (poor shooter) in the corner while giving Lavine and Wiggins lots of ISOs. Since Thibs corrected his mistake, Wolves are a winning team, special after Lavine's injury.

Arguably without a doubt their second best player?

[jinxed]

From the Twolves board. Hat tip to New Wolves Order.

Rubio has been locking down opposing point guards in 2017

Wall 6-16 37.5%
Curry 10-27 37%
Paul 3-9 33%
Parker/Mills 2-14 combined
Hill 1-3 33%
Irving 10-27 37%
Irving again 5-18 27.8%
Lowry 6-19 31.6%
Conley 5-16 31%
R.Jackson 4-13 31%
Bledsoe 5-18 28%
Westbrook 7-23 30%
Hill 5-12 41.7%

[TheDominator273]

Rubio is a solid player, but anyone that would take him over all star caliber guys like irving or dame are severely overrating him.

I feel liek the current day wolves are a perfect fit for him. Wiggins, lavine, and towns are great athletes that would benefit from a pass first guy like rubio. Their presence also gives him easier shots and even then he is still a below average scorer as a starter.

I do agree with everyone who says that he affects the game in many ways besides scoring at a high level, but that particular weakness is what keeps him from being one of the elites imo.

As far as his defense goes, the greatest defensive PG is not going to affect the game as much as a high level scorer at PG..If I replaced rubio with dame, the wolves would be a title contender once they got lavine back..yes I said it.
He has been playing well scoring-wise the past couple of games or so. If he could play like that or even get to 14-15ppg consistently he would be an all star caliber player but until that happens, I'm just gonna say rock solid starter and nothing more.

A lineup containing Dame/LaVine/Wiggins/PF/KAT would be the worst defensive team in the league and go no where in the playoffs

[Johnlac1]

He might be now, but the Wolves won't become a great team until either Lavine or Wiggins live up to their potential and become the second best player. Rubio won't be good enough long term.

Will draw an an analogy to the Wizards .. for the past couple years, our second best/most consistent player after Wall was actually M Gortat. Now he is a very solid player, but Washington didn't become a true threat until Beal stepped into that #2 role and realized his potential. At this point a guy like Gortat now becomes somewhat expendable because of how well the younger guys are playing.

If KAT, Wiggins, Lavine achieve their potential - at that point Rubio will be expendable. So the idea of building the team around Rubio's strengths won't get them anywhere long term

"If KAT, Wiggins, Lavine achieve their potential - at that point Rubio will be expendable"

Explain please.

[KingFox]

they're gonna be amazing one day soon, but if he's their second best player, then that would explain their
current record.

[Avihs7]

they're gonna be amazing one day soon, but if he's their second best player, then that would explain their
current record.

Wiggens is their 2nd best player, but Rubio is their 2nd most impactfull player.

[Illmatic12]

He might be now, but the Wolves won't become a great team until either Lavine or Wiggins live up to their potential and become the second best player. Rubio won't be good enough long term.

Will draw an an analogy to the Wizards .. for the past couple years, our second best/most consistent player after Wall was actually M Gortat. Now he is a very solid player, but Washington didn't become a true threat until Beal stepped into that #2 role and realized his potential. At this point a guy like Gortat now becomes somewhat expendable because of how well the younger guys are playing.

If KAT, Wiggins, Lavine achieve their potential - at that point Rubio will be expendable. So the idea of building the team around Rubio's strengths won't get them anywhere long term

"If KAT, Wiggins, Lavine achieve their potential - at that point Rubio will be expendable"

Explain please.

If those three become elite at their positions, the offense will be in their hands and Rubio will be of little use, especially if his shooting doesn't improve significantly. They'd be better off cutting bait with Rubio before he asks for a big contract extension.

[Avihs7]

He might be now, but the Wolves won't become a great team until either Lavine or Wiggins live up to their potential and become the second best player. Rubio won't be good enough long term.

Will draw an an analogy to the Wizards .. for the past couple years, our second best/most consistent player after Wall was actually M Gortat. Now he is a very solid player, but Washington didn't become a true threat until Beal stepped into that #2 role and realized his potential. At this point a guy like Gortat now becomes somewhat expendable because of how well the younger guys are playing.

If KAT, Wiggins, Lavine achieve their potential - at that point Rubio will be expendable. So the idea of building the team around Rubio's strengths won't get them anywhere long term

"If KAT, Wiggins, Lavine achieve their potential - at that point Rubio will be expendable"

Explain please.

If those three become elite at their positions, the offense will be in their hands and Rubio will be of little use, especially if his shooting doesn't improve significantly. They'd be better off cutting bait with Rubio before he asks for a big contract extension.

Rubio is gonna be a big part of those 3 becoming elite, he keeps this offense under control and running smooth. Rubio is 26 just hitting his prime and if his jumpshot stays where it's at right now the wolves would look very,very, foolish to move on from Rubio. Rubio is one of the most important pieces to this teams bright future

[jpengland]

He's great if you build the offense around his strengths, which Thibs has now done.

Don't get the LaVine bashing though, he's a tremendous offensive player and young enough to become passable on D. There is an issue in terms of long term fit unless Wiggins starts giving effort on D.

[jpatrick]

This may have been mentioned earlier, but Thibs took the ball out of Rubio's hands for a good chunk of the year, trying to get Wiggins/Lavine to initiate the offense. Since letting him take control, the Wolves have been so much better. Both Rubio's and Town's numbers have spiked and they are playing over 500 ball.

[Black Jack]

1. this is the part of the season serious playoff teams tend to try and relax to save their energy

2. I don't want to go into a tough playoff series with a rubio / rondo type PG who can't shoot unless they are surrounded by great scorers like ray allen and paul pierce.

[Woodsanity]

The Wolves were really hurt by Wiggins and Lavine initiating the offense. Both are mediocre playmakers so it was to the detriment of the team. What Wiggins and Lavine need to improve most on is their all around play not their scoring. They are still very crummy defenders and they aren't good at any aspect of the game besides scoring. Teams cannot be good with multiple defensive sieves who can only score.

[wolves_89]

1. this is the part of the season serious playoff teams tend to try and relax to save their energy

Since the start of February the Wolves have played CLE, DET, MEM, TOR, DEN, HOU, UTA, SA, LAC, GS, MIL, and WAS. I can say that without a doubt none of those teams relaxed to save energy. There are occasional games where playoff teams might rest players, but that hasn't happened when they have played the Wolves.

[jonjames]

I think Rubio is a solid player entertaining to watch and and nice piece to have on your team but reading these comments he has to be one of the most overrated players on realgm. Anyone else putting up his production and proclaimed this supposed great player would be laughed at in their face. Rubio over irving and lillard? put those two on the wolves roster with the current talent they have they are a serious threat to come out of the West and compete for a title within 2 years.

[SF_Warriors]

Rubio is a solid player, but anyone that would take him over all star caliber guys like irving or dame are severely overrating him.

I feel liek the current day wolves are a perfect fit for him. Wiggins, lavine, and towns are great athletes that would benefit from a pass first guy like rubio. Their presence also gives him easier shots and even then he is still a below average scorer as a starter.

I do agree with everyone who says that he affects the game in many ways besides scoring at a high level, but that particular weakness is what keeps him from being one of the elites imo.

As far as his defense goes, the greatest defensive PG is not going to affect the game as much as a high level scorer at PG..If I replaced rubio with dame, the wolves would be a title contender once they got lavine back..yes I said it.
He has been playing well scoring-wise the past couple of games or so. If he could play like that or even get to 14-15ppg consistently he would be an all star caliber player but until that happens, I'm just gonna say rock solid starter and nothing more.

A lineup containing Dame/LaVine/Wiggins/PF/KAT would be the worst defensive team in the league and go no where in the playoffs

Pretty sure they would be a dominant team...I would take dame over rubio any day of the week. I'm a fan of ricky but he hasnt proven anything in this league yet at age 26
Dame doesnt nearly have the type of supporting cast ricky has yet the blazers currently have a better record and he led them to the playoffs last season..take your homer glasses off for chrissake

[Johnlac1]

I think Rubio is a solid player entertaining to watch and and nice piece to have on your team but reading these comments he has to be one of the most overrated players on realgm. Anyone else putting up his production and proclaimed this supposed great player would be laughed at in their face. Rubio over irving and lillard? put those two on the wolves roster with the current talent they have they are a serious threat to come out of the West and compete for a title within 2 years.

Let me ask you a question....if you had the choice of prime Jason Kidd as Wolves pg or Lillard or Irving, who would you choose?