Patrick Fenelon: Worth noting: Ricky really really real…

Patrick Fenelon: Worth noting: Ricky really really really doesn’t like Rudy Gobert. That could be fascinating. Rudy Gobert: You can delete your account now 😂

More on Ricky Rubio Trade

Tony Jones: The Ricky Rubio trade is happening, sources tell The Salt Lake Tribune. Deal is close to being done
Ricky Rubio: I don't like rumors. From my experience, I feel a bit uncomfortable with all those rumors. Till it happens (if it happens), you don't have to pay attention to rumors. One would like to get a bit more respect from the club, but that's how business works and they look for what's best for them without thinking about the player and you have to accept it.
Marc Stein: Follow-up to yesterday's Ricky Rubio story: League sources say Utah is among the teams to express trade interest in the veteran point guard.
Jon Krawczynski: Wolves certainly considering trade scenarios for Rubio as free agency nears. I'll caution though: it's by no means a sure thing.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Once again, Ricky Rubio is an active name in Minnesota's trade discussions, league sources tell @The Vertical.
There’s another guard who is on the Knicks’ radar though -- and he isn’t draft eligible. Some members of the organization would again like to try to pursue Minnesota’s Ricky Rubio in a trade this offseason, sources said. The Knicks were close to completing a deal shortly before the trade deadline centered around Derrick Rose and Rubio. Talks continued until shortly before the deadline.
The worst-kept secret in the NBA is that the Timberwolves are ready to move on from guard Ricky Rubio, and it seems that Rubio may feel the same way. The Wolves entertained a few things last summer involving Rubio and revisited his trade value at the trade deadline back in February. The problem with moving Rubio around the draft is that he counts $13.5 million against the cap in trade at the draft. That number increases to $14.25 million in July, but some teams would have cap space to offset that number. Rubio has one more season after next on his deal, making the remaining debt to Rubio two years and roughly $29 million.
Maybe Jeff Schwartz will think it's nice to have a relationship with certain NBA teams when it comes time to find a home for Ricky Rubio. Up until the last couple days, Rubio, the 26-year-old Minnesota point guard, has been repped by Fegan. His unavailability has sent Rubio across the street to Schwartz, and while I'm not at all predicting this makes for some automatic pipeline of Rubio to Dallas, it is worth adding another log to the fire of what the Mavs want to do at point guard here. The other logs? *The Timberwolves have been dangling Rubio in trade for 18 months. *Their Draft Night plans -- draft another point guard in addition to the kid Kris Dunn? -- might put Rubio on the market at an even cheaper price.
The Mavs have no interest in paying "trade-market value'' for Rubio or for Phoenix point Eric Bledsoe ... though on Draft Night, their price might be at an all-time low because picks are golden right then, moreso than players.
One other two-way player to keep an eye on? Ricky Rubio. Some in the organization were hopeful after the trade deadline that they could revisit their attempts to acquire Rubio from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the offseason, per sources.
There are members of the organization who also see Jrue Holiday and Jeff Teague as free agent targets. At the deadline, some discussed the idea of revisiting trade talks for Minnesota's Ricky Rubio as well.
His Minnesota Timberwolves had conversations with several teams, perhaps most notably with the New York Knicks as the deadline approached Thursday afternoon. In the end, the Wolves decided not to trade their point guard for Derrick Rose, meaning they will make their push for the eighth seed in the Western Conference with Rubio as their starter. "As pros, we know what's the deal. But yeah, this time felt a little different," Rubio said Thursday. "It's all rumors. Until it doesn't go down, you don't believe it."
Wolves president and coach Tom Thibodeau said the team never got very close to making a move with Rubio or anyone else. But when asked if he felt compelled to talk to Rubio after the harried couple of days of rumors, Thibodeau said he had no plans to seek that out. "You're expected to be professional," Thibodeau said. "Everyone has a job to do. Come in, do your job. You can't get lost in the other stuff. That's what the expectations are."
For much of Thursday afternoon, the Knicks and Timberwolves were locked in a staring contest in their talks on a potential Derrick Rose deal. Phil Jackson and the Knicks were looking for a second asset in a potential Rose-for-Ricky Rubio swap, per sources. The Timberwolves were unwilling to give up that second asset, whether it was a draft pick or a player. They made that stance clear as late as a half-hour before the deadline. It became a matter of who would blink first.
Shortly before the deadline, sources say members of the Knicks organization lowered their demands of that second asset. According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Knicks eventually offered the Wolves a Rubio-for-Rose trade, straight up. Sources say that deal was offered minutes before the deadline. According to Stein, Minnesota balked at the deal.
Sam Amick: The T-Wolves have continued to shop Ricky Rubio to non-Knicks teams too, even as they've continued to talk with NY about a Derrick Rose deal
Adrian Wojnarowski: Minnesota's Ricky Rubio remains a significant target for the Knicks today, league sources tell @The Vertical.
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Minnesota arrived at the All-Star break a mere 3.5 games out of the eighth playoff spot in the Western Conference, and rival front offices are becoming more skeptical that Thibodeau will pull the trigger on a Rubio deal. One thing about Thibodeau: He has a visceral need to win games, and there's a feeling both inside and outside his organization that he lacks the patience to turn the team—and the season—over to an inexperienced point guard. "It's not like Kris Dunn is knocking the door down," one of the rival executives said.
There have been whispers the aforementioned players could be part of a package deal for Minnesota point guard Ricky Rubio, whom the Bucks looked into acquiring at last year's trading deadline. Rubio is expected to be dealt to open a starting spot for highly-regarded rookie Kris Dunn
Sources have told The Post that Thibodeau, since November, doesn’t believe in Rubio as his future point guard despite a long-term contract. The Knicks had interest in Rubio, much more of a playmaker than Rose, at last year’s trading deadline. Ever since Rubio’s was drafted in 2009 the Knicks have had a fascination with him because of their Barcelona-based European scout, Kevin Wilson.
“The Wolves think Rubio needs a new environment for his own good, he’s been there for years and lost a lot,’’ one NBA official said of the Wolves thinking. “He’s a good player, but not a top-level starting point guard. Thibs seems to want anyone he’s coached before with the Bulls.’’
Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio started following Kristaps Porzingis on Twitter on Wednesday. Whether they become teammates to join a growing legion of Europeans in the Knicks’ locker room likely won’t be answered until the trade deadline at 3 p.m. Thursday
Rubio would fit in well in the Knicks’ locker room. Rookie center Willy Hernangomez, who played with Rubio on the Spanish Olympic Team in August, went to Mexico with his brother and hung out with Rubio over All-Star Weekend. Hernangomez played in the Rising Stars Challenge on Friday in New Orleans before departing for Mexico.
A Rubio-for-Rose swap works under the salary-cap guidelines, as explained by ESPN’s Tom Penn. Some in the Knicks organization are wary of taking back any player who has multiple years remaining on his contract, according to sources familiar with the team’s thinking. That might factor in if Rubio is being offered -- the 26-year-old is under contract for a total of $29 million over the next two seasons -- though others who have been in touch with the Knicks recently came away with the impression that Jackson is a fan of Rubio.
Ricky Rubio is by far the most likely Wolves player to be traded before Thursday’s deadline. You’d be hard pressed to talk to a team that hasn’t heard from Minnesota about the point guard. League sources confirmed the Wolves’ pursuit of Reggie Jackson, and the team is willing to attach Shabazz Muhammad to help move Rubio.
Brian Windhorst: One of the most likely players to be traded between now and Thursday afternoon is Ricky Rubio. And what the Knicks have been talking to the Wolves about is a Ricky Rubio for Derrick Rose swap. But it’s not only the Knicks that are an option here.
Brian Windhorst: The Pistons have had talks with the Timberwolves about Ricky Rubio and Reggie Jackson, and if there’s a second point guard that I would bet to get traded by Thursday would be Reggie Jackson. Here’s the problem though, the Timberwolves don’t want Reggie Jackson, from sources telling me, so they’re looking for a third team.
Pistons president-coach Stan Van Gundy poured cold water over the rumor earlier in the day, but it was time for Jackson’s thoughts. “Thanks for giving me the news,” Jackson said. “I don’t even listen to y’all so most of the time I just go home, chill, watch TV, play games, keep with my brother. I don’t really follow all that. I’m just happy to be able to play basketball.”
The Wolves, sources say, are actively shopping Rubio and have tried to engage numerous teams about a potential deal involving him. Sources say Minnesota is attaching swingman Shabazz Muhammad to offers in hopes of enticing a team to take on Rubio, who has two seasons and just over $29 million left on his current contract.
Detroit Pistons president-coach Stan Van Gundy denied an ESPN report that there are currently trade discussions with the Minnesota Timberwolves involving point guard Reggie Jackson. In a series of texts to the Free Press, Van Gundy said the organization doesn't "have a single thing under consideration." ESPN.com, citing unnamed sources, is reporting a Jackson-for-Ricky Rubio multiplayer swap has been discussed.
Marc Stein: Any deal would expand to involve other players -- such as Shabazz Muhammad -- but sources say for now the teams are in the talking stage
Marc Stein: Story going online now with @Chris Haynes: ESPN sources say Minnesota and Detroit have discussed a PG swap of Ricky Rubio and Reggie Jackson
Minnesota has been seeking something of a “bridge” guard in return, a player capable of starting in the short term, but who’ll ultimately settle into a backup role and give way to rookie Kris Dunn to become the long-term starter, league sources said.
The Sacramento Kings have had a strong interest in acquiring Rubio, but there’s no traction on a deal between those two teams, league sources said. So far, the Timberwolves are trying to exhaust the market elsewhere for a better return of assets than the Kings can offer.
The Sacramento Kings are the most determined of several teams expressing interest in finding a pathway to a Rubio deal, league sources said, but Minnesota president and coach Tom Thibodeau is reluctant to move Rubio – outside of bringing back a no-brainer package, of course – until Dunn’s progress illustrates this season that he’s ready to fully take over the team.
NBA reporter Mitch Lawrence said on Sirius XM Radio a trade for a point guard was in the cards for the Sacramento Kings before the signed Ty Lawson: "I have heard in the last couple of weeks that the Kings were telling people, 'We're close to making a deal for a point guard'. And a lot of people thought that was going to be Ricky Rubio."
Storyline: Ricky Rubio Trade
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June 3, 2023 | 9:09 pm EDT Update

Michael Malone on team's success: 'We haven't done a damn thing'

Barely prompted, Malone turned his attention to the fourth quarter where the Nuggets were outscored 30-20 and saw a sizable double-digit lead shrink to just nine as the Heat found its 3-point stroke. Think Malone, with a chance to do something no other team in Nuggets history has done, would allow for even an ounce of complacency? Think again. No one’s getting fat with success right now. Not on his watch. “I told our players today, don’t read the paper, don’t listen to the folks on the radio and TV saying that this series is over and that we’ve done something, because we haven’t done a (dang) thing,” Malone said with his trademark fire.
Aaron Gordon admitted it’s hard not to let the outside chatter filter into his headspace. “It’s difficult because the people around you get excited, as well,” Gordon said. “So, you have to keep like a calmness. You have to keep a poise to you, like an intense energy but calm, while the rest of everybody else is really frenetic. It’s important to just make the main thing the main thing and just be focused on what the task is at hand.”
Gordon began to get out of his seat at the podium before he decided to make one more point. “Still reading the newspaper and the news around the world is important and not being consumed with kind of the bubble that is the NBA, even though it expands during the Finals,” he said. “But still, being aware of the other things that are going on outside of the media, the NBA, and the things that are going on outside of the world and reading world news is still really important.”

June 3, 2023 | 7:24 pm EDT Update
Phoenix Suns associate head coach Kevin Young is staying with the franchise on a new $2 million annual deal that’ll make him the NBA’s highest-paid assistant coach, sources told ESPN on Saturday. The Suns were determined to keep Young on new coach Frank Vogel’s staff and made a significant commitment to keep him from following former coach Monty Williams to the Detroit Pistons, sources said.
Fast-forward four years, and they’re teammates on a No. 8-seed Heat team that has clawed its way to the NBA Finals. Highsmith still remembers the lessons Butler imparted to him in Philadelphia. “Working out twice a day, three times a day, which he would do sometimes,” he says. “Also understanding your body, not pushing it too far where you’re feeling not the best. Maintaining good diet as well.”