With so much work ahead of Knicks president Phil Jackson to make the team relevant again, Ian Begley of ESPN reports that some members of the organization would like to revisit and idea from the February trade deadline and pursue point guard Ricky Rubio again:
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.
Per league sources with knowledge of the situation, some Knicks decision-makers see trading for Rubio as a viable option this offseason. Incumbent starter Rose also is an option at point guard. But the Timberwolves, coincidentally, see Rose as a point guard option in free agency, as ESPN reported last month. So even if the Knicks prefer to re-sign Rose, they likely will have competition.
It’s unclear at this point whom the Knicks would consider moving in a trade for Rubio or if New York and Minnesota would attempt a sign-and-trade.
If New York renounced its rights to Rose after July 1, it could open up enough cap space to absorb Rubio’s 2017-18 salary ($14 million).
If the Knicks end up acquiring Rubio, it also might impact how they approach the draft. Phil Jackson has said that the club is looking for guards and wings in the offseason.
Rubio seemingly would fill the void at point guard, so it’s possible the Knicks would turn their attention to a wing in the draft.
