 |
Ricky Rubio’s six seasons in Minnesota are over.
According to multiple media reports, the Wolves and Utah have agreed to a deal that will send Rubio away and bring back a future first-round pick.
Most importantly, it frees up Rubio’s $14.1 million salary for this coming season, money they can use to sign a starting point guard such as Indiana’s Jeff Teague when the NBA’s free-agent negotiating period begins at 11 p.m. Central Friday night.
The Wolves can know use that money on top of more than $18 million they already had free to pursue free agents.
The Jazz will send Oklahoma City’s lottery-protected, first-round pick in 2018 to the Wolves and in turn absorb Rubio’s $14.1 million salary into their salary-cap space.
Utah had $16 million in free cap space that they had to use by Friday midnight or lose. Jazz center Rudy Gobert’s huge new contract begins July 1, thus gobbling up any extra space the Jazz had.
The trade ends Rubio’s uneven six seasons in Minnesota after the team drafted him fifth overall in 2009 and then waited two seasons for him to come from Europe to the NBA.
Salt Lake City radio station 1280 AM The Zone and ESPN first reported details of the trade.
The Salt Lake Tribune, using unnamed sources, reported the Wolves and Teague have mutual interest in each other.
http://www.startribune.com/timberwolves-...1852273/#1
|
