Could Ricky Rubio Return to Minnesota Timberwolves?

Once upon a time, Ricky Rubio was drafted to be the savior of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Times are much different now in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, than they were each time Rubio was in MN previously.

With an established face of the franchise, in Anthony Edwards, and complemental All-Stars in Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert, the Timberwolves have just about everything they need to compete for an NBA Championship. Except, they could really use another veteran point guard…

Ricky Rubio stepped away from the game of basketball in August of 2023, to focus on his mental health. That led to a contract buyout with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Then in January of 2024, he announced his retirement from the NBA.

Roughly one month later, Ricky inked a contract with FC Barcelona, in his native Spain. He played 15 games with Barca before their season ended and his contract expired. Now, Rubio is a free agent who appears to be keeping his options open, while he recalibrates his future.

Ricky Rubio taking summer to focus on mental health, weigh future basketball options

The 12 year NBA veteran hasn’t given Barcelona any sort of commitment for next season and will not compete with the Spanish National Team at the Olympics. Rubio recently told reporters that he is taking this summer to decide if professional basketball is still in his future.

Now 33 years old, Ricky Rubio is far from being ‘too old’ to play in the league. In fact, he’s only one year older than his former teammate, Rudy Gobert, and three years younger than another former Utah teammate, Joe Ingles, who just signed with the Wolves.

A Ricky Rubio return to Minnesota Timberwolves makes too much sense

And if he is going to return to basketball, and wants to play at the highest level again, there’s only one situation that seems downright perfect for Ricky Rubio. Almost too perfect to believe he would land anywhere else. The Minnesota Timberwolves.

After being aggressive during the NBA Draft, where the Wolves hope they found their PG of the future, Tim Connelly, hasn’t had much success finding veteran help in the backcourt. Instead, they’ve seen the opposite. Monte Morris signed with the Phoenix Suns and Connelly executed a sign-and-trade that shipped Kyle Anderson to Golden State.