Silver Linings If Ricky Rubio Misses Time for the Minnesota Timberwolves
The skies are gray in Minnesota today, but there may be a glimmer of hope.
On Friday, November 7, in a 112-103 overtime loss to the Orlando Magic, Ricky Rubio left midway through the second quarter with what the Timberwolves consider a very serious ankle injury.
"An MRI taken today on Ricky Rubio’s left ankle confirmed a significant sprain. He will be sidelined indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/nnyoBIuEfz
— Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) November 8, 2014"
The Timberwolves fought hard, but late in the game they looked lost without their floor general. After his departure, the Wolves were outscored 65-51 in the second half (including overtime).
Rubio was off to a hot start this season, averaging a career best in assists (10), rebounds (5.6) and shooting percentage (42.6 percent).
No one ever wants to see a player get hurt, but his absence could actually benefit the Wolves.
More Playing Time For Zach LaVine
This injury will allow 19-year-old rookie Zach LaVine to get playing time and, most importantly, experience.
LaVine is still raw but can shoot with ease from beyond the arc and may be the best dunker in the NBA (as seen in the Vine below).
"I HOPE @ZachLaVine IS IN THE DUNK CONTEST THIS YEAR http://t.co/QLJxJGDKcI
— WORLD STAR VINE (@WORLDSTARVlNE) November 2, 2014 "
Over the first four games of the 2014 NBA season, LaVine played a grand total of five minutes.
Against the Magic, the Wolves were forced to play LaVine, and he did not disappoint. In only eight minutes, the rookie racked up four points, two assists, a block and a steal.
LaVine's performance earned him his first career NBA start Saturday night in a 102-92 loss to the Miami Heat. In a career high of 28 minutes, he recorded five points, six rebounds, four assists and a steal.
Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune tweeted an eye-opening fact about LaVine's lack of experience:
"Today's fun fact: Zach LaVine now has started as many NBA games as he did in college at UCLA
— Jerry Zgoda (@JerryZgoda) November 9, 2014"
The more playing time LaVine receives, the quicker his game will develop and mature.
Speeding Up the Rebuilding Process
Without their best point guard, the Wolves will probably lose a majority of their games, which will most likely kill any playoff hopes. If the Wolves fall well below .500, they will probably look to trade a few of their aging players for younger talent and/or future draft picks.
With the Timberwolves in rebuilding mode, it doesn't make sense to keep Nikola Pekovic on the team. Not only is Pekovic one of the oldest players on the roster (28 years old), but he's only in the second year of his five-year, $60 million contract.
Not to mention that second-year Wolf Gorgui Dieng had a remarkable summer playing for Senegal in the FIBA World Cup. According to FIBA.com, Dieng averaged 16 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Dieng's success could make Pekovic even more expendable.
Another possible trade asset could be Kevin Martin. The 31-year-old veteran has re-established his career in Minnesota.
After a poor season with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012 in which he scored only 14 points per game, Martin bounced back and proved to be one of the Wolves' biggest offensive threats.
He averaged 19.1 points per game in 2013 and continued to be efficient from long range, shooting 38.7 percent. Martin also recorded an impressive 16.37 player efficiency rating (PER), which ranked 11th in the NBA out of all shooting guards, according to ESPN's Hollinger Stats.
Martin has been red hot this year, averaging 20 points while shooting 41.2 percent over his first five games of the season (he missed the opener due to a minor injury).
He's only in the second year of his four-year $28 million deal, which means he may be a tough piece to move, but if he continues to perform, a championship contender may come knocking on the Wolves' door.
President of basketball operations Flip Saunders must find a way to rid the Wolves of these hefty contracts in order to make room for their younger players to grow and develop.
In Conclusion...
Before the injury, LaVine was a bench player, but now he's gaining experience as a starter. Rubio's absence will also force Saunders to get rid some of their unnecessary contracts.
Rubio is part of the Wolves' future, but his short-term absence could be a blessing in disguise. The team's record will inevitably suffer, but the Wolves are in rebuilding mode—winning now is not the first priority.
All stats are courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted
Love the T-Wolves? Follow me on Twitter: @SupermanJZ
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