The New York Knicks could really use an upgrade at the point guard position. While most assume that will come through the NBA Draft on June 22, some in the organization are interested in pursuing a trade to land Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio, according to a report from ESPN.
Rumors at the trade deadline in February previously linked the Knicks interest with the 26-year-old Rubio in exchange for Derrick Rose. That deal, which would have been a big coup for the Knicks and was said to have been close to being completed, never got done.
But here we are again in June with a similar situation: The Knicks still need a point guard, and the Wolves still have a wealth of them.
New York could opt to try and re-sign imcumbent point guard Derrick Rose in stabilizing the backcourt for next season, but he's a free agent for the first time in his career and will likely garner attention elsewhere.
Ironically, the Minnesota Timberwolves are interested in Rose, which opens the door for a potential sign-and-trade before July 1 in essentially swapping Rose for Rubio. The Knicks interest in pursuing a sign-and-trade is reportedly "unclear."
The Knicks hold the No. 8 overall pick in the NBA Draft and have obvious interest in a point guard, which opens up the possibility of drafting De'Aaron Fox, Dennis Smith Jr. or even international prospect Frank Ntilikina. However, if they are able to strike a deal before the draft for Rubio or another floor general, it could significantly alter the team's strategy at No. 8.
