The Minnesota Timberwolves have traded point guard Ricky Rubio to the Utah Jazz in exchange for one of its two first-round picks in the 2018 NBA Draft, according to 1280 AM The Zone via Tony Jones of the Salt Lake Tribune.
The two sides worked tirelessly on a deal, as the Jazz ultimately agreed to absorb Rubio's contract onto their cap space, meaning starting point guard George Hill will sign elsewhere once this free agency window opens at midnight.
The pick Minnesota received in exchange will be top-14 protected, assuring they get a decent return for their starting point guard, according to ESPN's Marc Stein.
The Timberwolves will fish for one of the top free-agent point guards available on the market, reportedly looking at Kyle Lowry, Jrue Holiday, Hill, and Jeff Teague — who has shown a mutual interest with the team, per the Salt Lake Tribune.
Rubio's acquisition is an upgrade as a veteran playmaker, but a downgrade in the shooting department, as the Spanish international historically has had trouble maintaining consistency on his shot. He had his best scoring season in 2016-17, averaging 11.1 points on 40.2 percent from the field along with 9.1 assists, and 1.7 steals per game.
Hill is coming off a career-year, averaging 16.9 points, 4.2 assists, and 3.4 rebounds in his first and only year in Utah.
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