NBA trade rumors: Wolves reportedly shopping Ricky Rubio

Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio is on a tear right now. He has been averaging 13.2 points, 14.0 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 steals per game in the last five contests, and he looked like the perfect running mate for star center Karl-Anthony Towns during that stretch. Many would assume that Rubio has finally cemented his place in the lineup especially with Kris Dunn still adjusting to the pro game, but that might not be the case after all.

Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical has reported that the Wolves were "actively shopping" Rubio, and the team has reportedly included him in several offers with forward Shabazz Muhammad.

"Minnesota has been seeking something of a 'bridge' guard in return, a player capable of starting in the short term, but who'll ultimately settle into a backup role and give way to rookie Kris Dunn to become the long-term starter, league sources said," Wojnarowski stated in his report.

"The Sacramento Kings have had a strong interest in acquiring Rubio, but there's no traction on a deal between those two teams, league sources said. So far, the Timberwolves are trying to exhaust the market elsewhere for a better return of assets than the Kings can offer," he added.

A few years ago, the Wolves chose Rubio over Kevin Love, and they practically gave him the franchise player tag. But now, it seems that the team is getting ready to part with a player they have invested a lot in.

Even before Rubio played a single game in the league, NBA teams have already been enamored with his skills. The Wolves even picked him over two-time MVP Steph Curry in the 2009 NBA Draft. Now, if they can only turn back time.

Rubio has always been a bad shooter, but he has an uncanny ability to find the open man. He's also an underrated defensive player who has proven that he can go up against the best the league has to offer. Whichever team ends up with him is going to have a quality point guard running the show.