Sources: Utah agrees to acquire Ricky Rubio from Minnesota

Sources: Utah agrees to acquire Ricky Rubio from Minnesota

Shams Charania

The Vertical

Yahoo SportsJune 30, 2017

The Utah Jazz have agreed to acquire point guard Ricky Rubio from the Minnesota Timberwolves for a future first-round pick, league sources told The Vertical.

The teams had been discussing a potential deal centered on Rubio over the past two weeks, and the sides engaged further on Friday, league sources said.

For Utah, acquiring Rubio into its open salary space of $16 million before July 1 means the franchise has found its likely replacement for George Hill. Hill enters free agency as one of the top point guards on the market. The Jazz will meet with free agent Gordon Hayward on July 3, league sources said, and hope to sell the free-agent All-Star on their roster and ability to contend in the Western Conference.

Minnesota has discussed Rubio in various trade scenarios over the past year, and the Timberwolves will now move toward signing an elite point guard in free agency.

Rubio, 26, averaged 11.2 points, 9.1 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 75 games last season. He spent six seasons with the Timberwolves.

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