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NBA: 15 Young Players In Need Of A Breakout Season In 2016-17

By Gerald Bourguet

Oct 20, 2015; Madison, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Carter-Williams (5) drives to he basket against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) in the first quarter at Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 20, 2015; Madison, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Carter-Williams (5) drives to he basket against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) in the first quarter at Kohl Center. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 16, 2016; Memphis, TN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio (9) dribbles in the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Minnesota defeated Memphis 114-108. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Ricky Rubio

For those who have been paying attention, Ricky Rubio has already established himself as one of the NBA’s elite defenders for his position, a dynamic passer and an underrated part of what limited success the Minnesota Timberwolves have had over the last few years.

Has he lived up to the pre-draft hype that surrounded him when he first came stateside? No. Will he ever be able to live down how the Wolves passed on Stephen Curry for him (and Jonny Flynn) in the 2009 NBA Draft? Probably not.

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But focusing on those things ignores how the Timberwolves have gone 114-164 in the games Rubio’s been healthy for since he first entered the league…as opposed to an atrocious 28-88 in the 116 games he’s missed for his career.

To be fair, a .410 win percentage isn’t exactly indicative of superstar value, but it’s FAR better than the team’s .241 win percentage without him. It seems like Rubio has never had his breakout season, but it’s worth noting that he’s still only 25 years old and on a very agreeable contract for three more years.

However, there are also obvious flaws to Rubio’s game. He’s never shot better than 38.1 percent from the field, and his lowly 34 percent three-point shooting from his rookie year remains the best mark of his career.

In a league that revolves around pace-and-space offense and three-point shooting, Rubio’s glaring flaw has dominated the conversation, overshadowing the 10.1 points, 8.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game he’s averaged for his career.

But with his name popping up in trade rumors and the arrival of promising rookie Kris Dunn, Rubio’s future in Minnesota is in doubt — fair or not.

Dunn is an unbelievably athletic prospect who plays with a burning competitive fire and at age 22, seems to have a better chance of developing a perimeter shot than Rubio does. Dunn still has a lot to prove, but his athleticism and upside automatically makes him the sexier long-term option at the 1-spot.

Now playing for head coach Tom Thibodeau, who notoriously glues rookies to the bench, Rubio’s defensive instincts and playmaking should keep him in the starting rotation for the time being.

Next: 2016 NBA Offseason Grades For All 30 Teams

But if he’s injured again in 2016-17 or if Thibs drastically changes his ways to reflect the rebuilding nature of this franchise, don’t be surprised to hear the woefully underrated Rubio involved in more trade rumors this year.