The Minnesota Timberwolves have recently entered the bid for the Phoenix Suns restricted free agent guard Eric Bledsoe this offseason. But instead of focusing their attention to Bledsoe, they need to deal with Ricky Rubio's contract extension first with the October 1 deadline nearing by the day. And as it turns out, the Timberwolves aren't even close in their negotiations with Rubio according to Minneapolis Star-Tribune:
The Wolves and Rubio also are a good distance apart on negotiations toward an extension of the rookie contract he signed in May 2011. If the two sides do not agree by Oct. 31, Rubio will become a restricted free agent next July.
What's interesting here is that the Timberwolves could face the same situation as what the Suns are dealing now with Bledsoe next summer if Rubio becomes a restricted free agent. The Wolves clearly don't want to enter a Bledsoe like situation in the 2016 free agency but they are also hesitant on giving Rubio a max contract because there is a huge risk in doing it according to Kevin Zimmerman of SB Nation:
By the rules of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, players can only have one designated player on the roster that they extended themselves (they can have two if one was designated by another team and then traded).
There's a huge risk if Minnesota opted to hand Rubio a five-year deal as the team's designated player. With rookies like first overall pick Andrew Wiggins and high-upside lottery choice Zach LaVine potentially turning into stars, the T'Wolves wouldn't be able to sign either to five-year deals via extensions with Rubio still on the roster.
It has long been rumored that Rubio's agent, Dan Fegan, has been aiming for a 5-year max contract. The Timberwolves did not offer the five-year contract extension to Kevin Love which means that they may have been keeping it for Rubio. But now that Wiggins is on board, that exclusive contract extension may no longer be for the Spanish point guard.
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