New York Knicks news and rumors indicated that Ricky Rubio is interested in moving to the Big Apple, while Phil Jackson believes that the Knicks can make the playoffs in the upcoming season.
Rubio, who will be entering the fourth season of his career, could become a restricted free agent if the Minnesota Timberwolves fail to convince him to sign a contract extension.
Previous reports indicated that Rubio is looking for a maximum five-year deal, but the Timberwolves appear to be unwilling to offer such deal.
Darren Wolfson of ESPN reported that the Timberwolves are planning to offer a four-year deal worth $42 million, which is way below Rubio's asking price. If the offer will not change, Rubio will reportedly eye striking a deal with the Knicks or the Los Angeles Lakers, who will have enough cap space next summer to give him a lucrative deal.
The Timberwolves have until October 31 to sign Rubio to an extension, but general manager Milt Newton recently said that they are not in a hurry to offer a new deal, which means that they could allow the Spanish guard to become a free agent.
"We're going to look at the situation the same way we did with Kevin Love," Newton said via ESPN. "We're going to do the best thing for the organization, and if we can get something done sooner, great. If not, we're not necessarily in a rush."
Meanwhile, in another Knicks news and rumors update, team president Phil Jackson is confident New York will be a much-improved team in the upcoming season.
Jackson, who will be entering in his first full season at the helm, said in an interview on Friday that he believes the Knicks will make the playoffs, but he is unsure how far they can go from there.
"We believe that we're going to be a playoff team and then we don't know how far we'll be able to go," Jackson said in a Knicks news and rumors update on ESPN New York. "We're hoping for the best."
Jackson managed to convince superstar forward Carmelo Anthony to stay in New York this offseason, while also hiring Derek Fisher as the team's new coach.
