Now that his third NBA season is completed, Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio headed Thursday into his summer, an offseason that began road tripping with friends to Lawrence, Kan., of all places, and later will include training time split between Spain and Minneapolis as well as a Spanish national team obligation to play in the FIBA World Cup at home in August and September. It also will include his first real taste of NBA contract negotiations. Rubio’s representatives and Flip Saunders, the Wolves president of basketball operations, can begin July 1 discussions on a contract extension of the rookie deal he signed in May 2011. The two sides have until the end of October to reach an agreement, otherwise Rubio will play next season under his current contract and become a restricted free agent in July 2015. That’s the same time teammate Kevin Love will opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent. Expect Rubio’s side to push for a contract closer to a maximum salary than the four-year, $44 million extension Golden State’s Stephen Curry received, which the Wolves just might view as beyond their limits. - See more at: http://www.startribune.com/sports/wolves/255736101.html
