The Minnesota Timberwolves say guard Ricky Rubio will sit out the rest of this season.
Flip Saunders, president and coach, told reporters Saturday that Rubio’s left ankle is still bothering him and “there’s no use in him playing,” Fox Sports North reports.
Rubio sprained that ankle on Nov. 7 and missed 42 games while he was recovering. He returned to the lineup in early February, but recently had to sit out 11 of the Wolves’ last 12 games because the ankle is still sore.
“We thought with what we were doing that he’d get relief, and he’s not getting relief,” said Saunders, according to Fox Sports North. “So we want to make sure that there’s nothing else that’s happening in there.”
Rubio has played in only 22 games this season, averaging 10.3 points per game.
Saunders said the team hopes that several weeks of rest will heal Rubio’s ankle completely, adding that surgery is not an option at this point, the Star Tribune reports.
Wolves shut down Rubio today. If this team doesn't stop Rubio from playing any international hoops this summer they are crazy.
— Judd Zulgad (@jzulgad) April 4, 2015
Rubio should be told that he's going to work on his shot, his going to work on his health and that the Wolves want him in town to supervise.
— Judd Zulgad (@jzulgad) April 4, 2015
Rubio is the third Wolves player to have his season ended early because of injuries. Nikola Pekovic will have surgery on his right Achilles tendon next week, and Shabazz Muhammad needed surgery to repair a ruptured ligament in his finger, said Fox Sports North.
Disappointment after disappointment as this Wolves season comes to a close. Not a good vibe heading into summer.
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) April 4, 2015
Two other players who’ve been struggling with injuries, Kevin Garnett and Gary Neal, practiced Saturday. Saunders said it’s possible they will see some playing time over the last six games of the season, the Star Tribune reports.
Garnett has played in just five games since rejoining the Timberwolves in late February; he has missed the past 12 games with a sore knee. Neal has been out since March 22 with an ankle injury.
The Timberwolves (16-60) have six games left in their regular season. They begin a four-game West Coast road trip on Tuesday, then finish up with two games at home on April 13 and 15.
