MINNEAPOLIS — Ricky Rubio's season started with a new four-year, $56 million contract extension and the reins to a young Timberwolves roster. The point guard's season will end injured on the bench.
Wolves president of basketball operations and coach Flip Saunders said Saturday that Rubio will sit the remaining six games this season.
"There's no use in him playing," Saunders said, according to Fox Sports North. "We thought with what we were doing (in his rehab) that he'd get relief, and he's not getting relief. So we want to make sure that there's nothing else that's happening in there."
Rubio significantly injured his left ankle Nov. 7 at Orlando and was out of the lineup for 42 consecutive games. He returned Feb. 2 and played 16 of the next 17 games.
The ankle injury, which also included a bone bruise and the threat of a stress fracture, then became too sore to play, and Rubio has missed 11 of the last 12 games through Friday.
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After playing all 82 games a season ago, Rubio played a career low 22 this season, his fourth in the NBA.
Saunders said Rubio was on the verge or returning for about the past week, but the medical staff was holding him back.
"We said when it happened that it was a bad ankle sprain," Saunders said. "I don't think anyone expected it was going to take the turn that it took. ... Our (trainers) are trying some different things to see if they can get him pain-free. And if they can't, if not, they'll have to look at what else they can do."
Rubio is the third Wolves player to have his season end prematurely. Shabazz Muhammad (finger) was shut down in January after 38 games, and Nikola Pekovic (foot) officially had his season end Thursday after a career-low 31 games.
Rubio, 24, averaged 10.3 points per game on 36 percent field-goal shooting and 25 percent from three-point range. He also had 8.8 assists and 5.7 rebounds per contest.
With Kevin Love departed, Rubio was supposed to take control of the team. That will now be delayed until training camp in October.
