Hoops Rumors Weekly Mailbag 7/11/16-7/17/16

We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com. Here are this week’s inquiries:

Do you think Ricky Rubio is with the Timbewolves at the start of the season? If not, what teams might possibly have interest in him and what would they possibly give up in return? — Matt Trapp

Wolves owner Glen Taylor said this weekend that he doesn’t think Rubio will be traded. If that holds true, Minnesota will start the season with Rubio, No. 5 draft pick Kris Dunn and Summer League sensation Tyus Jones all on the roster. As Dunn and Jones develop, there won’t be enough minutes at the point guard position to go around. Rubio seems like the most likely to go, especially considering that he is owed more than $42.5MM over the next three seasons. The Kings, who lost point guard Rajon Rondo in free agency, are one option, along with the Sixers, who were unable to upgrade at the position through the draft or a trade.

What if any rumors/discussions are happening with Miles Plumlee?  Keep waiting to hear he is resigned by the Bucks! — Ross Eddy

Plumlee is among several prominent restricted free agent big men, such as Donatas Motiejunas and Maurice Harkless, who are still waiting for contracts. As we get further into free agency, fewer teams have the money available to offer them deals that their current teams wouldn’t match. It’s not too late for someone to clear cap room and make a serious run at Plumlee, but it looks as though he might take Milwaukee’s $3,113,318 qualifying offer and try his luck as an unrestricted free agent next summer.

If you’re the GM of the Hawks and have the desire to win an NBA championship, at what point do you consider blowing it up and rebuilding anew? — Michael Ponder

We may be getting close to that point if the Dwight Howard experiment doesn’t work out the way they hope in Atlanta. The Hawks have just three players under contract for the 2017/18 season: Howard at $23.5MM, the newly re-signed Kent Bazemore at a little more than $16.9MM and Walter Tavares at $1MM. Paul Millsap has a player option for $21MM, but after seeing the money thrown around this summer, chances are good that he will opt out. If the Hawks aren’t serious contenders in the East next season, you can expect a lot of roster turnover, possibly by the trade deadline.

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