Ricky Rubio Signs With Timberwolves, Heading to NBA Next Season

League sources are reporting that Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio, the 5th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, has agreed to a contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Rubio agreed to the deal just before the league's deadline to sign a rookie scale contract.

The Breakdown
Keeper leagues will want to consider pulling Rubio from the free agent pool depending on how many players you're allowed to keep. It's anyone's guess whether he can be an impact player in the NBA next season, but he's certainly worth a flyer. It's not often you get to pick up a quality rookie via free agency.

Few Impact Players Expected From Weak 2011 Draft Class

While the Cavaliers celebrate winning the 2011 NBA Draft Lottery tonight, fantasy basketball fans see little to get excited about in this year's draft class. This group is considered the weakest since the 2000 draft which featured Kenyon Martin and Michael Redd.

What does this mean for fantasy owners? You won't want to overreach for any rookies this year! Without a surefire superstar in this draft, most of a player's fantasy potential will be determined by which uniform he ends up in. In standard leagues, only a handful of rookies may even be worth a draft pick. We'll be targeting players who land with the Cavaliers, Raptors, Wizards, and Bobcats since they're more likely to find themselves playing meaningful minutes from the get-go. Those teams are young and have holes at a number of positions. On the other hand, a talented player will land with the Utah Jazz at the third pick but could be buried on the bench because the team has talent at every position. With the talent level dropping significantly after Duke point guard Kyrie Irving, whoever Utah picks may not be worth a look in standard fantasy drafts.

We'll be keeping an eye on the Draft Combine laster this month and we'll release our list of the top 5 impact rookies following the draft in June.

Jeff Teague Displaying Ability, Potential in 2nd Round Series Against Bulls

With Kirk Hinrich out with a hamstring injury, Atlanta Hawks point guard Jeff Teague has been forced into the starting line up in the team's second round series against the Chicago Bulls. Teague is playing heavy minutes in the biggest games of his career while facing off against league MVP Derrick Rose. Although he struggled to play consistently during the regular season, Teague has been unfazed and he's playing some of the best basketball we've seen out of the Wake Forest product. Through five games, the second year guard is averaging 17 points, 4.4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals with a 55.7% FG% and a 84.2% FT%.

The Breakdown
Where was this Jeff Teague during the regular season? Teague is making a strong case for a selection in the later rounds of fantasy drafts next season as a sleeper pick. He'll have to battle Hinrich for minutes and Teague will also need to improve his work ethic, the one thing that has been holding him back in his young career. Still, he's showcasing what he can do when given ample playing time. Teague is a player that should be on your fantasy radar when training camp opens up for the 2011-12 season.

Kevin Durant Finishes Season Atop Player Ratings

Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant easily finished the 2010-11 season as the top fantasy player in our player ratings. Durant averaged 27.7 points, 1.9 three-pointers, 6.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.1 steals, 1 block, 46.2% FG%, and 88% FT%. Durant had a tremendous season and was by far fantasy's most valuable player. He'll be the consensus number one player entering the 2011-12 season.

Keeper Leagues: Don't Forget to Stash Ricky Rubio

With the 2010-11 season coming to a close, it's time to starting thinking about next season for those in keeper leagues. One player you'll want to grab in free agency is Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio.

Although it's no guarantee he plays in the NBA next season, he's no longer under contract to FC Barcelona which would allow him to sign with Minnesota. Since he's available in the free agent pool of most fantasy leagues, savvy team managers would be wise to keep him stashed on the bench and use him as a keeper or trade bait if he does indeed make his way to the NBA.