The Minnesota Timberwolves teased Knicks fans at the deadline by (allegedly) dangling point guard Ricky Rubio in a deal for Derrick Rose. The deal was never completed, Rubio kicked serious ass the rest of the season, yet the Wolves still managed to finish with a higher pick than the Knicks. The Wolves are evil, yo.

Nevertheless, certain members of New York’s front office seem eager to reengage Minnesota this summer to acquire Rubio to plug into the very obvious hole at the point guard position. But he’s not the only candidate, per Ian Begley:

Per league sources with knowledge of the situation, some Knicks decision-makers see trading for Rubio as a viable option this offseason. Incumbent starter Rose also is an option at point guard. But the Timberwolves, coincidentally, see Rose as a point guard option in free agency, as ESPN reported last month. So even if the Knicks prefer to re-sign Rose, they likely will have competition.

There has been a lot of chatter on #KnicksTwitter recently about a Rubio/Courtney Lee swap, but I still haven’t seen that reported by a reliable source. That’s not to say it isn’t a possibility, but let’s take that rumor with a grain of salt for the time being.

The Wolves have younger point guard prospects in Tyus Jones (who has shown some promise) and Kris Dunn (who hasn’t, but was a high pick last year). I don’t believe the Wolves will part with Rubio, if only because that organization seems to exist only to torture Knicks fans these days. I’m remain terrified that the Knicks might re-sign Rose to a long-term deal, but the petty bastard in me is delighted by the prospect of Minnesota signing Rose in free agency. Good luck getting your shots, Karl-Anthony Towns!