Alexey

Shved

Shved reportedly turned down offers from four teams in 2018, in favor of playing in Russia, but could be lured back to the NBA if he’s convinced he’ll have a solid role. He’s currently the star player for Khimki, and at age 31 it’s unlikely many NBA teams would be willing to guarantee him a big role, so this will likely amount to nothing.

Roy’s agent said that he’s been in contact with David Kahn daily and the deal will “probably” get done “this week.” The Timberwolves are also expected to turn their attention to other moves after the Batum offer sheet is matched by Portland. Alexey Shved has an agreement in principle with the team while the club has also expressed interest in Jordan Hill and Greg Stiemsma.

Timberwolves GM David Kahn had previously said that Rubio was “ahead of schedule” in his recovery, but it’s obvious Rubio still has a lot of work to do before returning to the court. Rubio could be cleared to run “after the next scheduled update in mid-September,” which means the electric point guard is still a ways away from returning. Kahn said that Rubio will “hopefully be able to do some non-contact things” at practice, but there is no clear timetable for his return and he remains very questionable for the beginning of training camp.

Kirilenko has been hot, shooting 26-of-38 for a whopping 70 points through three games, and Russia is now a surprising 3-0 in pool play. Kirilenko will play for the Wolves this season and could be a real sleeper pick if he can stay healthy and crack the starting lineup (which he should). Timofey Mozgov added 18 points and seven boards, and Wolves rookie Alexy Shved looked fantastic in the win. He’ll have trouble getting enough minutes once Ricky Rubio is healthy, but is going to be a solid NBA point guard eventually. Leandro Barbosa scored 16 for Brazil.

The signing is now official. Shved, who will get a three-year, $10 million deal, is capable of playing either guard position. His exact role in the rotation is yet to be determined, but keep an eye on how the T-Wolves utilize him during the preseason as Rick Adelman played a major role in his recruitment. It’s hard to imagine Adelman pressing for Shved’s addition if he wasn’t planning on integrating him into next season’s plans.

“For him, this is less a question of money, just a guy who wants to be in the strongest league in the world,” said CSKA’s team president. Shved has instinctive play-making abilities and good size at 6'5", but he lacks strength and could struggle defensively in the NBA. The Timberwolves are reportedly his most likely destination, with the Cavaliers and Grizzlies also interested.

Clearly, Rubio won’t be ready for training camp. “The doctors said he was progressing faster than normal, and normal was supposed to be in January,” T-Wolves owner Glen Taylor said. “Faster than normal would be December. He’s going to start running and stuff in a few weeks.” The fact that Rubio hasn’t even begun to run yet is an indicator that he’s still far off from a return, and fantasy owners should be aware that he’ll likely be out at least the first month of the regular season. Luke Ridnour, J.J. Barea and Alexey Shved should all see increased playing time while Rubio is out.

Rubio is expected to return to Minneapolis within the next three weeks, but GM David Kahn said it is “highly unlikely” that Rubio will be ready for the regular season opener on November 2. Kahn was careful to say that the team is “not putting any timetable on it,” but Rubio is expected to be sidelined until at least December. Luke Ridnour, Alexey Shved and J.J. Barea will handle PG duties until Rubio is ready to return.

He most recently played for CSKA in Russia and was being courted by the Cavaliers and Grizzlies. David Kahn still loves point guards, but it’s hard to see Shved getting much run as long as Ricky Rubio is healthy.

All three teams have reportedly offered deals to the combo guard, who most recently played for CSKA in Russia. He’ll likely be a backup point guard wherever he signs.