Ricky Rubio admits dealing with trade rumors was difficult

Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio didn’t get traded before Thursday’s deadline passed, but after spending weeks being at the center of rumors, he’s glad it’s over.

Rubio has been a rumored trade target many times in the past, but he admitted that the rumors felt this time differently and they are hard to cope with.

“As pros, we know what’s the deal,” Rubio said, via Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. “But this time felt a little different.

“I mean, we’re professionals, but we’re human beings, too. So we have feelings, but I know this is a business and it has to be like that.”

Rubio tried not to worry about what he couldn’t control, but conceded that it wasn’t easy to hear the rumors.

“Mentally, it’s tough, but there are things you can’t control,” Rubio said. “We’re playing basketball. There are people who decide where you’re going to play. You can’t control that. You come here and work hard every day and that’s it.

“I’m not going to lie, you hear the rumors. But until it doesn’t happen, I didn’t expect anything. I’m still here. I have my apartment here. After practice, I go to my apartment and take a nap and everything is like it was before.”

Rubio looked for a while like he was headed to New York, but the Timberwolves refused to pull the trigger. The point guard has been popping up in rumors pretty much since Tom Thibodeau took over as the team’s president and coach, and it will likely continue once the offseason starts.