Ricky Rubio already talking future in Minnesota, 'I would like to be on a winning team'

If the Kevin Love drama weren't enough to drive a Minnesota Timberwolves fan crazy already, now Ricky Rubio is talking about his future.

Yes, Rubio, who is still a full year removed from restricted free agency but has a window open ahead of October 31 to negotiate an extension on his rookie contract. Whether he'll be willing to do that, however, is apparently not a certainty.

Here's Rubio speaking to Marca.com, via Eye on Basketball:

The most important thing for me is winning. If I were a free agent my preferences would be a team that had a project with me involved. If that happens when I'm a free agent and I'm not yet on a project that is fighting for a ring and to win ... I would say that I would like to be on a winning team.

Normally, a player in Rubio's situation doesn't have a great deal of leverage. Fail to agree on an extension and no future money is guaranteed, and the player rolls the dice on having a good, healthy season and finding a favorable market in restricted free agency.

However, Rubio may have more leverage than most. With Love wanting out and the team's five-year max still available, his camp may be looking to leverage the threat of another star player leaving to secure an above-market deal.

What's more, as EOB points out, he's critical to the team's success:

The Wolves were atrocious without Rubio on the court last season. The defense was 0.8 points per 100 possessions worse without Rubio but the offense was 11.2 points per 100 possessions worse with him on the bench. Rubio improved his jumper and finishing around the basket, but it still needs a lot of development to make both options acceptable weapons for Rubio and the team he's playing for.

Technically, Rubio can't leave until 2015 as a restricted free agent, and the Wolves would have the right to match any deal. If he wants his choice of home, he'd have to play out 2015-16 on a qualifying offer to earn unrestricted free agency. That is to say, all of this is a little premature.

But it can't feel good as a T-Wolves fan.