NBA trade deadline passes, Ricky Rubio, Kevin Martin still Timberwolves

If there was really much of a question...this afternoon's 2 p.m. trade deadline came and went and Ricky Rubio still is a Timberwolf.

So is Kevin Martin and everybody else as the Wolves head into the season's final two months with the same team that went 17-37.

At least for now.

Wolves general manager Milt Newton said teams called about Rubio and he had a duty to listen, but said he never shopped his starting point guard around.

"We're always willing to take calls about our players if it makes us better," Newton said. "When your phone rings, you have to consider. If it doesn't make your team better, well, thanks for the phone call. It rang quite a bit, but we're not in the business of giving away our players."

New York and Milwaukee, among other teams, are believed to have inquired about Rubio.

Rubio declined an interview request after practice today.

The Wolves could buy out Martin's contract to eliminate the chance he'll use his player option this summer to "opt in" for the final season due him on a four-year contract he signed in 2013.

Martin said by text this afternoon, "Not a ounce of disappointment in me that I wasn't traded. This organization has treated me and my family first class headlined by Mr. Glen Taylor."

He said he has enjoyed taking the team's young players -- particularly Zach LaVine and Shabazz Muhammad -- "under my wing" and said "being with my brothers through this process that started 15 months ago after me, RIcky and Pek all went down (with injuries) is enough for me!"

If Martin becomes a free agent by March 1 and signs elsewhere, he'll be eligible to be on a contending team's playoff roster.

"We haven't had that discussion yet," Newton said. "That's probably something we may have a discussion as we go forward. He's here and we expect him to continue to be a professional and be ready to play when called upon."

Bjelica will not travel to Memphis and instead will have tests/exams done here these next two days on a right foot that starting to hurt him when he landed after a flight from California, where he had worked out normally earlier in the day.

Tayshaun Prince and Andre Miller have veteran minimum salaries that expire this summer. Newton said he likes having veterans to lead the young players but left open the possibility of buyout with those, too.

"If something presents itself, it's something we'd have to look at," he said. "Right now, this is the team that we have to finish out the season."

Newton said he wants that team to pick up where it left off before All Star break, when it won three of its last four games before taking a week off.

He also said he wants that team in these remaining two months to use its youth and athleticism to get out and run.

Andrew Wiggins set a .500 record or better over the remaining 28 games as a team goal.