Ricky Rubio Proving To Be Keeper Ahead Of NBA Trade Deadline

Ricky Rubio, Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA
NBA Analysis Network

The Cleveland Cavaliers made several moves in the 2021 NBA offseason that have paid off wonderfully for them. People questioned their approach, re-signing Jarrett Allen, drafting Evan Mobley No. 3 overall and then acquiring Lauri Markkanen in a sign-and-trade, but things have worked out great.

J.B. Bickerstaff has been using Markkanen at small forward and he has acclimated well. Mobley is going to be in the Rookie of the Year running as he is a force on both ends of the court. Combined with Allen, the Cavaliers are one of the toughest teams to score on near the basket.

But, arguably the best acquisition that the team made this offseason was landing veteran point guard Ricky Rubio. Rubio was thought to have been acquired as just a veteran for the young guards Darius Garland and Collin Sexton to learn from, but he has provided so much more than that.

Rubio is the only player to have appeared in all 31 games thus far this season for the Cavaliers and has played well. He has helped set the tone and change the culture in Cleveland while being a great veteran for the young guys to lean on and learn from.

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On the season, Rubio is averaging 12.7 points, 6.6 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 28.4 minutes per game. Many people assumed the Cavaliers acquired him intending to flip him again for more assets ahead of the trade deadline, but that is no longer the case.

According to Michael Scotto, on a recent episode of The HoopsHype Podcast, the Cavaliers have no intentions of trading Rubio. He is too important of a piece to their success to part ways with him now.

“Coming into the year, some around the league wondered if Ricky Rubio would be a short-term veteran mentor, and then maybe the Cavaliers would flip him at the trade deadline. But the Cavaliers value him according to the people in the organization I speak to certainly this season with what he can bring.”

With the injury to Sexton keeping him out the remainder of the season, the Cleveland Cavaliers really couldn’t afford to move on from Rubio right now even if they wanted to. He is the only point guard the team has behind Garland currently and plays a vital role in the team’s rotation.

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Rubio is in the final season of a three-year, $51 million deal. An impending free agent, he is playing himself into a nice contract in free agency, which could be the last chance for him to secure a lucrative long-term deal as he turned 31-years old in October.

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