After being informed that the Utah Jazz will not prioritize him as free agency is about to begin, it appears that Ricky Rubio will end up in a different uniform next season. The pass-first point guard is quite underrated. He’s one of the most intelligent players in the league. His playmaking is top-notch and his decision making is very impressive. Rubio’s career is far from over even if he suffered many injuries throughout his career. His defense is also underrated. He’s been a pest on defense which gives his opponent a hard time scoring.
Now that Utah is not planning to include him in their future, there will be a lot of teams that will surely want his playmaking expertise. There are a lot of teams that are craving for a legit point guard. Let’s take a look at the top landing spots for Ricky Rubio in Free Agency.
Ideal Free Agency Destinations for Ricky Rubio
Orlando Magic
It was a surprising season for the Orlando Magic as they snuck their way into the playoffs. They even got a win against the Toronto Raptors. They can add more this season and their first priority is to get a solid point guard.
D.J. Augustin is currently their primary guard. Augustin is good but not really a starting caliber point guard in today’s league. Orlando also got former first overall pick Markelle Fultz in a trade. But he still couldn’t figure out the flaws in his game. He has a high ceiling but he still is not yet ready. So, one option that the Magic should consider is signing Ricky Rubio.
Rubio can start plays and he’s used to playing with good big men like Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors. Aaron Gordon and Mohamed Bamba could be the same thing for Rubio. Rubio might not be the elite point guard Orlando is looking for, but he can improve the team from what they were this past season.
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns would surely target a point guard in free agency. And if they failed to acquire top talented point guards, Ricky Rubio would surely be a nice Plan B. They have the 6th overall pick this year but that won’t give them sensational point guard Ja Morant whose likely to be selected second overall.
They should look for other talents but there’s a problem. Convincing a top-tier point guard to join the Suns is unlikely to happen after years of mediocrity. Their roster right now is too young and not quite a contender. So, the best thing to do is make a run at Ricky Rubio. He can facilitate and let Devin Booker score the ball. He can also thrive with Deandre Ayton. Rubio can bring the best out of Ayton in the pick-en-roll. He’s also more affordable and yet valuable than any other guards.
Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers‘ guards Darren Collison and Cory Joseph are set to become unrestricted free agents and might be heading out of Indiana. The Pacers are a playoff level team. Ricky Rubio might actually want to help a more established team, especially in the Eastern Conference. He can play the same role he played in Utah with the Indiana Pacers.
The Pacers also believe in Aaron Holiday‘s talent. They wanted him to be their point guard of the future. Signing Rubio for a short term deal can make a lot of sense. Rubio can mentor holiday and at the same time, compete in the playoffs. That would surely help the development of Aaron Holiday.
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks did a great job bringing Kristaps Porzingis to Dallas and trading for Luka Doncic on draft night. Doncic immediately made a huge impact on the league. Porzingis is set for a big come back next season. But, they’re still missing some pieces. Dallas needs a legit center and a point guard.
The Mavericks are recently rumored to be interested in Orlando’s all-star center Nikola Vucevic. If they got Vucevic, they will surely have no room for a top tier point guard. So, if that’s the scenario, they could consider going for a cheaper point guard. Ricky Rubio is the perfect fit. They can build a European superteam with Rubio at the point, Doncic at shooting guard, Porzingis at power forward and Vucevic at center.
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