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During a November game against the Cavs, the Golden State Warriors saw firsthand what the reenergized Ricky Rubio is all about. Although Cleveland fell short in the contest and Rubio struggled from the field, the Spanish floor general still managed to log 10 points, five assists and two steals for his upstart club.
It’s the kind of line he might be putting up right now in the Bay Area had things played out differently.
When the Cavs acquired Rubio via trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves in August, the prevailing thought was that he wasn’t long for the Rock ‘n Roll City. Several months later, though, he’s in the midst of his best season in years, averaging a career-high 13.6 points per contest, while adding 6.1 assists and 1.2 steals.
Had things unfolded in the way that many expected, however, he could be running wild next to Steph in the Warriors backcourt.
The Warriors Wanted Rubio
As reported by The Athletic’s Joe Vardon and Kelsey Russo, the Warriors were “keenly interested in Rubio hitting the market and partnering him with Stephen Curry.”
The Cavs would have needed to buy out the final year of Rubio’s deal — which will pay him just under $18 million this season — in order to make that possible. Instead, they elected to keep him on board and it has paid dividends for the club, which has stormed out to a surprising 13-11 start.
Things clearly have worked out for Golden State despite having never gotten a chance at Rubio. At 19-4, the team is tied with the Phoenix Suns for the best record in the Association. Meanwhile, Jordan Poole has emerged to become an ideal backcourt mate for the Warriors’ MVP candidate.
Through 23 games, Poole is averaging 18.2 points, 3.4 assists and 3.0 rebounds per contest. Had Rubio been part of the team’s equation, it’s probably safe to assume that the 22-year-old would probably have remained relegated to a bench role once again.
Still, the possibility of a Rubio-Warriors partnership remains an intriguing one. Although his perimeter shooting has never been very consistent, his court vision, passing ability and strong grasping of team defensive concepts combine to make him a potentially strong fit in the Warriors culture.
At the least, he may be someone to monitor if he doesn’t get extended and, instead, becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
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The Leader Cleveland Needs
For their part, Rubio’s Cavs teammates are over the moon that he has remained on the roster. He has been exactly the kind of floor leader the young team has needed.
“Just having him on the floor, it makes a huge difference because everybody’s just knowing that they can get the ball anytime,” said Cavs guard Darius Garland. “[We] just let him run the show. Whatever he calls, we’re gonna run and just gonna take it from there.”
And Rubio, who has reacted poorly to getting dealt in the past, is happy to be part of the team, too.
“I’m good, happy here,” he told The Athletic.
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