CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Backup point guard was a wasteland last season.
Matthew Dellavedova. Quinn Cook. Yogi Ferrell. Jeremiah Martin. Dante Exum. Brodric Thomas. The Cleveland Cavaliers tried them all at different points. Even shooting guard Damyean Dotson, who hadn’t been in that role since high school, got a chance out of necessity.
Dellavedova played just 13 games because of a severe concussion, neck injury and then appendectomy. Exum lasted six games before suffering a calf injury and then being included as part of the Jarrett Allen trade.
The Cavs tried to piece it together with a combination of 10-day contracts and a few out-of-position internal options. But it was an untenable situation that played a part in Cleveland finishing 22-50, tied for the NBA’s fourth-worst record.
The front office vowed to fix it. Adding a trustworthy backup became one of their offseason priorities. After weighing all the options, the Cavs kept going back to one guy: Ricky Rubio.
“Ricky is a starting point guard in the NBA,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “There is no doubt about that. Point blank, period. He’s one of the top half of the point guards in this league. He’s got the savant IQ. He’s got a maestro’s approach to the game. He has an engaging personality that people want to play with him. He’s going to make this team better. Everywhere he goes, the people he plays with get better. You want to call him a backup, I call him another starter.”
Draft-night trade
On Cleveland’s board, there were two columns: free agent targets and trade possibilities. Some were more realistic than others. T.J. McConnell, Alex Caruso, Patty Mills and Reggie Jackson were among the names on one list. Had Rubio been a free agent, he would’ve been at the top. But he had another year left on his contract. So instead, he was written first on the other column -- with unanimity.
The only question: What would it cost?
The Cavs and Minnesota Timberwolves went through the usual negotiations. But it quickly became a straightforward deal that crossed the finish line a few hours before the draft. Cleveland gave up backup wing Taurean Prince, a 2022 second-round pick and cash for Rubio -- the veteran lead guard expected to bring dependability to a wobbly position.
“We consider him an international superstar,” general manager Koby Altman said. “Ricky is really important for us in how we’re going to take a step forward.”
Along with Altman, Bickerstaff was one of Rubio’s greatest advocates.
The two first met in 2011 when Bickerstaff was an assistant with the Timberwolves -- the franchise that brought Rubio from Spain. That interaction was brief, as Minnesota hired a new coaching staff and Bickerstaff moved on to Houston. Still, Bickerstaff admired Rubio’s game from afar. He heard praise from Rubio’s former teammates, including Marc Gasol, who was in Memphis with Bickerstaff for more than three years.
When it felt like a trade was possible, Bickerstaff beamed. Shortly after the deal, he hopped on the phone with Rubio and the excitement grew.
“We expect Ricky to be Ricky from the Spanish National Team,” Bickerstaff said. “He’s playing at a high level and playing with extreme belief. He’s prepared himself physically and mentally to have the best year of his career. We want to give him the opportunity to do that because the better he plays, the more that’s going to help us and the better team we’re going to be.
“We expect him to lead. We expect him to facilitate. We expect him to be aggressive on the offensive end and make the right plays like he does. Then defensively, communicate, be in the right spots, and help us on that end as well. We know who Ricky is. We’re not trying to change him and put him in a box. We want him to play with that freedom and be the best version of himself.”
“Starter’s minutes”
Even though Bickerstaff views Rubio as a starting-caliber lead guard, the Cavs already have one of those. It’s Darius Garland -- and the Cavs are fully committed to him, offering the figurative keys to the franchise and encouraging him to take more leadership responsibility. While the 21 year old may lack seasoning, he is oozing promise and coming off a bounce-back year, earning three votes for Most Improved Player.
Nonetheless if Rubio stays healthy, he’s going to have a significant role. According to Bickerstaff, Rubio will get starter’s minutes without the title. One member of the organization recently opined Rubio would quickly work his way into the closing lineup, taking a spot from one of the youngsters, as the Cavs have made winning more of a priority than the last three seasons.
He will play with and without Garland. At some points, there may even be a three-guard look -- Rubio, Garland and Collin Sexton sharing the floor together. There was a glimpse of that during the second preseason game in Atlanta. Expect Bickerstaff to be creative with lineups. Don’t be surprised if Rubio is a fixture.
The Cavs need his size (6-foot-4), stability, playmaking, professionalism, maturity, basketball IQ, defense, and leadership, especially with Larry Nance Jr.’s recent departure.
“He’s a 10-year veteran now,” Kevin Love said of Rubio. “A guy that has grown a lot, made an impact everywhere he’s been, continued to get better, had an amazing summer. Just having his presence on this team, especially with the younger guards that we have is huge. He’s a consummate pro. He’s a guy that loves the game and just the way that he passes is infectious in itself. Having Ricky on the team, it couldn’t be better for us.”
That’s on and off the court.
Last season in Minnesota, Rubio averaged a career-low 8.6 points and 6.4 assists in 26.1 minutes. He shot a paltry 38.8% from the field and 30.8% from 3-point range. Admittedly, Rubio didn’t handle a shifting starter/backup role well. Sometimes he was asked to play off the ball -- an unnatural style for the ball-dominant, pass-first offensive conductor. The pandemic didn’t help either. Through those struggles, the Timberwolves still felt his presence. That’s the essence of Rubio.
But if the Olympics are any indication -- and they have been in the past -- the vet looks primed for a big year. His play with the Cavs throughout training camp and preseason has helped solidify that belief.
One night after getting whacked by Chicago, Rubio helped set the tone with an eight-point, six-assist game. On Sunday, in a rematch against the Bulls, Rubio received a spot start for an ill Garland. In just 17 minutes, Rubio nearly recorded a double-double, scoring nine points and dishing out nine assists.
That performance helped spotlight one of the major differences between last year’s squad and this one.
When Garland was out, the offense would look like a discombobulated mess, with the Cavs having a 104.9 offensive rating. But there wasn’t a steep dropoff versus Chicago. If anything, the team looked sharper.
“Him getting us organized,” Garland said of Rubio’s greatest impact. “He’s really good at putting people in their spots and getting the ball where it needs to be. Ricky has been a big help to us and he comes in and makes a big impact on the game immediately. His presence out there, he doesn’t even have to score the ball or touch the ball, just him being out there putting people in the right position helps us a lot.”
Bickerstaff has talked for weeks about modernizing the offense. He wants an up-tempo style that features more 3-pointers, fast break opportunities and finishes at the rim. Rubio isn’t a great shooter and opposing defenses will likely go under screens, but he helps mold that identity as a fast-paced transition team that avoids getting bogged down in the half court.
“My game is perfect in that area,” Rubio said with a smile.
At 30, the Spaniard doesn’t have the same quicks he once did. He won’t win too many full-court races against Cleveland’s spry guards. But he sees the floor better than them, can quickly get the ball up the court with on-target outlet passes and trusts that area of his game. He recognizes who needs the ball and when, and who has gone too long without a touch.
“It’s infectious. That’s why guys run. That’s why guys cut. They know he’s going to deliver the basketball to them,” Bickerstaff said. “That’s what he’s done throughout his whole career. He’s one of the best in the league at throwing the ball ahead, and helping his teammates get easy buckets. He’s one of the best in the league at reading defenses and finding guys on cuts, when he’s penetrated the lane and uses that Nash dribble. When he has the ball in his hands, everybody’s a threat. So, they put themselves in position to be a threat.”
Guard whisperer
Rubio’s already making an impact behind the scenes as well. He was one of the most vocal players following the embarrassing loss in the preseason opener, speaking with a refreshing, blunt honesty. He’s taken Garland under his wing, competing against him in post-practice shooting contests and offering advice when needed. Rubio’s locker placement next to Garland’s wasn’t an accident. The two talk daily and watch film together.
Rubio, the guard whisperer, has mentored All-Stars Devin Booker and Donovan Mitchell along with 2020 No. 1 pick Anthony Edwards. While Rubio seemed like an ideal trade target for a contender because of his polished skill set, age, experience and expiring contract, he enjoys being part of a franchise’s growth process. He’s eager to see how much the Cavs can improve.
“It’s really a joy going to practice every day and seeing they do so many mistakes and then a week later they are not doing the same mistakes and they grow to their potential,” Rubio said. “At the end of the day it’s a race, like a marathon, and some of them they want to do it all at the same time. But it’s fun how you see the process grow and get to a point where the hard work pays off and you see how much improvement they make.
“It will take time. We’re not close. We’re far. But at the same time that’s exciting because we have a lot of work to do. Working the right way, in the right atmosphere, it’s fun. Seeing the growth of a lot of players will make us better team, better persons, but we have to be really willing to do that sacrifice. It takes a lot of energy, it takes a lot of bad moments and how you react from them.”
During Rubio’s first year at FC Barcelona, they won the EuroLeague championship. Following the title celebration, Gianluca Basile, one of Rubio’s mentors, approached and mentioned how he had been chasing that elusive trophy for nearly 20 years while Rubio won it in his debut. It was a message about not taking success for granted or getting complacent. Rubio didn’t. He kept evolving. He carried Basile’s lessons -- and many others -- with him to the NBA, first in Minnesota, then Utah, Phoenix, back to Minnesota and now in Cleveland.
Booker made his first All-Star team in 2020, his fifth year in the league and the one season he played with Rubio.
Rubio’s first season with the Jazz was Mitchell’s rookie year, helping Utah advance to the second round of the playoffs. Two years later, Mitchell became an All-Star.
Edwards shook off a slow start and emerged as one of the NBA’s top rookies last season.
It’s not all Rubio, of course. Each was a lottery pick for a reason. Still, all three have singled him out when discussing their development. Edwards called him the “best leader” he’s ever been around.
Now it’s Cleveland’s turn to benefit. Guys are already soaking up that knowledge.
“The thing that stands out is his passing ability, which everybody knew, but just seeing it in person, it’s unbelievable how effortless he can make something look,” Lauri Markkanen said. “It’s been great to play with him.”
“He’s got experience. He’s played with some of the best of them,” Sexton added. “I can’t wait to just continue to pick his brain on the road trips and different dinners that we have. And that’s going to help us younger guys, especially like me and DG, he’s been helping us tremendously. ... It was a good pickup for us because he’s able to push us in practice and whenever we’re playing and also just push us whenever he sees something.”
Make no mistake: This isn’t some locker room lieutenant whose sole purpose is keeping the troops in line. As much as that leadership is needed, Rubio gives Cleveland what it lacked last season -- another starting-caliber point guard who just happens to be masquerading as a backup.
“At the end of the day when you feel like they want you here so bad, it feels good and helps me to really be the best I can be,” Rubio said. “Hopefully I can translate my momentum going into the season and help this team take the next step.”
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