The Cleveland Cavaliers will be parading one of the youngest lineups in the league this season. With the lack of experience on the roster, the Cavs have tasked Ricky Rubio to look after the kids.
The 10-year veteran is the new guy for the Cavs, but he’s by far the second-most tenured player on the squad behind Kevin Love. As such, Rubio is giving his young teammates an early warning of the danger that lies ahead of them in the 2021-22 campaign.
Via Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com:
“I’ve been on all kinds of teams, but I think young, talented teams, there is a lot of teams that get lost because they don’t take the next step.”
“Being young is good and bad. It’s good because you have all the energy, you’re hungry, but bad because you’re going to make a lot of mistakes.”
The Cavs’ strongest lineup should feature the likes of Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley, Isaac Okoro, Collin Sexton, and Darius Garland. Out of all these players, Allen is considered the oldest at 23 years old.
Every single one of these players has the potential to become a future star. Rubio is no stranger to watching young talents grow into All-Stars before his eyes. Karl-Anthony Towns, Donovan Mitchell, and Devin Booker all played with the Spanish point guard during their respective breakout seasons.
The Cavs will have to endure growing pains as the young core learn things the hard way. They should also count their blessings now that Rubio is on board as their guide.