There were a lot of sad Cleveland Cavaliers fans when news broke that the team had decided to trade away Ricky Rubio and his expiring contract towards last season’s trade deadline. The Cavs did get Caris LeVert as part of the deal, but losing Rubio was still a significant blow for moe than a few supporters.
As fate would have it, Rubio decided to sign with the Cavs again right when free agency opened this month. Last season, the former fifth overall pick had a memorable run in Cleveland before his season was cut short due to injury, and he clearly wants to have another run at it in 2022-23. This is exactly what Rubio had in mind when he shared his two-word reaction to his Cavs comeback via Instagram (h/t Brad Sullivan of Cavaliers Nation):
Unfinished business. These two words perfectly encapsulate why Rubio has decided to come back to Cleveland despite being traded by the team.
Rubio played 34 games for the Cavs last season before suffering a torn ACL in December. During that span, the 31-year-old averaged 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.4 steals in 28.5 minutes off the bench. Rubio was also hitting a career-best 1.7 triples per contest, making him one of the most important players on the second unit.
Now that he’s returned, Rubio is going to back up Darius Garland this coming season. His veteran presence is also going to be a valuable asset for a young and inexperienced side.
Ricky Rubio is clearly hyped to be back in Cleveland, and Cavs fans should definitely feel the same way.
