Cleveland Cavaliers veteran guard Ricky Rubio was in the midst of a fantastic campaign. He was proving to be a huge piece of this resurgent Cavs squad, then he, unfortunately, tore his ACL.
It was a massive blow to a Cleveland backcourt that is already missing Collin Sexton due to injury. That being said, it’s not a surprise the Cavs are looking to acquire a guard at the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline and they’re hoping to use Rubio as part of a package.
Via Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report:
The Cavaliers don’t project to be very aggressive in the coming weeks, but they will explore avenues to move Ricky Rubio and a protected first-rounder in an effort to net backcourt reinforcements, such as Eric Gordon, following Rubio and Collin Sexton’s season-ending injuries.
The Cavs just traded for Rajon Rondo to give them more options at the guard position, but he’s more of a veteran presence and bench player at this point in his career. Eric Gordon could be an intriguing option because he’s currently stuck on a young Rockets team that is rebuilding.
This is a shame for Rubio though. He was in talks with the Cavs over an extension after averaging 13.1 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.2 rebounds in 34 games in 2021/22. Now, it looks like he’ll find himself elsewhere once recovery is finished.
Ultimately, the Cavs need to do what’s best to succeed right now. They’ve already surpassed their win total from last season and are certainly in the mix to make the playoffs. Gordon is dropping just over 14 points per game this season for Houston and would provide leadership to a young team full of upside like Cleveland.
