NBA Trade Rumors: Utah Jazz May Be Willing to Move Guard Ricky Rubio Before the Trade Deadline
A lot of people really thought Ricky Rubio would have a breakout year with the Utah Jazz this season after they acquire him from the Minnesota Timberwolves last summer. However, his first season with his new team hasn't quite panned out the way many had hoped.
Rubio has had a difficult time fitting in with the team, and during a recent appearance on "The HoopsHype Podcast with Alex Kennedy," USA Today's Sam Amick said the Jazz might be ready to pull the plug on their little experiment.
"My understanding of Utah's situation is that they're as much of an open shop as there is in the league right now. Whether it's Derrick Favors or Rodney Hood or even Ricky Rubio, they want to turn the page. They want to maximize Rudy Gobert's prime," Amick said.
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"Yeah, I think Rodney gets moved. I think Derrick will draw decent interest. And the Rubio one, I didn't know what to make of it. But if they are truly open to parting ways with Ricky, I think he'd have a good market too," he added.
The Jazz have been shopping Favors and Hood for weeks now, but Rubio's inclusion on the list can be taken as a signal that they are prepared to shift Rookie of the Year candidate Donovan Mitchell to the point guard position.
Mitchell is listed as a shooting guard, but the team has been using him as their primary ball-handler and playmaker. With Mitchell as the facilitator, Rubio had to play off the ball for long stretches at a time even though he's not much of a scoring threat from the perimeter.
In 48 games this season, Rubio is averaging 11.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists (career low) and 1.6 steals, and he's shooting 38.8 percent from the field, 29.9 percent from beyond the arc, and 87.1 percent from the free-throw line.
