You are confusing him with most likely Lawson. Rubio's defence is not a liability. If it was he wouldn't be a good prospect. If you want a pg with good playmaking unselfish style who can't play any defence and probably won't be able to shoot from the start at least, better draft Tyus Jones with the 18th pick and be done with it. Still a terrible fit next to Harden.
tyus jones is 5'10 on a good day, and not athletic like a nate robinson... do we really want the second coming of byrce drew all over again take rj hunter or devin booker with the 18th( if either slides), then take terry rozier with the knicks 2nd rounder
You are seriously comparing Ricky Rubio to Steve Nash? What a joke! Nash did very well in Dallas before D'Antoni turned the keys over to him in Phoenix. Rubio isn't on the same planet as that. He has shown no progression towards being an All-Star, much less an MVP and probable Hall of Fame "type" of player. Get outta here. Let's have this discussion again when/if Rubio becomes a serviceable offensive option. A member of this forum said Rubio would be a top 5 NBA PG the minute he stepped on the floor. I guess some players affect people like hard drugs.
My friend he's 6'2 but that's not the draft subforum. I completely agree DO NOT draft however that poster asked just for good playmaking and no defence so if it's all you ask then there he is. Completely free and 18 years old in a rookie contract. ( hunter sux sorry).
The people who keep railing on Rubio are the same people who fail to look at their own team - a band of misfit and rag-tags who somehow won under the right system with the right GM, the right coach, and the right set of superstars. Look at our savior-of-the-moment Smith - a perennial team cancer that was all but forgotten in the league, and his headband brother Brewer - a draft lottery bust who bounced around the league for years only to be acquired by Morey for pennies on the dollar. Heck even "Grandpa" Prigioni was thought to be a waste of a roster spot two months ago and now he looks like the second-coming of The Glove. My point is every time there is a discussion on this board about any underperforming, but talented player who might be worth taking the risk, the knee-jerk reaction is to always go arms up and blast anyone who makes such a suggestion. Sure, if Rubio played like an all-star then he would be coveted like an all-star and the Wolves would laugh in anyone's face who called to inquire about him. Bottom line is that we are not going to land another superstar any time soon and Morey will continue to roll the dice like he has always done to acquire underperforming players. So let's at least entertain the thought rather than just dismiss it as everyone hear seems to routinely do.
They are both in the category of "replacement level" players. Who cares? Neither will ever ever leave a mark on the NBA. What a sad draft for the Wolves. KAAAHHHHNNNNN!
Noone is railing on Rubio. Rubio isn't a bust. He is good pg. His problems are : he is always injured and misses every year most games, and secondly he hasn't shown any significance improvement in all his years in the league. Also don't compare him with Smith and Brew. He is paid much more than them. The ones who don't want him in the Rockets, is not because he is a failure and he will bounce around the league. It's because he is NOT a good fit next to Harden. He cant shoot and he needs the ball on his hand to create. He can't play off ball. So that's recipe for disaster. He is a very talented pg that he is unlucky to be born now and not 20 years ago. He is a dinosaur in the modern NBA.
Would love to see the T-Wolves at 3 or 4 and see what they do with Rubio. I think it would be a huge mistake for them to trade him. And I doubt they do since they've got him locked up now. But..........if they did put him on the block......I know that Morey would be hot after him again. Because Rubio is a great player.
The TWolves are planning for the future. Zach LaVine still has (potentially) 20 years left of gas in his tank, whereas Rubio's mileage is quite high. Rubio should look to be traded to a more immediate contender, I think the Spurs would be a good fit!
I can't believe so many people picked Lavine. Yeah, he's young, can dunk, and showed some flashes some games, but Rubio is just a way better player overall. And it's not like he's old or anything either. He's 23. Literally the only thing he can't do is shoot. While he'll never be a good or even above average shooter, I do think it'll eventually improve as it has marginally. Rubio's elite vision, defense, and sheer knack for the game is something Lavine just can't bring you. I do think the T-Wolves will accept a trade for Rubio if they like it, but there probably won't be many offers considering he just signed a new deal. But I think Minnesota has just been unlucky with injuries. A team with Rubio, Martin, Wiggins, Towns, Pekovic and Lavine and Dieng off the bench could make a little but of noise if they can stay healthy