Rubio joins the LA Clippers
Ricky Rubio is a pretty ideal fit for this LA Clippers team. He isn’t a guy who will ever look to score first but is a good defender and great distributor. With Phoenix wanting the ball in Devin Booker’s hand more, they may look to move off of Rubio.
Rubio for his career averages 7.8 assists per game but the 29-year-old point guard had his second-highest assist average last season for the Suns with 8.8 per game. He also scored a second career-best 13.0 points per game. Defensively, he can get after players, nearly averaging two steals per game.
In all honesty, Rubio might be the perfect fit for this roster. He has decent size, can knock down shots when he needs to but most importantly is fine with deferring. With Kawhi, PG, and Lou Williams on the roster, the team doesn’t necessarily need another bucket getter.
The Suns getting Patrick Beverley gives them a tough-nosed player who can get up in opponents but will defer to Booker on offense. Booker can play more of a ball-handling role while Beverley spots up. The deal also still keeps the Suns competitive in the tough Western Conference, something we saw they are capable of in the bubble in Orlando. The Suns also get Rodney McGruder, a solid bench piece who can play in their fast-paced system.
Beverley drew interest from Phoenix the last time he was a free agent, making this one a little more interesting for the Suns. If they don’t want McGruder in order to save some money, Beverley for Rubio works straight up.