Ricky Rubio’s time with the Cleveland Cavaliers has reportedly come to an end, as he and the team have agreed on a contract buyout.
ESPN Sources: After stepping away from the franchise to address his mental health, guard Ricky Rubio and the Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed on a contract buyout. If Rubio — a 12-year veteran — plays professionally again, it will be likely in his native Spain. pic.twitter.com/zyDvRihaGL
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 4, 2024
Rubio didn’t log a single game with the Cavaliers during the 2023-24 regular season in order to focus on his mental health.
In the 2022-23 regular season, Rubio logged 33 appearances with Cleveland and averaged 5.2 points, 3.5 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game while shooting 34.3 percent from the field 25.6 percent from behind the 3-point arc.
The 33-year-old played much better basketball in his first season as a member of the Cavaliers franchise, the 2021-22 season. Across 34 appearances with the team during the regular season, he averaged 13.1 points, 6.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 36.3 percent from the floor and 33.9 percent from 3-point range.
The point guard has also played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns across his 12 seasons in the NBA.
He has spent more time playing for the Timberwolves than any other team, as he spent the first six seasons of his NBA career with the franchise and also spent the 2020-21 season with the team.
The Cavaliers have navigated the 2023-24 regular season relatively well thus far without Rubio. The team got hit by the injury bug earlier on in the season and thus got off to a slow start, but Cleveland has bounced back since then. The Cavaliers own the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference at 19-15 and have also won six out of their last 10 games.
Cleveland won its most recent game against the Washington Wizards by 39 points on Wednesday and will play Washington for the second game in a row on Friday. At 6-27, the Wizards own the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference ahead of only the Detroit Pistons.
It’s unfortunate that Rubio’s time with the Cavaliers organization has come to an end, but at least the team has point guard Darius Garland to hold down the playmaking fort. Garland hasn’t played since suffering a fractured jaw against the Boston Celtics last month, though.
