Utah Jazz: 2017-18 to be Ricky Rubio’s best season yet
By Jason Oliver
Ricky Rubio hasn’t lived up to the lofty expectations placed on him on draft night in 2009, but the 2017-18 season is set to be the best of his career.
New Utah Jazz point guard Ricky Rubio is approaching the 2017-18 NBA season as though it’s a new beginning. Finally playing under a head coach staying with the franchise for more than two seasons, the Spaniard has a consistent voice in his ear for the first time in his career.
He’s looking to make improvements in his game that will translate into plays for others as he becomes Utah’s offensive facilitator.
Rubio arrived from the Minnesota Timberwolves in return for a 2019 first round pick via the Oklahoma City Thunder. The trade wasn’t a blockbuster by recent NBA standards, but it ensured the Jazz had a ready-made replacement for the departing George Hill.
Coming off a season in which he averaged 11.1 points per game on 40 percent shooting along with 9.1 assists and 4.1 rebounds, Rubio’s arrival was met with excitement. He offers up a nice fit with Rudy Gobert, but what is most intriguing is the room for improvement on those 2016-17 numbers.
Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey thinks his staff are the group to get even more out of the misguided point guard, telling the Salt Lake Tribune:
"“We’re a program that’s going to want to believe in players. We’ll breathe some confidence there. We’ll help him if we see some technique issues. We need to get to know him.”"
Rubio is entering the prime of his career. He has spent six seasons in the league — more than long enough to know the tricks of the trade. It’s time for him to put those tricks into practice.
Perhaps now more than ever after Gordon Hayward‘s departure, the Rubio people expected to see when he entered the league needs to transpire. If his Media Day comments are anything to go by, Utah might be the franchise to get it out of him.