Utah Jazz: 3 players facing the most pressure in 2018-19

2. Ricky Rubio

The 2017-18 season was by far the best of Ricky Rubio’s career. He made the playoffs for the first time in his seven year NBA career, and set career highs in points per game, field goal percentage, and 3-point percentage.

Rubio caught fire during the second half of last season, and was critical to the Jazz late season surge. After nailing a game winning 3-pointer in a victory against the Detroit Pistons on January 24, he averaged 16 points, 6.1 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game. He also made 43.8 percent from beyond the arc during this time, which was the best run of his career.

Rubio is entering the final year of his contract, which is enough reason to replicate his breakout season. However, additional pressure on him to maintain his production levels will come from Utah’s bench.

When the Jazz drafted Dante Exum with the 5th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, he was expected to be the point guard of the future. He started 67 games his first two seasons, but was hindered last year with a shoulder injury that sidelined him for six months.

Though Exum has shown flashes of greatness and possesses the ability to attack the paint, he has some weaknesses. He shoots under 40 percent from the field for his career, and is an abysmal 31 percent from the 3-point line.

Exum has youth on his side, and the pressure will be on Rubio’s shoulders to continue his upward trend and lead the Jazz again to the playoffs. If he has another career year, Utah will have an interesting decision to make next summer.