Phoenix Suns: 5 expectations for Ricky Rubio
5. Below-average shooting
The biggest drawback on the Rubio addition, aside from his injury history or failing to live up to unreasonable pre-draft hype, is his inability to shoot. It’s been the biggest flaw in his game for years, and it’s one that’s hindered his dynamic passing ability. Rubio has incredible floor vision, but it’s harder to thread the needle when defenders are able to continually sag off.
The 3-point numbers aren’t pretty, but they offer glimpses of hope. Rubio is a career 32.2 percent shooter from distance, taking an average of 2.6 attempts per game over his eight years in the league. He made only 31.1 percent of his career-high 3.7 attempts per game last season, and he’s never shot at least 36 percent from deep in a single season.
Suffice it to say that with Devin Booker’s ability to create off the dribble, a point guard who’s capable of spreading the floor and acting as a catch-and-shoot threat would’ve been more ideal on this front.
Ricky Rubio: “I’m open”
— Rev. Eric Dunn (@ericvdunn) June 30, 2019
Devin Booker: pic.twitter.com/2BIRmNLttN
With that being said, the main boxes needing to be checked off for the ideal complementary point guard to Devin Booker — off-ball shooting, creation and defensive versatility — are hard to find in a single player, and even harder to find among realistic targets for a lowly Suns team with little market appeal.
To that end, Phoenix only needs Rubio to be close to competent in shooting the rock for this addition to work. He won’t shoot the lights out, but even the career-high 35.2 percent he shot just two seasons ago would be more than enough to keep defenses honest, or make them pay for devoting too much attention to a capable passer like Booker.
I find it hilarious Suns fans are stunting as if they’ve had a good floor-spacing shooter at PG for years and now have to suffer Rubios 33% 3P shooting
— Dave King (@DaveKingNBA) July 3, 2019
Suns PGs have shot 28% 3P while only averaging 3 assists per game last two seasons, 34% the two seasons before that
The Suns shot 32.9 percent from downtown last season, ranking dead-last in the NBA. The only players who shot 33 percent or better were Jamal Crawford (a reserve), Mikal Bridges, Isaiah Canaan (in 18 games), Trevor Ariza (26 games), Troy Daniels (a rarely used sub) and T.J. Warren (who missed 39 games).
Rubio won’t fix the Suns’ 3-point shooting woes, and if anything, could compound the team’s spacing problems when Booker initiates the offense. With that being said, even if he hovers around 33-35 percent, as he’s done for three of his eight NBA seasons, Phoenix can live with that.