LA Clippers: Pass or pursue on three rumored NBA trade deadline targets
By Dalton Sell
Should the LA Clippers pass on or pursue rumored trade target Ricky Rubio?
Ricky Rubio has a reputation as one of the better playmaking guards in the association, making him a prime trade candidate for the LA Clippers.
Mannix notes in his report that Rubio is “in play” for the Clippers as they try to fill their point guard vacancy, and the interest is feasible to some degree. Averaging 7.7 assists per game for his career, the guard’s ability to orchestrate the offense and handle the ball would make him a welcoming addition alongside Leonard, George,and the rest of the Clippers.
However, Rubio is currently having one of the least productive seasons of his career by averaging 8.7 points on a .408/.324/.835 slash line with 6.7 assists per game for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Numbers like that certainly do not much the needle for the Clippers much, and bringing him aboard would not be a clear-cut solution to their problems.
Furthermore, his $17 million salary this season makes any deal much harder to come by from a financial perspective. The Clippers would have to be willing to shake up their roster significantly, and Rubio’s numbers this season suggest he might not be the piece worth going all-in for. Perhaps the guard could use a fresh start elsewhere to get back on the right track, but the Clippers should not be the team to give it to him.