While speaking to the media following a hectic NBA trade deadline, Ricky Rubio took a slight jab at the Utah Jazz front office for including him in trade talks.
The Utah Jazz were a team involved in many, many trade rumors leading up to the NBA’s trade deadline on February 7. Most notably, they were in talks with the Memphis Grizzlies regarding point guard Mike Conley.
Ricky Rubio would have been a part of any trade that netted the Jazz Conley, and I’m sure he knew that. He also probably knows that Utah didn’t acquire Conley because they were adamant about keeping Dante Exum, Rubio’s backup, around.
Understandably, Rubio wasn’t having a fun time yesterday. He took to Twitter with numerous tweets, trying to find humor in his situation, but that didn’t change the fact that he very well could have been traded.
Utah’s floor general is safe for the rest of this season, but was clearly less than enthusiastic about the situation. At Jazz practice on Friday, he even took a slight jab at the team’s front office.
Said Rubio —
"“The team, sometimes, upstairs, they don’t feel like the chemistry matters, and sometimes it matters more than anything.”"
Ricky Rubio, on the drama of the trade deadline: "Do I like it? No. I hate it. … The team, sometimes, upstairs, they don't feel like the chemistry matters, and sometimes it matters more than anything." pic.twitter.com/NPW46TIp86
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) February 8, 2019
With all due respect to Rubio, I have one word to describe that comment: blasphemous.
The Jazz’s motto is, “The strength of the team is the team,” for a reason. The hashtag used on Twitter for the Jazz is #TeamIsEverything for a reason. Dennis Lindsey and the Jazz know just how important chemistry is. That’s why Lindsey practically made no moves during the off-eason and kept the whole team together, with the exception of Jonas Jerebko.
Literally, the Jazz walked into this season with 13 of the 14 core players that they ended last season with. Georges Niang got promoted from his two-way contract, taking Jerebko’s spot, and Grayson Allen was drafted 23rd overall. They could have gone out and upgraded some areas of the team, but instead they kept it in tact because the team chemistry was so high.
Derrick Favors, meanwhile, has been involved in trade discussion year after year. He handles it like the classy professional he is. He knows it’s a business, and he has no ill feelings toward the Jazz. I’m not saying Rubio isn’t a classy professional, but he simply shouldn’t be taking shots at the front office for trying to upgrade the team.
I think we all can agree, Conley would have been an upgrade over Rubio.
Nonetheless, it’s over and done with. We’ll see if Rubio can end this season on a high note and leave the Jazz with the thought of re-signing him during the summer. I just hope we don’t see him taking any more unnecessary shots at a tremendous front office.