Ricky Rubio may be done with the Cleveland Cavaliers sooner rather than later. The veteran point guard hasn't played at all during the 2023-2024 season, leaving the team in early August to focus on his mental health. He's long talked about returning to Spain when his career is over and living a quiet life with his family, and he may be closer to that idea becoming reality than anyone thought.
The team and Rubio are talking about parting ways after re-signing him to a contract last offseason. He returned to the team after joining up with them in 2021-2022, and having a hot start to his Cavaliers tenure, averaging 13 points and six assists off the bench and being one of their best players on the team before he blew out his knee.
He returned last season but wasn't fully back to his old form and before you know it, word came out that Rubio was going to step away from the team.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Ricky Rubio have begun discussing a potential parting of ways amid doubts about Rubio resuming an NBA career that has spanned 12 seasons, league sources say.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 20, 2023
Story at @TheAthletic with @joevardon: https://t.co/ty9st8gqhg
This has Rubio's future in the NBA in doubt in the eyes of many, but more could be going on than we're aware of. While Rubio's NBA future is up in the air at the moment, it's very possible that Rubio left the team due to issues he's having with the Cleveland Cavaliers organization or with people inside of it. That's simply speculation, but a change of scenery may help Rubio regain that desire to play again, and what better place to rediscover that love than in Salt Lake City?
Rubio was a member of the Jazz from 2017 to 2019, averaging just about 13 points and six assists and helping lead them to back-to-back 48+ win seasons. If he's going to return to the league, coming in and playing alongside Collin Sexton and Lauri Markkanen may be as good of an opportunity as any.
So the Jazz would be wise to see if Rubio would join the franchise if he's waived by Cleveland or if the Cavaliers put him on the trade block if Rubio would want to suit up once again for the Jazz. He's got the skills that the team has been needing all season, so if he's open to a return, then the Jazz should do what they can to get things done.