Ricky Rubio

Ricky Rubio Agrees To Buyout, Announces NBA Retirement

January 4th, 2024 at 11:28am CST by Arthur Hill

11:28am: Rubio has announced his retirement from the NBA in a statement on social media (Twitter link).

9:31am: Ricky Rubio has reached an agreement on a contract buyout with the Cavaliers, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The move will likely lead to the end of the 33-year-old guard’s playing career, at least in the NBA.

Terms of the buyout haven’t been made available, but Bobby Marks of ESPN notes that Rubio has about $3.5MM left on his $6.15MM contract for this season (Twitter link). Rubio is also owed $6.44MM for 2024/25, but only $4.25MM of next season’s salary is guaranteed.

Rubio and the team began discussing an eventual buyout last month. He hasn’t played this season, announcing in August that he needed to pause his career for mental health reasons. Rubio has remained in his native Spain and there was reportedly little expectation that he was planning to make an NBA return.

Cleveland is $752K below the luxury tax, according to Marks, so any savings from Rubio’s contract will create financial flexibility. The Cavs are already carrying one open roster spot due to tax concerns, and they’re currently shorthanded because of long-term injuries to Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Ty Jerome. Teams can begin signing players to 10-day contracts on Friday, so that may be an option until those players return.

Rubio emerged as a star in Spain as a teenager and was selected by Minnesota with the fifth pick in the 2009 draft. He played for four teams in his 12-year career and averaged 10.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.4 assists in 698 total games.

The Cavaliers originally acquired Rubio in the summer of 2021, but a torn ACL ended his season after 34 games and he was sent to Indiana to help match salaries in the Caris LeVert trade. He re-signed with Cleveland in 2022, but was still slowed by the injury and was limited to 33 games last season.

Cavs, Ricky Rubio Discuss Possible Parting Of Ways

December 20th, 2023 at 12:40pm CST by Luke Adams

12:40pm: Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com confirms that the Cavaliers and Rubio are discussing options, but says they’re not close to reaching a resolution at this time. A trade would be Cleveland’s preferred path, Fedor adds.

12:15pm: The Cavaliers and Ricky Rubio have begun to discuss the possibility of a parting of ways, sources tell Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

Rubio hasn’t been with the Cavs at all this season after announcing in August that he was pausing his playing career for mental health reasons. The veteran point guard, who remains in Spain, isn’t expected to play this season and there are “serious doubts” about whether he’ll ever resume his career, according to Charania and Vardon, who hear that the 33-year-old isn’t believed to be engaging in basketball activities to stay sharp.

The Cavs, meanwhile, are dealing with long-term injuries to Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Ty Jerome, and are carrying an open roster spot for luxury tax reasons — they’re only $752K below the tax line, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). Freeing up some money and a roster spot would put the team in a better position to address its roster depth, particularly in the backcourt.

Rubio’s cap hit for this season is approximately $6.15MM. He’s on the books for $6.44MM next season, though only $4.25MM of that 2024/25 salary is guaranteed.

As Charania and Vardon detail, a buyout, a waive-and-stretch, and a trade are some of the potential routes the Cavaliers figure to consider. A waive-and-stretch transaction is presumably the least attractive of those options, since the deadline to stretch this season’s salary has passed — Rubio’s $6.15MM cap charge for ’23/24 would remain unchanged, meaning Cleveland wouldn’t create any additional financial flexibility below the tax line.

Negotiating a buyout with Rubio would allow the Cavaliers to reduce his cap hit for this season, but Charania and Vardon note that the team wants to “do right” by the veteran, who is considered a major part of the team’s resurgence in recent years. That suggests the front office may be reluctant to ask him to give up a significant chunk of money.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported earlier today that a trade involving Rubio was a possibility, and it might be the most appealing option if the Cavs can find the right sort of deal. If Cleveland were to attach a draft asset to Rubio and move him in a trade for a player who’s earning less than him, it could clear a path for the club to fill the 15th spot on its roster without surpassing the tax threshold. In that scenario, Rubio’s new team would then be responsible for either negotiating a buyout or simply waiving him.

Cavs Rumors: Mitchell, Rubio, Allen, Bickerstaff

December 20th, 2023 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

The injuries that will sideline Darius Garland and Evan Mobley well into the new year aren’t expected to significantly impact the Cavaliers‘ plans for this season, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, who says the franchise remains committed to its core of Garland, Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, and Jarrett Allen.

As Fischer writes, there has been “incessant chatter” among rival executives about the possibility of Mitchell leaving Cleveland in 2025, when he can opt out of his current contract, with speculation about his next destination focusing on the New York teams (the Knicks and Nets). However, those whispers haven’t affected the Cavaliers’ resolve to this point, Fischer explains.

In the event that the Cavs begin to struggle and slide down the standings without Garland and Mobley available, it’s possible the front office will have to reconsider its approach to the trade deadline. But Koby Altman and his group seem to have the “sturdy backing” of ownership, per Fischer, so the odds appear slim that a substantial change in direction will occur in the coming weeks.

Here’s more from Fischer on the Cavaliers:

One move Cleveland might make on or before the February 8 deadline would involve Ricky Rubio, according to Fischer, who suggests the team would like to turn Rubio’s salary slot into a player who could contribute this season. The veteran point guard announced in August that he’d be pausing his career to focus on his mental health, and there has been no indication that the “pause” will end anytime soon, so he’d be a buyout candidate if he’s traded to a new team, Fischer adds.
While the Cavs have no plans to trade him, Allen would receive “plenty” of interest from playoff contenders if he were ever made available. League sources tell Fischer that the Pelicans are one team that has long had its eye on Allen and would be interested if Cleveland is willing to listen to offers down the road.
There was some noise early in the season about whether J.B. Bickerstaff‘s hold on his head coaching job might be slipping, but Fischer hears from sources that the Cavs don’t seem to be in any rush to make a change on the sidelines. Injuries to Garland and Mobley may actually reduce the pressure on Bickerstaff, Fischer points out, since expectations for the club will be tempered without those two young stars in the lineup.

Cavaliers Notes: Rubio, Altman, Strus, Mobley

October 2nd, 2023 at 3:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Cavaliers point guard Ricky Rubio, who announced in August that he has decided to pause his basketball career to focus on his mental health, received an excused absence from the team’s media day on Monday, reports Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.

It remains unclear when Rubio might report to the team, but president of basketball operations Koby Altman told reporters, including Fedor (Twitter link), that the subject of retirement hasn’t come up at all during his discussions with the veteran guard. Altman and the Cavs are hopeful that Rubio will be with the club for the 2023/24 season, Fedor adds.

Here’s more on the Cavs:

After being arrested and charged in September for driving under the influence, Altman told reporters on Monday that he has spoken to team owner Dan Gilbert about the situation, though he declined to say whether he expects to face discipline from the organization, per Tom Withers of The Associated Press. “I feel awful about the distraction that this incident has caused our organization and team,” Altman said. “I’ve had several conversations across the building with players, coaches and ownership on down and have expressed that same sentiment to them as well.”
Having joined the Cavaliers on a four-year, $62MM deal in July, Max Strus expects to be the team’s starting small forward, he said on Monday (Twitter link via Fedor). Cleveland’s starting backcourt (Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland) and frontcourt (Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen) is set, but the club rotated through several options at the three last season, so Strus certainly looks like the obvious choice to fill that spot.
Mobley said on Monday that he had a home gym installed and hired a personal chef this offseason, which helped him put on seven pounds of muscle. The big man added that he’s ready to “take off” this season and has made it a goal to make the All-Star team and to win Defensive Player of the Year (Twitter links via Fedor).

Central Notes: Rubio, Washington, Cunningham, Thompson

August 14th, 2023 at 12:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Ricky Rubio‘s decision to take time away from basketball and focus on his mental health leaves the Cavaliers with an uncertain situation at backup point guard, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes in a mailbag column. Rubio didn’t offer any indication of how long he might be inactive, so there’s no way of knowing if he’ll be available when training camp opens in seven weeks or when the season starts in late October.

There’s no urgency for Cleveland to make a roster move, Fedor adds. The Cavs signed free agent Ty Jerome in the belief that he can handle a larger role than he had with Golden State, and Donovan Mitchell, Caris LeVert and two-way player Craig Porter Jr. are all capable of running the offense for short stretches. Fedor points out that there aren’t any strong options remaining in free agency, but Kendrick Nunn, Michael Carter-Williams, George Hill, Ish Smith, and D.J. Augustin are among the players still available.

General manager Mike Gansey scheduled a trip to Malaga, Spain, this summer to visit with Rubio and watch the Spanish World Cup team in action, according to Fedor. However, Rubio left training camp before Gansey arrived, so he devoted the trip to scouting instead.

There’s more from the Central Division:

The Cavaliers have expressed interest in P.J. Washington and may be “lurking” as his standoff with the Hornets continues, Fedor adds. He notes that Cleveland was able to take advantage of a similar situation in a sign-and-trade with Lauri Markkanen two years ago by offering a contract beyond what the Bulls were willing to pay. Fedor states that Rubio and Dean Wade would be enough to match salary if Washington would accept about $15MM per year, but he’s not sure if that and a few second-round picks would satisfy Charlotte.
Cade Cunningham is the only untouchable player on the Pistons‘ roster, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic writes in his annual evaluation of the team’s most valuable assets. Even though he missed most of last season after shin surgery, Cunningham is still viewed around the league as a potential superstar, according to Edwards. Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren and rookie Ausar Thompson follow Cunningham on Edwards’ list.
Overtime Elite general manager Gerald Wilkins believes Thompson has a bright NBA future, per Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. Wilkins offered a glowing recommendation to Jarrett Jack, a new member of the Pistons‘ coaching staff under Monty Williams. “He would ask me things like what are his strengths, what are his weaknesses, how can I get him the ball,” Wilkins said. “I would just tell him, ‘Just put him on the floor. Just put him in the game. They are basketball players, Ausar and Amen. They’re basketball players. You put him on the floor and a lot of good things are going to happen.’”

Central Notes: Mitchell, Rubio, Cunningham, P. Williams

August 6th, 2023 at 8:58am CST by Luke Adams

Donovan Mitchell is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, but there’s no indication that he and the Cavaliers intend to seriously discuss a new deal, and that shouldn’t be a cause for concern in Cleveland, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during a recent NBA Today appearance (YouTube link).

“Maybe if the Cavs had won the championship last year, maybe Donovan would extend, but I don’t think under any (other) circumstances he was ever considering extending this season, and I think the Cavs knew that when they traded for him,” Windhorst said. “I think the pressure point comes a year from now, when he’s got one year left on his contract. … The Cavs have another year to see where their team is at and where Donovan sees that the Cavs are at.”

Mitchell actually has three seasons left on his current contract, but the final year is a player option, so he can reach free agency as early as 2025. That means he’ll essentially be entering a contract year next summer, which is why Windhorst refers to it as a “pressure point.” The Cavs’ performance – and Mitchell’s own play – in 2023/24 could go a long way toward determining whether the star guard is willing to sign a long-term extension with the team a year from now.

Here’s more from around the Central:

Although Ricky Rubio made his announcement about putting his career on hold for mental health reasons through the Spanish Basketball Federation, the Cavaliers were aware the news was coming and are “fully supportive” of the veteran point guard, sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. It remains to be seen whether or not Rubio will be available for the Cavs when the NBA season begins this fall.
Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has been the standout player on the U.S. Select Team that has been competing against Team USA’s World Cup squad this week in Las Vegas and has beaten it in multiple scrimmages so far, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. While Cunningham’s play in those scrimmages is encouraging for the Pistons and their fans, the former No. 1 pick says he’s simply happy to be back to 100% after a leg injury limited him to 12 games in 2022/23. “I feel healthy again,” Cunningham said. “My leg isn’t a problem for me right now. So I think that’s the biggest difference, just that I can just play freely and not think about my body too much.”
Given Cunningham’s strong play in Vegas, it’s fair to wonder whether he should be a part of Team USA’s actual World Cup roster instead of the Select Team. A previous report indicated that the Pistons guard was invited to join the World Cup team, which Joe Vardon of The Athletic confirms. According to Vardon, Cunningham explained this week that a desire to manage his workload this summer ahead of his NBA return was the “deciding factor” in turning down that invitation.
While it’s unclear if former No. 4 overall pick Patrick Williams has shown enough in his first three NBA seasons to warrant a rookie scale extension from the Bulls this offseason, teammate DeMar DeRozan remains a big believer in Williams’ potential, as Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times details.

Ricky Rubio Pausing Career To Focus On Mental Health

August 5th, 2023 at 10:11am CST by Tristan Tucker

Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio, the MVP of the 2019 FIBA World Cup, won’t be participating in the 2023 World Cup this summer, announcing in a statement through the Spanish Basketball Federation (Twitter link) that he’s taking a break from basketball to focus on his mental health.

“I have decided to stop my professional activity to take care of my mental health,” Rubio said. “I want to thank all the support I have received from the FEB (Federación Española de Baloncesto) to understand my decision. Today #LaFamilia makes more sense than ever. Thank you. I ask to respect my privacy to be able to face these moments and to be able to give more information when the time is right.”

Rubio’s Spanish teammates Willy Hernangomez, Rudy Fernandez and Sergio Llull were among those who took to social media to post messages in support of his decision, while Spain head coach Sergio Scariolo wrote in depth about Rubio.

“In La Familia, people have always come before results,” Scariolo said. “All my love and support to Ricky, and my admiration for his transparency and, through it, his ability once again to lead by example.”

The decision to release the news through the Spanish Basketball Federation – rather than the Cavaliers – suggests that, for now, Rubio’s hiatus will only affect the national team. But with no timeline specified for his return to basketball, there’s no guarantee he’ll be available this fall for Cleveland. Of course, Rubio’s mental well-being comes before basketball.

Rubio, 32, is a 12-year NBA veteran who has made 712 total appearances (614 starts) across the regular season and playoffs. The Spanish guard began his career as the fifth overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft by the Timberwolves. He stayed in Spain for a couple more seasons before suiting up for Minnesota in 2011. After departing the Wolves, Rubio made stops in Utah and Phoenix before rejoining the Timberwolves in 2020/21. Following that season, Rubio was acquired by Cleveland via trade.

The veteran guard hasn’t yet played a full season with the Cavaliers. Rubio tore his ACL in December 2021 after appearing in 34 games for Cleveland and thus, wasn’t able to make his ’22/23 debut until January 2023.

Central Notes: Middleton, Rubio, Jerome, Morris, Pistons

July 23rd, 2023 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Khris Middleton‘s new contract with the Bucks includes a series of bonuses related to his total games played and the team’s postseason success, as Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel outlines (via Twitter).

According to Owczarski, Middleton will earn $1.5MM if he appears in at least 62 games in 2023/24 and $617K if the Bucks make the playoffs. He’ll also receive $206K if Milwaukee makes the Eastern Conference Finals, another $206K if the club makes the NBA Finals, and an additional $206K for a championship. Of those incentives, only the $617K playoff bonus is currently deemed likely, since Middleton and the Bucks didn’t achieve any of the other benchmarks last season.

Those figures add up to about $2.735MM — Middleton has approximately $2.963MM in total bonuses next season, so it sounds like at least one of his incentives is missing. However, Owczarski’s reporting gives us a pretty good sense of how the veteran forward would be able to max out his earnings in ’23/24.

Here’s more from around the Central:

The Cavaliers are optimistic about Ricky Rubio‘s bounce-back potential in 2023/24, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link). As Fedor explains, Rubio is another year removed from ACL surgery and is expected to play for Spain in the World Cup, which could be a spring-board to a successful season. The Cavs’ addition of Ty Jerome was more about acquiring “playable depth” than an expectation he’ll usurp Rubio on the depth chart, Fedor adds.
Monte Morris, who was born in Grand Rapids and grew up in Flint, spoke on Saturday about what it means to him to get the opportunity to play for his hometown Pistons, per Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. “I always dreamed about playing for the Pistons, just where I grew up,” Morris said. “I was at the Boys and Girls Club a lot. We would get a lot of Pistons gear and I remember when Chauncey (Billups), Ben (Wallace), Tayshaun (Prince), and Rip (Hamilton) came down, it was like 2003, I believe. I was 8 years old running around the Boys and Girls Club. … I used to watch the games in the nosebleeds at the Palace. That pride of just being a Piston, I know what it feels like.”
In a separate subscriber-only story for The Free Press, Sankofa answers mailbag questions about the Pistons‘ rotation, Ausar Thompson‘s role, and Thompson’s potential ceiling, among other topics. Within a discussion of trade possibilities, Sankofa expresses skepticism that James Wiseman will be moved this offseason, but acknowledges that if the former lottery pick can’t crack the team’s rotation this season, his days in Detroit could be numbered.

Cavaliers Continue To Eye Free Agent Market

July 16th, 2023 at 9:41am CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers remain interested in adding at least one more free agent to their roster before training camp, sources tell Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link). According to Fedor, the team isn’t targeting any specific position and is simply focused on “playable depth.”

As Fedor outlines, the Cavaliers currently have 12 players on guaranteed contracts, plus Sam Merrill on a non-guaranteed deal. The club has about $3MM in breathing room below the luxury tax line and has no interest in becoming a taxpayer, so the 15th roster spot will probably remain open to start the season. In all likelihood, the Cavs would add one more player on a minimum-salary contract (or two, if Merrill is cut) in order to set the regular season roster.

Sources tell Fedor that Cleveland has registered interest in some of the top unrestricted free agents still available on the open market, including forward Kelly Oubre and center Christian Wood. Oubre was viewed as the Cavs’ Plan B if they hadn’t been able to land Max Strus via sign-and-trade, Fedor adds.

Fedor also mentions restricted free agent P.J. Washington, noting that the Cavs might have enough expendable salary (starting with Ricky Rubio and Dean Wade) to build a sign-and-trade package for the Hornets forward. However, I don’t see a scenario in which Cleveland could put together an offer that appeals to Charlotte, pays Washington the sort of money he’s seeking, and keeps the Cavs out of the tax.

Cleveland’s next signing will probably be a “minor” one, Fedor acknowledges, with the team looking to land a “cheaper-than-expected” rotation player at the veteran’s minimum like Golden State did with Dario Saric.

And-Ones: Expansion, I. Thomas, Rubio, K. Chandler

July 11th, 2023 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA commissioner Adam Silver once again addressed the possibility of expansion during a press conference on Monday, telling reporters – including Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic – that the league will more seriously consider that possibility after completing the next media rights deal. The current media deal expires after the 2024/25 season.

Silver acknowledged that Las Vegas and Seattle are two markets the NBA will consider if and when the time comes, but stressed that the league hasn’t started that process and that it would involve more than just those two cities.

“We will look at this market,” he said from Vegas. “There’s no doubt there’s enormous interest in Seattle. That’s not a secret. There are other markets that have indicated interest. For the people who hear or read about this interview, we are not engaged in that process now. We’re not taking meetings right now with any potential groups. What we’re saying to everyone, privately is the same thing I’m saying publicly that there’ll be a very open process at the time already to consider expansion. But that’s not yet. That’s not yet now.”

Silver also addressed several other topics during his press conference in Las Vegas, including the influence of gambling on the sport and sovereign wealth funds purchasing stakes in NBA franchises. Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press and Tim Bontemps of ESPN have quotes from Silver on those issues, among others.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

As first tweeted by Jamal Crawford and later confirmed by the guard himself, Isaiah Thomas is among the veteran free agents conducting workouts for teams in Las Vegas as he looks to get back into the NBA. John Wall, Dion Waiters, and Harry Giles are a few of the other free agents who have worked out for NBA clubs in Vegas.
Could this be Ricky Rubio‘s last season in the NBA? According to a report from Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, the veteran point guard is considering returning to his home country and playing for Barcelona in 2024. Rubio is under contract with the Cavaliers for two more seasons, though his ’24/25 salary is only partially guaranteed.
After being waived by Memphis last season, guard Kennedy Chandler is owed guaranteed salaries for the next two seasons. However, he’s not satisfied to simply cash those pay checks, telling Brian Lewis of The New York Post that he’s determined to get back on an NBA roster in 2023/24. “I don’t really care that they still have to pay me for two years. I really don’t care about that because I want to get paid more,” he said. “It’s not just about the money. I could say ‘Nah, I’m good.’ I could sign a regular G-League, or a two-way. But I want to push myself and get back on a contract with another team and get back to what I used to do and be me, be myself.”
Speaking to Howard Beck of GQ, veteran agent David Falk – who represented Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing, among other stars in the 1990s – explained why he finds NBA free agency “a little bit boring” these days. In Falk’s view, the league’s cap and contract rules have limited agents’ ability to get creative when they negotiate contracts. “The nature of being an agent, it’s become so restrictive that it doesn’t require a lot of skills,” he said. “Mathematically, only 30 percent of the contracts are negotiated. And I think that most players really don’t need agents today.”

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