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Finding a guaranteed backup point guard turned out to be quite an odyssey for the Cavaliers last season. The Ohio coaching staff squeezed out all the alternatives they had in hand: Matthew Dellavedova, Quinn Cook, Yogi Ferrell, Jeremiah Martin, Dante Exum, Brodric Thomas or Damyean Dotson were the main names who played this role and who also They left of him for various reasons such as injury, transfer or poor performance.
The Cavaliers tried to exhaust all possible avenues, including those that pointed to scratching ten-day contracts or appealing to players not used to practicing as point-guard. The final record of 22 wins and 50 losses confirms that they were mere patches with no regular results.
For this reason, the main offices added as one of their high priorities in the offseason, to settle the matter once and for all. After weighing all the possible options, the Cavaliers closed an operation with the Timberwolves through the current one they received Ricky Rubio.
The veteran point guard completed a great performance at the Tokyo Olympics in which he demonstrated brilliant leadership skills and offensive responsibility that he does not usually show in the NBA. A few qualities that coach JB Bickerstaff hopes to see replicated in the Cavaliers.
“We hope that Ricky is the Ricky of the Spanish team,” said the head coach of the Cavaliers as collected the portal Cleveland.com. «There is no doubt about that. He’s in the top half of this league’s point guards. He has the IQ of a sage, the focus of a master in this game. He also has an attractive personality that makes people want to play with him. It will make this team better. Wherever he goes, those who play him do better. If you want to call him a substitute, I would call him another incumbent. “
Later, Bickestaff listed the aspects of his game that he hopes to express better and which he has transferred to the Spanish point guard. “We hope that he leads, that he facilitates, that he is aggressive in attack and makes the correct plays as he knows how to do. Then, in defense, that he communicates and that he is in the right places. We know who Ricky is. We don’t want to change it. We want him to play freely and be the best version of himself. “
Although Bickerstaff considers Ricky a quality point guard to start in the NBA, the Cavaliers have already clearly defined what his will be. backcourt initial when the course starts: Collin Sexton and Darius Garland. In the organization they are fully committed to Garland and have asked him for greater responsibility and leadership during the season. Thus, the Cavaliers trust not only in Ricky’s playing virtues but also in his ability to mentor the young promise.
“He knows how to organize us,” Garland said of Rubio’s main impact. “He is very good at putting people in their places and putting the ball where it should be. Ricky is being a great help to us. Get in there and have a huge impact on the game right away. His presence is so great that you don’t even need to score or have the ball in your hands. With him being out there, getting us on track helps us a lot. »
(Cover photo by Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
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