5. Ricky Rubio
Position: Point Guard
Country: Spain
NBA Team: Phoenix Suns
Spain won the FIBA World Cup behind the efforts of the event’s MVP and newly signed Phoenix Suns point guard Ricky Rubio. As one of the leading assist getters that shot surprisingly well in the World Cup, Rubio showed the he could be starting a new chapter in his professional basketball career.
Throughout much of the latter portion of the 2018-19 regular season, the discussion for the Chicago Bulls surrounded the need to add a veteran point guard either through trade or free agency. The Bulls were somewhat able to accomplish that by signing Satoransky from the Wizards. But at one time, Rubio’s name was tossed around a lot in those discussions.
What wound up happening for Rubio in free agency was signing a big three-year contract with the Suns worth a whopping $51 million. That is a bit overpaid for Rubio, but he will be joining an improving Suns team with a solid young core. The Suns are similar to the Bulls in the sense that they want to have a veteran point guard to help build around a solid young big man and shooting guard.
If Satoransky or fellow Bulls point guard Kris Dunn don’t live up to expectations this season, could the front office be on the prowl again for a veteran floor general?
Don’t rule that possibility out as Rubio will certainly be a talked about trade candidate if the Suns start to fall off quickly in the Western Conference standings. They were one of the worst teams in the entirety of the NBA last season.