3 things Ricky Rubio will be able to bring to the Cleveland Cavaliers when he returns

The Cleveland Cavaliers are just a few short weeks away from Ricky Rubio’s return.

Word is out, Ricky Rubio is getting for his epic return to the Cleveland Cavaliers after nearly a year. The veteran point guard was the pickup of a lifetime last offseason, trading forward Taurean Prince for the dynamic passer in the steal of a lifetime. Through 38 games for the Cavs, he averaged 13 points, and nearly seven assists, while just locking guys down on defense.

The Cavs lost Rubio around this time last year to a torn ACL and later traded him to the Indiana Pacers for Caris LeVert, though Rubio never played for the Pacers and returned to the Cavs in the offseason on a three-year deal.

Now, Rubio is seen by many as the missing piece to the puzzle. The guy who can come off the bench and stabilize a frantic crew who may be struggling. That steady hand makes him uniquely qualified to fill a gaping hole in the Cavs lineup.

We’d also be remiss if we didn’t mention how well he plays with fellow ex-Timberwovle, Kevin Love. His pairing with Love in Minnesota, when they were pups in the league, as well as in Cleveland, really opens up Rubio. Love’s ability to clear the paint while being a threat on the perimeter gives Rubio the ability to make plays anywhere on the court he wants.

Not just to pass, but hit shots. He’s not the best shooter, but he makes up for that on both sides of the ball. He generates offense and plays suffocating defense. If he can still be the dynamo this season, as he was last season, the Cavs are going to be very hard to eat.

Three things Ricky Rubio will bring to the Cleveland Cavaliers lineup

1. Another playmaker

The Cavs don’t have a third playmaker on the team, at least not one that they’re willing to go with. Many, myself included, believe Cedi Osman can be a point forward with the right guidance. J.B. Bickerstaff doesn’t agree. But it’s hard to argue that his option for a replacement, Caris LeVert, has been good in this role. With Rubio back soon, LeVert can have the ball taken from his hands and allow him to focus on helping the team in other areas. Rubio’s ability to generate offense should not be discounted or ignored. He’s fantastic at it.

2. The team’s best perimeter defender

With all due respect to Isaac Okoro, Rubio is the best defensive perimeter player they have. Okor’s a close second, but Rubio can lock guys down. Can he still be after this ACL injury? We’ll find out, but even if Rubio isn’t as great as he once was, he can still do damage on defense, while not being a liability on offense like Okoro can be at times.

3. Consistency on and off the court

Rubio is a dad and a husband. He’s in his 30s. He has worked to come back from two ACL injuries. He’s disciplined, focused, and the kind of leader you want on your team. When the Cavs start to get shot-happy and guys like Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell start chucking junk, Rubio can calm the offense down by creating, dishing, and scoring. When you know you have such a steady hand on the bench, things don’t get as out of control.