Ricky Rubio is expected to play an important role on the Cleveland Cavaliers’ young team this season. The Spanish national was traded to the Cavaliers last summer for Taurean Prince and a 2022 second-round pick.
Rubio explained how he will proceed this season, as the Cavaliers’ veteran point guard in order to help the youngest players, like Darius Garland and Collin Sexton, obtain a winning mentality.
“I think there’s a lot of talent, but that doesn’t make a good team. What makes a good team is putting the pieces together and [making] it work. So we will see how everything works out,” Rubio said blatantly, per Spencer Davis of basketballnews.com.
“And as a veteran, it’s part of my job to really make that work. Seeing where and how the young talent has to sacrifice something for the team,” the 11-year veteran continued.
“Because a lot of people, a lot of players come to the league knowing I can do that, I can do this, I can do a lot of stuff. But at the end of the day, what the team needs from you is what makes sense for the team.”
Rubio is coming off a strong individual run with the Spanish national team in the Tokyo Olympics. He averaged 25.5 points and 6.0 assists on 52.2 percent from the field and 47.8 percent on threes over four Olympic Games, including a record 38-point scoring outburst against Team USA.
