Ricky Rubio is a perfect fit for the Utah Jazz defense
by Trevor Magnotti
When the Utah Jazz traded a first-round pick for Ricky Rubio at the end of free agency, it immediately signaled hand-wringing by some. George Hill and Gordon Hayward both are free agents, and the thought was the Jazz needed to sign Hill back to have a chance at getting Hayward to agree to a long-term deal. The deal for Rubio, which filled the $16 million in cap space the team had to use before July 1st, could signal the resignation by Utah that Hill will not be retainable. By extension, this could mean Hayward’s departure to Boston or Miami.
To make matters worse, the trade would seem to signify a clear downgrade at the point guard position for Utah. Hill was a valuable offensive piece, capable of both initiating the offense and spacing the floor to allow Hayward, Rodney Hood and Boris Diaw to create at the point of attack. Replacing his 40.3 percent outside shooting with Rubio seems like a problem. Even more concerning is what Hill meant to the defense — he helped anchor the defense with his smart pick-and-roll play, and his ability to switch onto bigs and deny them open looks at the rim was a uniquely valuable asset the team will miss.
The offensive concerns with Rubio are real. His lack of shooting and finishing is a crippling problem that went from hindering his otherworldly court vision and playmaking to outright cancelling it out in Minnesota. Surrounding him with Kevin Love and Kevin Martin resulted in a top-10 offense, but it was one that finished 26th in the league in 3-point shooting. Last year, the Timberwolves’ offense was pretty solid when Rubio was on the floor (110.7 offensive rating), but the offense was six points worse per 100 possessions when Rubio was on the floor and Karl-Anthony Towns was on the bench, per NBA Wowy.
However, Utah may get more value out of Rubio than Minnesota ever could — and like Hill, most of his value will come on the defensive side of the ball.
Rubio is one of the most underrated defensive point guards in the league. His offensive strengths and shortcomings command a majority of the analysis he receives, but he’s chugged along as a very impressive defender at the point of attack the entire time. His quick hands have helped him lead the league in steal rate three times in the past five seasons, and he hasn’t finished outside the top 10 in that category in a season where he’s been healthy. He has great hip mobility, which helps him change directions and react quickly to rotate around the perimeter. Combine those athletic attributes with his brilliance at reading and reacting, and he’s a fantastic fit in the Jazz pick-and-roll scheme.
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