Report: Warriors were interested in adding Rubio in offseason originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
When the Warriors were rebuilding their roster this past offseason, Bob Myers knew he needed to find a player who could serve as a secondary playmaker alongside Steph Curry and initiate the offense when the two-time MVP was on the bench.
It appears Ricky Rubio was a player Golden State had targeted for that role. The Athletic’s Joe Vardon and Kelsey Russo reported in a story published Monday that the Warriors were interested in pairing Rubio with Curry this past offseason if the Cleveland Cavaliers had decided to buy out the veteran guard after acquiring him from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Cavs elected to keep Rubio, though, and the Warriors filled out their roster by signing Andre Iguodala, Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica.
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While the Warriors weren’t able to land Rubio, the emergence of Jordan Poole, coupled with the return of Iguodala, has given Golden State the secondary scoring and playmaking it needed.
Things worked out well for Rubio, too. The 31-year-old has become a vital piece of a young Cavs team that has jumped out to a 13-11 start and looks poised to remain in the playoff hunt for the entire season. Rubio is averaging 13.6 points and 6.1 assists per game for the Cavs.
The veteran guard is the only player in the NBA averaging at least 11 points, six assists, and four rebounds off the bench and could find himself in the Sixth Man of the Year race if the Cavs continue to be a fixture in the title hunt.