Ricky Rubio

Ricky Rubio will likely be the top point guard target for many teams in free agency this offseason. His combination of skills and circumstances make him the best available mercenary that most squads can afford this summer.

The Boston Celtics have a maximum possible cap space of -$22 million for next season, so they’ll only have veteran minimum contracts and their midlevel exception to try to allure players. That being said, if Rubio can be had for the taxpayer MLE — around $6 million — the Cs would be wise to bring his ballhandling and playmaking to New England.

All postseason, secondary ballhandlers Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum were tasked with being the offensive engine for Boston at various times. None proved capable of being a full-time floor general. This is evident in the Celtics’ multiple offensive slumps in each series and the high turnover totals for each of their ballhandlers.

Adding Ricky Rubio will ensure that Tatum and Brown still have all of the same opportunities to cook on offense while also lifting the responsibility of creating for others and running plays off of their shoulders.

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Boston desperately needs to add a pass-first point guard, and Rubio’s the best one available this summer. This one’s a no-brainer.