The Cleveland Cavaliers traded away point guard Ricky Rubio during last season’s NBA trade deadline after he tore his ACL and was ruled out for the season. He returned to the team as a free agent this past offseason, agreeing to a three-year deal worth just under $18.5 million.
But, he has yet to appear in a game this season as he rehabbed his knee. The wait for him to return to the court could be coming to an end soon as Rubio is targeting a return to the court on Thursday when the Cavaliers take on the Portland Trail Blazers.
The plan is for Rubio to take part in practice on Wednesday and if all goes well, he will be out there Thursday night. Rubio has been rehabbing for an entire year rehabbing a torn ACL in his left knee.
This is great news for the Cavaliers as they have been lacking a third point guard behind Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell. Raul Neto has appeared in only 28 games for the 26-16 Cavaliers and was only a small part of the rotation, averaging only 10.5 minutes per game.
LATEST NBA INJURY NEWS: Ricky Rubio & Cleveland Cavaliers Updates
Rubio was a key part of Cleveland’s rotation last season before suffering the knee injury. He was a driving force behind the team’s turnaround and was sorely missed. He averaged 13.1 points, 6.6 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game before the injury, which occurred on December 28th, 2021.
The 11-year veteran is lauded for his excellent playmaking ability and strong defender. He will upgrade the team’s second unit and his return is highly anticipated by his teammates.
LATEST NBA INJURY NEWS: Ricky Rubio & Cleveland Cavaliers Updates
Integrating into the lineup should be easy given his familiarity with everyone, including Mitchell, as the two were close friends when sharing the backcourt with the Utah Jazz. Rubio has been a starter for most of his career in the NBA, but he will be tasked with coming off the bench and leading the second unit this season.
