It's time to move on from Ricky Rubio

[Brooklyn_Wolves [enjin:14608167]]

Melo drained the game winner like Andrew wasn't even there.

Melo's last 3 games shooting: 5-16, 4-19, 7-25. Let's not act like He was in best form of his life until he ran into Andrew.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Rubio has always been at or just below the Mendoza Line equivalent of basketball shooting, which means there isn't much room for error in the other parts of his game. This year he's definitely below the Mendoza Line on 3's; Thibs isn't using him to his strengths in the PnR game as much as Flip and Adelman did; and his defense hasn't been as disruptive as before. It adds up to a guy that has been at best a neutral presence on the floor this season.

Now I think he's started to give us some more positive play the last few games, but we'll see if it keeps up. Either way, I'm a realist and think Thibs will likely move Rubio at some point in the future. I just don't know when. I don't think Tyus and Dunn are ready, but may be it doesn't matter once the trade deadline is closer and we're playing for lottery balls at that point. Dragic is intriguing for sure.

[worldK]

Melo drained the game winner like Andrew wasn't even there.

Melo's last 3 games shooting: 5-16, 4-19, 7-25. Let's not act like He was in best form of his life until he ran into Andrew.

I thiught wiggins played melo very well defensively including the last play. That was melo's shot. He could hit that over anybody as he has in his career. Melo has always been clutch his entire career and jim pete mentioned that melo has made like 17?game winner in the final 10seconds of a game in his career. Lets not act like melo is done until he ran into andrew just because he had a bad shooting stretch.

[Coolbreeze44]

Melo drained the game winner like Andrew wasn't even there.

Melo's last 3 games shooting: 5-16, 4-19, 7-25. Let's not act like He was in best form of his life until he ran into Andrew.

Not your best post

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

Rubio has always been at or just below the Mendoza Line equivalent of basketball shooting, which means there isn't much room for error in the other parts of his game. This year he's definitely below the Mendoza Line on 3's; Thibs isn't using him to his strengths in the PnR game as much as Flip and Adelman did; and his defense hasn't been as disruptive as before. It adds up to a guy that has been at best a neutral presence on the floor this season.

Now I think he's started to give us some more positive play the last few games, but we'll see if it keeps up. Either way, I'm a realist and think Thibs will likely move Rubio at some point in the future. I just don't know when. I don't think Tyus and Dunn are ready, but may be it doesn't matter once the trade deadline is closer and we're playing for lottery balls at that point. Dragic is intriguing for sure.

Bazz and Rush are shooting 3s at a worse clip than Ricky. One of the problems with raw numbers is that it hurts unselfish players like Ricky. I've seen Ricky rush shots to beat the shot clock, throw up desperation shots to beat the buzzer, give up easy buckets so that a trailing teammate can score etc. If Ricky really cared about his shooting percentage he would avoid the former and save the gimmes for himself. He's not a great shooter, but he is above average in almost everything else. With Ricky you at least hold service with most of the league at the point guard, we need our young guys to step up as two way players and we need some help from the bench.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

TeamRicky, I love your loyalty to Ricky, but I think you are stretching it a bit. I definitely agree our "big 3" need to step up - they are behind the curve defensively and there are too many lapses. But Ricky has not been part of the solution so far this season. If he played like he did last year once he had his legs under him, I think he'd be fine. But that hasn't been the case so far this year.

(oh, and as for Bazz and Rush, they likely won't be with the team either next year!)

[TeamRicky [enjin:6648771]]

Q, its not out of loyalty, I think Ricky has proven to be a good overall player and a better than average point guard. We aren't getting a better point guard anytime soon. The guys that are better than him are getting Max deals.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

TR, I agree with you when he's healthy and confident like he was for a good chunk of last season. But Thibs clearly isn't utiltizing him to his strengths and ultimately will need more of a floor spacer if everything runs through the other three guys in terms of play making. When Ricky has the ball in PnR, they can't just let him waltz to the hoop, so even with his poor shot, he can suck people in and make timely passes. We see it in how he gets Dieng and KAT wide open mid-range J's (and 3's in KATs case). But Thibs doesn't rely on these types of sets as his bread-and-butter.

The irony is that Dunn appears to be an even worse shooter (at least so far)! Jones seems like the ideal fit offensively in Thibs' system because he is a pass-first guy, can't be left wide open beyond the arc, and if you need him to make something happen, he is solid with the PnR. Unfortunately, he struggles defensively. And that's a problem on a team full of poor defenders at other positions.

[WildWolf2813]

If we're already thinking about replacement PG's not named Dunn, how can we be confident in Thibs /Layden as talent evaluators for this team? it's as if they know what they want but don't know how to buy the groceries for it.

[Mr. Brightside [enjin:16464947]]

Rubio might be the best option right now but so what? We're 5-13. Start Tyus and bring Dunn off the bench. Play them both 24ish minutes a night (give or take a few). We have to see what we have a the position.