Ricky Rubio and the Cavaliers have entered into buyout negotiations and sources tell Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic that there are “serious doubts” that the point guard will ever play basketball again.
Rubio, 33, has been on permitted leave in Spain from the team since the summer as he manages his mental health and there are serious doubts about whether he ever plays again, league sources said. At minimum, Rubio is not expected back this season.
As the two sides negotiate a buyout agreement, The Athletic writes that Cleveland’s front office “wants to do right” by Rubio, who signed a three-year, $15 million deal with the Cavs back in 2022 and helped contribute to the team being atop the Eastern Conference in January of the 2022-23 season before an ACL injury derailed both Rubio’s and the Cavaliers’ season.
Rubio has been a member of the Spanish Men’s National Basketball Team for quite some time, helping the club win the silver medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the bronze medal in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. He also played for Spain in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and was set to play the country in the 2022 FIBA World Cup, though, before that event, he stepped away from basketball for mental health, per The Athletic.
…Rubio stepped back from both his national team and the Cavs for his mental health. He is not believed to be engaging in basketball activities to stay sharp, sources said.
Rubio was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft. He didn’t come to the NBA until the 2011-12 season when he took home All-Rookie honors for the Timberwolves.
Rubio played six seasons in Minnesota during his initial stint while returning for an additional season in 2020. In addition to Cleveland and Minnesota, Rubio also played for the Jazz and the Suns. His 42.1 career win shares rank 10th in his draft class despite spending his first two seasons abroad.
