Ricky Rubio - Take the Money and Limp

[Nathan S]

Bro, that's asinine.

How did Jordan Clarkson average over 18 points per game this season "benched" by this definition?

Three years ago Lou Williams averaged over 20 for the Clippers "benched."

How does Scottie Barnes get selected #4 overall last night "benched" by the Seminoles?

You are using a triggering term that has nothing to do with Sexton's likely role. It's wildly misleading.

Blazie pretty much nailed it. It's already basically unprecedented to [insert euphemism of choice] a rapidly-improving young pro like Sexton, and the context of trying to trade him and his upcoming contract extension would make that scenario even uglier. I'd only add a couple things.

One, it's not like the Cavs drafted Jalen Green. That would've been a genuinely tough situation, if Green was on the board, they felt he was the #1 guy in the draft, and he just doesn't fit next to Sexton in the backcourt. But that's not what happened. Instead the Cavs added Rubio and Mobley, two guys who appear to fit very well next to Sexton in the starting lineup. So yeah...benching Sexton now would scream to the rest of the league that we have no clue how to build a team or how to identify and develop talent.

Two, I don't think the Cavs *had* to make Sexton a PG, necessarily...The option was always there to pair him with a bigger, defensive minded PG like Rubio. It took 3 years, but we finally got Rubio. We should simply start Sexton and Rubio! Garland can play his 30 minutes per game off the bench. Rubio has lots of experience starting next to scoring guards in recent years...Russell, Booker, Edwards, Mitchell. It's the obvious fit.

 

[Cavatt]

I really like this move the more I think about it. Rubio is a floor raiser and if guys fall in line and the ball starts hopping it could be a very good passing team.

I especially see it benefitting Sexton, but having a real floor general working and playing against Darius in practice is great. The comments about Mobley getting to play with pretty good playmakers as opposed to starting at the first good guy drafted are well made. Bigs will be set up well this year.

I'm also curious if the Cavs staff can do anything for Ricky's shot.

I've wanted some cerebral vets and Rubio ticks that box well. I think one thing we have going for us is that we have smart young guys so getting a cerebral pg is awesome. I wanted a Calderon type and Rubio is better in the same mold IMO because of his defense.

Also people are worried about that 17M. I actually think this was a pretty slick move by Koby. I don't think he gets traded as an expiring, I think they try hard to keep him at a lower number. Instead of an increasing TJ contact, they will get a break as Allen's extension kicks in.

I wanted a wing like everyone else, but this was a good move and I think it will be both great for the guards development, great to help mobleys development, and probably help the team win more games.

 

[daytripper]

I think the key too is that the Cavs need to be looking 3-4 years down the road and fans shouldn't get triggered by every single lineup decision they make esp at the beginning of this coming season. For all we know Mobley might not be starting initially.

I find it doubtful but maybe Rubio/Sexton do start in the backcourt to begin the season. As a result Sexton looks fantastic as he did playing next to Delly and the Cavs trade him before the deadline for a nice haul at that point. Garland/Okoro would be put back in the starting rotation and I'm guessing both would be even more improved after practicing with Rubio for a few months. Of course Klutch would be clutching their pearls if Garland goes to the bench even for a limited time but in the long run it might produce the best outcome. I like the idea of Garland beating out Rubio or Okoro beating out Sexton for their jobs..it's how winning NBA teams operate instead of just awarding top picks instant starting jobs like they did with Okoro last year. JBB, Koby, and the organization will have to figure it all out. Hopefully they are up to the task.

First off they need to find another vet like McDermott who can dependably take some of the SF minutes. Maybe Windler can improve/stay healthy and eventually take that job too..who knows.

 

[Kouki]

Blazie pretty much nailed it. It's already basically unprecedented to [insert euphemism of choice] a rapidly-improving young pro like Sexton, and the context of trying to trade him and his upcoming contract extension would make that scenario even uglier. I'd only add a couple things.

One, it's not like the Cavs drafted Jalen Green. That would've been a genuinely tough situation, if Green was on the board, they felt he was the #1 guy in the draft, and he just doesn't fit next to Sexton in the backcourt. But that's not what happened. Instead the Cavs added Rubio and Mobley, two guys who appear to fit very well next to Sexton in the starting lineup. So yeah...benching Sexton now would scream to the rest of the league that we have no clue how to build a team or how to identify and develop talent.

Two, I don't think the Cavs *had* to make Sexton a PG, necessarily...The option was always there to pair him with a bigger, defensive minded PG like Rubio. It took 3 years, but we finally got Rubio. We should simply start Sexton and Rubio! Garland can play his 30 minutes per game off the bench. Rubio has lots of experience starting next to scoring guards in recent years...Russell, Booker, Edwards, Mitchell. It's the obvious fit.

huh

how does this just not just raise all the same issues with Garland

 

[Nathan S]

huh

how does this just not just raise all the same issues with Garland

Not all of the same issues...he's not in a contract year, and we didn't just try to trade him. And we just traded for an established starter who plays the same position as him.

Of course, there's also the third option of continuing with the Garland/Sexton starting backcourt and bringing Rubio off the bench for his 30 mpg. I don't hate that. But I think a Rubio/Sexton starting backcourt is the easiest way to start winning games and to bolster Sexton's trade value.

 

[buzzdog]

Not all of the same issues...he's not in a contract year, and we didn't just try to trade him. And we just traded for an established starter who plays the same position as him.

Of course, there's also the third option of continuing with the Garland/Sexton starting backcourt and bringing Rubio off the bench for his 30 mpg. I don't hate that. But I think a Rubio/Sexton starting backcourt is the easiest way to start winning games and to bolster Sexton's trade value.

I don't follow the logic. If playing Rubio and Sexton together resulted in winning games why would the only reason for doing that be to trade away Sexton? Isn't winning games the goal? Stuff like this baffles me and I see it all the time.

 

[Nathan S]

I don't follow the logic. If playing Rubio and Sexton together resulted in winning games why would the only reason for doing that be to trade away Sexton? Isn't winning games the goal? Stuff like this baffles me and I see it all the time.

Trade value is always kinda paradoxical like that. The only way we get a big return in a Sexton trade is if he shows that he can be "the guy" on a winning team. But if that happens, then maybe we should just give him the big contract he deserves and keep rolling? Not a bad situation to be in, regardless.

 

[buzzdog]

Trade value is always kinda paradoxical like that. The only way we get a big return in a Sexton trade is if he shows that he can be "the guy" on a winning team. But if that happens, then maybe we should just give him the big contract he deserves and keep rolling? Not a bad situation to be in, regardless.

Good point.

 

[Randolphkeys]

You do understand that the time for that move has long since passed. The Cavs fucked up his development from the beginning. We should have stuck him at the 1, taken our lumps, and forced him to be serviceable there as a playmaker.

And if we were going to move him into a bench role, it should have happened last year at the latest. But you just can't reduce the role of your best scorer and most dedicated player in a contract year, after you spent the last half a year trying to trade him.

There are a lot of assumptions being made about Colin Sexton here. Some do not follow a logical train of thought unless we begin with assumption Sexton is a Dion Waiters level diva.

Do we know for certain that he was unhappy with JB moving him to 6th man last year? I certainly didn't hear that. I heard Drummond acted like a prissy diva and left the team instead. Sexton might even have some strong opinions after watching his teammate do that, but I wouldn't assume.

I really don't agree with this time frame argument at all.

Sexton played point guard as a rookie. He played both guard positions his second year and focused on shooting guard last season. He has played under four different head coaches. He has been flexible every season as a Cavalier.

How can his status as a fourth year player suddenly make him inflexible?

Anything but a diva until now, why suddenly does he change his personality over "starts?" Because fans decided he's not going to like it? That isn't evidence.

 

[Randolphkeys]

huh

how does this just not just raise all the same issues with Garland

Yep, yep, yep!

The Cavs are going to be carrying seven starters because nobody wants their feelings hurt. It's going to work out fine!

 

[Nathan S]

There are a lot of assumptions being made about Colin Sexton here. Some do not follow a logical train of thought unless we begin with assumption Sexton is a Dion Waiters level diva.

Do we know for certain that he was unhappy with JB moving him to 6th man last year? I certainly didn't hear that. I heard Drummond acted like a prissy diva and left the team instead. Sexton might even have some strong opinions after watching his teammate do that, but I wouldn't assume.

I really don't agree with this time frame argument at all.

Sexton played point guard as a rookie. He played both guard positions his second year and focused on shooting guard last season. He has played under four different head coaches. He has been flexible every season as a Cavalier.

How can his status as a fourth year player suddenly make him inflexible?

Anything but a diva until now, why suddenly does he change his personality over "starts?" Because fans decided he's not going to like it? That isn't evidence.

Again, it’s about money as much as feelings. Most players care about money, so i don’t think that’s going out on a limb. Clearly bargaining for a big contract is much more difficult if he’s coming off the bench…that’s not going out on a limb either. I think Sexton’s smart enough to put two and two together. What part of this, specifically, do you not agree with?

 

[Randolphkeys]

Again, it’s about money as much as feelings. Most players care about money, so i don’t think that’s going out on a limb. Clearly bargaining for a big contract is much more difficult if he’s coming off the bench…that’s not going out on a limb either. I think Sexton’s smart enough to put two and two together. What part of this, specifically, do you not agree with?

I disagree with who makes the decision that Sexton will come off the bench often.

I'm not even saying he will not be starting some games. Players get hurt, especially Cavaliers players.
Multiple published journalists agree with me that the Cavaliers lose games because of the defense, and the root of that problem is the Sexland back court. JB already recognized this as well.

Darius Garland and Isaac Okoro aren't done improving. I don't see them being moved to the second unit any easier than Sexton. I'd also point out that both players were higher selections than Sexton when they were drafted, they are just two years behind Sexton in NBA development.

I'm asking how Colin is going to force coaches to keep him on the starting lineup if the coaches see that the team has a better chance to win with Sexton in a different role?

I Also ask if you have any evidence that Sexton will pull a diva move if he is asked, for the second season on a row, to take a 6th man role?

 

[adam81king]

Blazie pretty much nailed it. It's already basically unprecedented to [insert euphemism of choice] a rapidly-improving young pro like Sexton, and the context of trying to trade him and his upcoming contract extension would make that scenario even uglier. I'd only add a couple things.

One, it's not like the Cavs drafted Jalen Green. That would've been a genuinely tough situation, if Green was on the board, they felt he was the #1 guy in the draft, and he just doesn't fit next to Sexton in the backcourt. But that's not what happened. Instead the Cavs added Rubio and Mobley, two guys who appear to fit very well next to Sexton in the starting lineup. So yeah...benching Sexton now would scream to the rest of the league that we have no clue how to build a team or how to identify and develop talent.

Two, I don't think the Cavs *had* to make Sexton a PG, necessarily...The option was always there to pair him with a bigger, defensive minded PG like Rubio. It took 3 years, but we finally got Rubio. We should simply start Sexton and Rubio! Garland can play his 30 minutes per game off the bench. Rubio has lots of experience starting next to scoring guards in recent years...Russell, Booker, Edwards, Mitchell. It's the obvious fit.

Where I disagree with this is Isaac Okoro's best position (as I believe, and Ben confirmed the organization thinks) is SG and the team was already going to move Sexton to the bench for Okoro last year. Jalen Green didn't have to be the one to make Sexton a 6th man, when the org was already going to do it with a guy on the roster before draft night. Not to mention Ben either said it outright, or inferred it, that Collin was taking it in stride.

There are several players who have had HoF careers coming off the bench (and winning 6MoY trophies). Coming off the bench is one thing, and usually viewed as an offensive weapon. Being benched is another thing, and usually viewed as a demotion or response to a failing. We all know Sexton can score. We all know Sexton can be frustrating to watch. Imagine Sexton trying to score against an opponents backups instead of their starters. Imagine the Cavaliers dictating how opponents make substitutions, instead of the other way around?

I'm a fan of moving Sexton *because* of the lineup issues he causes. I do think Rubio alleviates some of that, but if Ricky can can defend SGs for Collin, why couldn't he also do it for Garland, while also providing 2 true playmakers on the floor at once?

Okoro, as a SG, fits better with Darius, while providing versatile defense. Rubio fits better with Sexton, while providing versatile defense and also helping the other backups get in position to score.

I understand the ego of starting vs coming off the bench, and the optics of this happening during an offseason where Collin can get am extension, but it makes a load of sense to do it, and has for a couple years.

 

[Randolphkeys]

I just don't see the coach dropping quotes like this and continuing to start Sexton and Garland together.

 

[CavsFanJapan]

I just don't see the coach dropping quotes like this and continuing to start Sexton and Garland together.

Well, it is JBB…..I wouldn’t be surprised if he started Cedi LOL!!! (Joking of course)