Trade Rumor: Ricky Rubio to Utah Jazz? Easier than you think?

Okay, we know the deal. Some bearded pretty boy is hopefully going to re-sign with the Utah Jazz in a matter of hours; which would be a huge relief to so many people, myself primarily. But regardless of what he does, Dennis Lindsey and the Jazz front office have the opportunity to add another bearded pretty boy in Ricky Rubio. With things breaking off between George Hill and the team before an extension could be agreed upon it’s up to Utah to be prudent and at least line-up another staring caliber player to help this team return to the NBA Playoffs next season. The West is getting stronger, somehow, and our favorite team can’t fall behind.

Enter: Ricky Rubio rumors!

ESPN’s Marc Stein has been on this note for a minute, so let’s recap. On Monday he tweeted this:

And on Tuesday he added this:

Now today, Friday, here is Marc banging on a triangle like an old West cook calling the cowboys in for chow, like in a classic Western movie:

Okay. So what do we have here? A starting point guard who can be traded for. He’s a pass first point guard who is a very good, if not great, defender. Rubio has two more years under contract - and at the low, low cost of $14.2 and $14.9 million over that time period. He’s not a three point shooter, but he’s an upgrade in many ways over a lot of the point guard production we’ve seen in a Jazz uniform over the last decade.

We also see that Utah has money to spend, and CAN right now to shore things up. Apparently they are interested in Rubio, and the Wolves want shooting back. The Jazz kinda have shooting. They could have *more* shooting later on this summer, but right now Joe Ingles is a RFA and not under contract and can’t be traded.

Well, our SLC Dunkers all chipped in with a few trade ideas to help get Rubio in a Jazz jersey. (Also, yeah, Patrick Beverley is gone; and Milos Teodosic is a separate thing.) And yes, let’s play the part of big market fans who think that they can just trade for all the best players on another team, willy-nilly.

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Trade #1 [Tavan Parker]

UTA: Ricky Rubio, Jordan Hill

MIN: Alec Burks, Raul Neto

Amar’s Analysis: Rubio and Neto can’t be on the same team or else all will be spellbound. So they needed to be traded for one another. The Jazz also have to send Burks, a corner pimp to help with their outside shooting desires. Neto and Burks are better than they’ve been allowed to show because of injuries and coaches doghousing them. I don’t know how much time they’d have in Minny under Thibs; but a new team could help them both. Hill doesn’t break the bank if Utah keeps him, $4.1 million; but he does not have a fully guaranteed ride. He can crash the glass and bang, like his cousin Trevor Booker. I don’t know if this is a fair trade, but does save Minny nearly $7 million right before Free Agency begins. Both of the players Utah is trading away can hit threes and drive. Not a bad trade.

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Trade #2 [James Hansen]

UTA: Ricky Rubio

MIN: Rodney Hood

Amar’s Analysis: If Minny wants shooting, Hood is their guy. If they want cap space, sending over $14 million and taking back $2 million (rounding up) helps.

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Trade #3 [Austin Oldham]

UTA: Ricky Rubio, Nemanja Bjelica

MIN: Derrick Favors, Boris Diaw

Amar’s Analysis: If Minny wants shooting, this is less exciting. If they want cap space, they are actually taking on salary, unless they waive Diaw. Diaw has $7.5 million but that’s non-guaranteed. They do get a stud in Favors who can start at PF and back-up C. Talent-wise, this is Utah giving up more for sure. There’s no second round in the playoffs without Favors and Diaw.

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Trade #4 [Taylor Griffin]

UTA: Ricky Rubio, Gorgui Dieng

MIN: Derrick Favors, Alec Burks

Amar’s Analysis: Burks and Favors is hard to part with for me on a personal level. And Minny takes on salary here. Dieng, one half of what was traded for on draft night for Trey Burke, also has a poison pill provision kicking in. Overall, I’m not crazy about this one - even if it is objectively fair when it comes to talent. Though, Quin Snyder may love this more than Dennis Lindsey would.

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Trade #5 [Austin Oldham]

UTA: Ricky Rubio

MIN: Boris Diaw

Amar’s Analysis: Less ridiculous the more you think of it. Diaw is a great passer and can hit the three, a great teacher for Towns who can play alongside him. They save ABOUT $7 million in this trade, or around $14 if they waive him altogether.

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Trade #6 [Jazzman]

UTA: Ricky Rubio, Karl-Anthony Towns

MIN: Alec Burks, Rodney Hood, Boris Diaw

Amar’s Analysis: Jazz giving up too much here; should ask for picks back in addition.

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There you have it, six simple trades - one of which Lindsey could use to trade for Rubio today.

#TakeNote