Yesterday I dove into one of the biggest Fantasy Basketball disappointments in the Detroit Pistons’ Josh Smith.
Minnesota Timberwolves’ point guard Ricky Rubio also falls into that category. But unlike Smith, who has picked things up over the course of the past week, there seems to be no hope left for Rubio.
Jan 10, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio (9) dribbles in the third quarter against the Charlotte Bobcats at Target Center. Minnesota wins 119-92. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
After taking the NBA by storm during his fantastic rookie campaign with his behind-the-back passes, simultaneously reinvigorating a downtrodden franchise with a shot of sunshine right to its heart.
But things haven’t been so good for Rubio as of late.
Entering his third season in the NBA, many fantasy owners were counting on a breakout season from Rubio this year.
Unfortunately that hasn’t been the case.
He’s averaging a mere 8.5 points per game while shooting a miserable 34.6 percent from the floor.
Rubio continues to struggle with his shot and had been on a slump by shooting just 28.4 percent from the field in his previous 11 games. He needs to improve his shot, or get more points by attacking the basket, to become a bigger real basketball and fantasy impact player.
That’s not likely to happen.
Rubio’s shooting numbers have never been great, so it would be borderline shocking if he could do enough from the floor to help out your fantasy team.
Even worse, he keeps getting bench in the fourth quarter, and even his magnificent passing hasn’t been enough to save his plummeting fantasy value.
At this point, Rubio is more of a low-end starting option at best and I don’t envision that changing anytime in the near future.
Over the last five games, he is adding just 0.8 3-pointers and shooting 31.6 percent from the field overall, and his 7.0 assists simply aren’t enough to make up for how much he hurts you everywhere else.
Unless you are really hurting for the assists, he doesn’t do anything to help your team.
He’s a guy who could attract some interest through trade based on name alone, so I would look to get him off my roster as soon as possible, but I wouldn’t expect a big haul in return. If you can get one, more power to you.
The good news for Rubio is that he is still only 23 years old, meaning there is hope for the future.
Unfortunately for fantasy owners, that future is unlikely to happen this season.