5 reasons Sacramento Kings should trade for Ricky Rubio

2. Dave Joerger

For as dysfunctional as the Kings have been for the last several years, it’s pretty amazing that they were able to land a proven head coach of Dave Joerger’s caliber. Joerger had spent much of the last decade with the Memphis Grizzlies.

He was a top assistant to Lionel Hollins when Memphis shockingly went to the Western Conference Finals in 2013. Joerger coached the club after Hollins’ firing for the last three years before he was ultimately let go in favor of Miami Heat top assistant David Fizdale.

While in Memphis, Joerger had the luxury of working with a very strong starting point guard in the richest player in basketball Mike Conley. Conley was the maestro to the Grit-N-Grind mantra that has Western Tennessee off the hook. Joerger will likely want a point guard in a similar vein of Conley now that he coaches in Sacramento.

The best player likely available for a trade this season to upgrade the Kings at point guard has to be Minnesota’s Rubio. Rubio doesn’t take over scoring late in games like Conley could for Memphis, but having stability at point guard will be a crucial first step in the right direction for Joerger’s Kings.

Since Rubio is also gifted defensively, he is the ideal point guard that Joerger would want in place with the Kings should he feel compelled to bring the Grit-N-Grind culture to the West Coast. Rubio wouldn’t be phased by all the losing he’ll likely endure with the 2016-17 Kings, as Minnesota hasn’t done a lot of winning the last decade plus either.

For Joerger to feel good about getting that mythical second year of coaching the Kings under the current ownership group, he’ll need a point guard that is a selfless professional. Rubio is that guy without question for the Joerger and the Kings.

Next: 1. What are the other options at point guard for the Kings?