In the most recent ESPN player rater Ricky Rubio sits No. 73 at his position, sandwiched between rookies Dante Exum and Langston Galloway.
Rubio is also behind teammates Zach LaVine (No. 52) and Gary Neal (No. 69) in those rankings, and while those rankings are a very inexact science as they don’t take into account the time Rubio has missed this season because of injury, it’s safe to say the Spanish sensation hasn’t gotten a lot of respect in the fantasy sports realm.
That’s exactly why this is the perfect time to pounce.
Rubio is undervalued right now as he’s only owned in 77 percent of ESPN leagues. That means as the trade deadline approaches, and as fantasy owners prepare for hopeful runs throughout the playoffs, Rubio can probably be had at a discounted rate. He’s a low-risk guy that could make a huge difference in the coming weeks.
Though he might not seem like an extremely appealing option in the fantasy sports realm, Rubio is a unique player that can contribute in a lot of different categories. That makes him a player that could help fantasy owners make a legit playoff push.
Here’s a look at Rubio’s numbers this season: 11.1 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game, 8.5 assists per game, and 1.9 steals per game.
Those numbers speak volumes. Rubio is a guy that can stuff the stat sheet and the fact that he’s likely going to play a lot of minutes down the stretch bodes well for potential fantasy owners as it only helps his stats. Rubio has played more than 30 minutes in every game since early February. That’s not going to change anytime soon.
In those minutes he’s going to do a little bit of everything.
Rubio is a competent scorer. He rebounds better than most players at his position. He’s boasted more than 10 assists on three separate occasions in the last week and a half. He’s one of the best players in the league when it comes to steals. He even gets to the free-throw line quite a bit. Rubio is one of the most versatile players at his position in the entire NBA. He’s not going to win stat categories by himself in weekly matchups. That said he’s going to do a lot to help the overall team. That’s enough to make him a viable target right now.
Rubio isn’t a player that’s going to shoot lights out from the floor and his true shooting percentage actually leaves a lot to be desired. That said he brings a lot of other things to the table and is a guy that could make a big impact down the stretch.