Five ways Ricky Rubio helps the Phoenix Suns immediately
By Adam Maynes
He play’s Defense. Imagine that from a point guard
Believe it or not, the Phoenix Suns actually have a history of good defensive point guards.
Ron Lee led the league in 1977-78 with 2.74 per game (primarily off the bench); Don Buse owns two of the top-three best total steals seasons in 1975-76 and 1976-77 in NBA and ABA history, the two seasons prior to averaging 2.3 with the Suns; Jason Kidd had a career-average of 2.1 in his 4+ seasons in Phoenix; and Kevin Johnson averaged 1.5 or more per game in eight of his 12 years in the Valley as well.
Although it has been a long time since the Suns have employed a legitimately good defender, Ricky Rubio will be an end to that chain of lesser point guard stoppers.
Rubio has led the league in steals once already; has average over 2.0 four times in his career (and five in per-36 minutes); and while he has dropped to below 2.0 per game in each of his last three seasons, he still averaged just under 1.9 over that span in per-36 minutes.
He will legitimately step in right away as the team’s best guard defender which will be a huge help to Devin Booker.
The fear that most fans had with the potential acquisition of D’Angelo Russell was that the backcourt of Booker and Russell would essentially be an open door for drivers. Rubio will help close that floodgate some, allowing Booker to remain on a shooter at the perimeter, saving his energy for offense while Rubio takes a greater brunt of the primary defensive assignments.