Get him help from the outside
Being that James Jones failed to resolve the issue of depth at point guard before the trade deadline, the only possibility for improvement at the position at this point is to sign a player who has been waived by a former team.
The problem is that, according to John Gambadoro, the Phoenix Suns immediately had no interest in veteran point guards Trey Burke and Tim Frazier who were each waived by their respective teams following the deadline (not that either of them are really any good, but still veterans with many years of experience and can at least help out the position to take some load off of Rubio).
There has also been no word about veteran Dion Waiters who was waived by Memphis – although the fact that there has been no word is in-and-of-itself telling – and Gambo also said that the Suns would not have interest in bringing back Isaiah Thomas – who (if his hip is okay) would actually be perfect for the Suns as he is in the final year of his contract (and 12.2 points and 3.7 assists while shooting 41.3% from 3 this season isn’t bad at all).
Reggie Jackson, currently of the Pistons, might be bought out, although rumor has it that the Clippers would be a top suitor for him.
If he is bought out though, then the Phoenix Suns should make a very strong push to sign him, as he is easily the best player who could become available in the near future.
Phoenix Suns
He is talented enough to not only run the offense efficiently, and he too is a much better scorer than Rubio.
But by adding him, not only would Monty Williams easily be able to cut back on Rubio’s minutes as the team inched closer to the end of the season, but if they still did decide to “strategically rest” Rubio for a period of time, the offense could be transitioned towards Jackson which would at least allow the team to continue to fight for the wins that would make for a better regular season record overall.
The greatest issue with the potential of acquiring Jackson is the fact that he would presumably want to play for a contender (hence why the Clippers would be a possibility), and with the Phoenix Suns already being so far back of the eight-seed and thus the playoffs being a pipe dream at this time, it would take a legitimately strong sales pitch.
If they further do not attempt to sign any of these free agent points guards (and in Jackson’s case, if he becomes a free agent), the fact that James Jones apparently did not have the foresight to find a player who could help spell Rubio for the second half of this schedule in preparation for this summer is disconcerting at the least.
Here is a franchise hurting for a playoff appearance and with a point guard putting in extended work without a solid veteran backup to take over in the event of his body breaking down, with fans desiring any reason to believe that the playoffs could be in the near future, and nothing was actually done to help.
Whether they sit him down at some point for the remainder of the year, or find a solid veteran backup who can help cut his minutes way back, James Jones needs to think about the future and get Ricky Rubio the rest that he needs so that if the Phoenix Suns actually do have a shot at the playoffs next season, their starting point guard can be a part of it.