NBA Rumors: Warriors Were Interested In Ricky Rubio If He Got Bought Out

via Fadeaway World

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When a solid veteran gets bought out by a team that wants to take their team in a different direction, there will generally be some contenders who are interested in acquiring their services. We've often seen players join another team mid-year after getting bought out, but buyouts can happen at any point during the season.

It seems as though this was the situation with Ricky Rubio prior to the start of the season. It was recently reported by Joe Vardon and Kelsey Russo of The Athletic that the Golden State Warriors were interested in Rubio's services in the eventuality that he got bought out by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

In fact, the perception of the Cavs around the NBA at the time was so poor — and Rubio, at this stage of his career, seemed like such an odd fit for a rebuilding Cleveland franchise — that other teams thought he was going to negotiate a buyout. The Golden State Warriors, sources say, were keenly interested in Rubio hitting the market and partnering him with Stephen Curry.

Rather than a buyout, Rubio bought in on the Cavs. The result is a budding renaissance in Cleveland, with Rubio at its core.

There is no question that Ricky Rubio would make the Golden State Warriors a better team if the interest is still present currently. Rubio is a great passer and would fit perfectly into the Warriors' offensive system built around Stephen Curry, which emphasizes ball movement and getting good shots. With that being said, the "budding renaissance" from the Cavaliers makes it unlikely that he gets bought out at this moment.

The Golden State Warriors don't necessarily need to make a move to be more competitive currently. They are 19-4, tied for the best record in the league. However, it is good to explore one's options, and if a solid veteran like Ricky Rubio were to get bought out and hit free agency, the Warriors could potentially pounce. Warriors governor Joe Lacob previously claimed that the team is always trying to add new stars and improve their roster, so it's likely that they'd do their diligence in the buyout market as well.