Ricky Rubio listed as free agent the Boston Celtics need to chase

The Boston Celtics may currently be in the midst of a highly competitive quarterfinals matchup against their divisional rivals, the Brooklyn Nets, but this hasn’t stopped fans and media pundits from getting a head start on what could transpire during the summer of 2022.

As currently constructed, this shamrocks squad has a legitimate chance of contending for an NBA Championship this year but, should they wind up falling short, the offseason will be the ideal time to make necessary adjustments and tweaks by bolstering and better constructing the talent pool surrounding the likes of franchise cornerstones, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

Now, though they may not find themselves with ample assets or cap flexibility that would allow them to pursue some of the league’s top available talents during the upcoming summer months, this is not to say that they still can’t bring on some quality additions prior to the start of 2022-23.

In regard to free agency, specifically, there are bound to be several quality talents that the C’s could still find themselves in the running for even with their limited spending cash, one of whom is veteran point guard Ricky Rubio who, according to the folks at Bleacher Report, is a player the front office ‘needs to chase.’

Citing the team’s improved offensive flow as being a major catalyst for their midseason turnaround, writer Grant Hughes believes the Boston Celtics should strongly consider bringing on more playmakers to have at the ready within their rotation, and he’s under the impression that the Spanish-born baller would be a gem addition for the ball club:

"Ricky Rubio ranked in the 97th percentile in assist percentage among point guards prior to going down with a torn ACL this year, and he’s been among the top 10 percent in five other seasons during his career. If there’s one thing Rubio can do, it’s feed teammates for easy buckets.The Celtics will likely be in luxury-tax territory unless they waive and stretch Al Horford, but they shouldn’t have to pay Rubio more than the $6.4 million taxpayer mid-level exception considering he’s coming off his second career ACL tear. A minimum deal might be all it takes to ensure Boston’s offense keeps humming."

Frankly, Hughes is absolutely right in his analysis that the Boston Celtics could only benefit from adding on a high-end distributor, as they have shown a tendency to fall into isolation-centric traps that become rather easy to predict and, in turn, easy to stop.

With someone of Ricky Rubio’s playstyle (averages 7.6 assists per game and boasts a 36.6 assist percentage for his career), the C’s top offensive threats will find themselves coming into much cleaner looks at scoring opportunities which, as a result, will only help improve their offensive efficiency as a whole.

As a likely lower-cost commodity, the veteran guard could go on to make the lives of Boston’s players much easier on the more glamorous side of the ball.