Cavaliers Guard Close To Making Season Debut

He was such a key piece to the Cleveland Cavaliers renaissance early last season, now after a full year on the sidelines, the return of veteran guard Ricky Rubio is a much-anticipated event for the Cavs. And it appears to be just days away.

#Cavs J.B. Bickerstaff on Ricky Rubio’s progression: “I would expect him, if things go the right way, sometime early next month. So we're definitely progressing in the right direction.”

— Kelsey Russo (@kelseyyrusso) December 27, 2022

Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said today, “I would expect him, if things go the right way, sometime early next month. So we're definitely progressing in the right direction.” 

It just so happens that 'next month' is only four days away. 

Rubio was cleared three weeks ago to begin full 5-on-5 workouts, as his recovery from a torn ACL last December is nearly complete. 

The Cavaliers were one of the surprise teams of the early 2021-22 season when they got off to a 20-13 start with Rubio delivering a steady leadership hand off the bench as a backup point guard. He was averaging a career-best 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.4 steals. 

Soon after his devastating injury, however, the team's fortunes took a downturn, and they were relegated to the Play-In, but did not advance to the playoffs. 

Now, with the Cavs at 22-13, it's almost like he'd be picking up right where he left off with the team, but now with superstar Donovan Mitchell on hand making them a legitimate contender in the East.

Photo: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports