17. Ricky Rubio, Utah Jazz
Rubio’s lack of a jumper is all that’s holding him back here. He’s an elite playmaker who has proven himself to be one of the better defensive point guards in the league, something that could jibe well with Quin Snyder’s system.
The Jazz’s offense will be in an interesting postion moving forward. The loss of Gordon Hayward leaves them without a traditional No. 1 option, meaning Rudy Gobert pick-and-rolls and a lot more Rodney Hood could be on the docket next season. Rubio’s ability to create open looks for less-than-ideal offensive talent will be imperative if Utah wants to make a run at the eighth seed in the Western Conference.
Rubio’s limitations as a scorer allow defenses to game plan around his deficiency, but the rest of his game is too good to fall any further than this. After an odd few years in Minnesota, perhaps a move to Utah can unlock the his next level of productivity.