After a full year of rehabilitating an ACL tear in his left knee, Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio is targeting a return against the Trail Blazers on Thursday, our Spencer Davies confirmed this afternoon.
Ricky Rubio will make his #Cavs return/season debut Thursday night in Portland “if all goes well today,” league source confirms to @basketbllnews.
— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) January 11, 2023
ESPN/Woj first to report.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the news first.
Rubio was an integral part of the Cavaliers last season both as a veteran in the locker room and his play on the court before he tore in ACL in December 2021. The 32-year-old was averaging 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists in his role as the team's sixth man.
He adds a veteran presence to the Cavs backcourt alongside stars Donovan Mitchell and Darius Mitchell for a team that is 26-16 on the season and in the No. 5 spot in the Eastern Conference.