One player who has managed to stay up there alongside other NBA stars is Ricky Rubio. The Spanish sensation has proven to be a good on-court facilitator though pundits have taken a swipe at his lack of outside shooting. This is one facet of his game expected to be considered by other ballclubs during NBA free agency.

Rubio's name has regularly been heard in NBA trade talk and the 28-year-old admitted that these have bothered him. He says that while it does hurt his feelings at times, he understands that playing in the NBA is a business, Eurohoops reported.

"A player like me, you play with heart. It’s tough to play with heart when you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Rubio said in an exit interview after the Jazz were eliminated in the NBA playoffs by the Houston Rockets.

Right now, it looks like the Jazz wouldn't mind bringing back the Spaniard next NBA season. Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey says that he sees a lot of scenarios where Rubio could return. However, it looks like the fifth overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft is keeping his options open and wants to be somewhere where he will be happy.

"One thing I’m gonna look [at] for sure is the best situation for me, with the coach and the team. … I want to be happy. I’m gonna try to find the best situation for me to perform and be happy,” said Rubio in a report by the Salt Lake Tribune.

Whether he stays or goes, the Jazz obviously have their work cut out for them this summer. The focus will be on Donovan Mitchell who did not exactly have a good year. He admitted that he had only a few good months. He is aware that he needs to work on plenty of things, hinting that this will be one interesting summer for him and the Jazz, Deseret News reported.

The Jazz is blessed with young talent and have continued to make a good account of themselves. Aside from Mitchell, there is Rudy Gobert who posted the best season of his career, averaging 15.9 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per contest, Hoops Hype reported.

Ricky Rubio
Ricky Rubio awaits his fate this coming NBA free agency. Ricky Rubio #3 of the Utah Jazz brings the ball up court against the Houston Rockets in Game Four during the first round of the 2019 NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 22, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Getty Images/Gene Sweeney Jr.

There are some loose ends over in Utah, mostly in the NBA experience department. They could trade for some big names such as Kevin Love, Goran Dragic, Darren Collison, Nikola Mirotic or even Thaddeus Young. Some of the young players are expected to stick around meaning head coach Quin Snyder will be in for a pretty long summer.

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