Cavaliers sign Ricky Rubio, Robin Lopez and Raul Neto

The Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, July 8 signed guard Ricky Rubio, center Robin Lopez and guard Raul Neto, Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman announced.

“Our focus during this offseason has been centered around making this team better and finding the best talent to help strengthen this roster,” said Altman. “When you think about the impact Ricky had on our team last season, his addition became a priority to bring back to Cleveland. We also feel Robin and Raul are both high character guys who have played a great amount of meaningful basketball and will bring the right balance of seasoned experience and depth to our emerging young core. We are excited for Ricky’s return and welcome Robin and Raul to the Cavaliers family.”

Rubio (6-3, 190) has appeared in 665 games (601 starts) with Minnesota, Utah, Phoenix and Cleveland, holding career averages of 11.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 1.80 steals in 30.3 minutes. He played in 34 games (eight starts) for Cleveland last season, averaging a career-high tying 13.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.44 steals in 28.5 minutes before missing the final 48 games with a season-ending ACL tear. On Dec. 13, 2021 vs. Miami, Rubio became one of 12 active NBA players to record 5,000 career assists. Rubio also recorded a career-high 37 points, shooting 8-9 (.889) from the three-point line, 10 assists and three rebounds in 31 minutes off the bench on Nov. 7 at New York, becoming the first player in NBA history with at least 30 points, 10 assists and eight three-pointers in a game off the bench. He also became the first player in Cavs team history to make his first eight three-point attempts of a game [via Elias Sports Bureau]. Rubio was traded to Indiana after his injury in a deal that brought Caris LeVert to Cleveland but did not appear in a game for the Pacers.

Originally drafted by the Timberwolves with the fifth overall selection in the 2009 NBA Draft, the 11-year NBA veteran was a 2012 NBA All-Rookie First Team selection. Rubio currently has the 12th-most assists among active NBA players (5,045) and has averaged more than 6.0 assists in 10 of 11 NBA seasons. He has also made two playoff appearances with Utah in 2018 and 2019, averaging 14.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.82 steals in 33.6 minutes. A longtime member of the Spanish National Team, Rubio has played in three Olympics (2020, 2016, 2008), winning silver 2008 and bronze in 2016. At the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, he scored 38 points against the United States, breaking the record for most points scored against USA during Olympic competition. He also led Spain to a gold medal in the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

Lopez (7-0, 281) has played in 939 games (603 starts) over his 14-year NBA career with Phoenix, New Orleans, Portland, New York, Chicago, Milwaukee, Washington and Orlando. Last season in Orlando, Lopez appeared in 36 games (nine starts), averaging 7.1 points and 3.5 rebounds in 17.0 minutes. Lopez has appeared in 36 postseason games (28 starts) with Portland (22 games), Chicago (six games), Milwaukee (three games) and Washington (five games), averaging 8.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.00 blocks in 23.4 minutes for his postseason career. The Stanford product was selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns. Since 2008, Lopez is one of seven NBA players to shoot .530+ FG% and .700+ FT% over that span, joining Jonas Valanciunas, Enes Freedom, Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Domantas Sabonis and Amar’e Stoudemire (min. 400 games played).

Neto (6-2, 180) appeared in 70 games (19 starts) last season for the Washington Wizards, averaging 7.5 points, a career-best 3.1 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 19.6 minutes. As a starter last season, Neto shot 16-39 (.410) from beyond the arc and scored in double figures on nine occasions. Selected with the 47th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, Neto has played seven NBA seasons with Utah, Philadelphia and Washington, appearing in 387 games (98 starts) in his career, as well as 27 postseason games (three starts). Prior to coming to the NBA, he played professionally in Brazil and Spain from 2008-15. A native of Brazil, Neto competed in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games as a member of the Brazilian National Team.

Washington Wizards re-sign Raul Neto

The Washington Wizards have re-signed free agent guard Raul Neto.

Neto averaged a career-high 8.7 points, to go along with a career-high 2.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and a career-high 1.1 steals per game while shooting .468 from the field in 64 games (22 starts) during the 2020-21 season. As a starter last season, he averaged 11.4 points, 3.0 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game while shooting .495 from the field and .403 from three-point range. He scored a season-high 25 points (7-of-11 from the field, 5-of-7 from three-point range) in the Wizards’ 131-129 win over the Raptors in Tampa on May 6.

“We are very pleased to bring Raul back after the career year he had for us last season,” said Wizards General Manager Tommy Sheppard. “He was one of our most consistent players with a toughness and tenacity on both ends of the floor that allowed him to lead our second unit and step in when called upon as a starter.”

Neto was originally signed as a free agent by the Wizards on November 21, 2020. During the 2019-20 season, he averaged 5.1 points and 1.9 assists per game in 54 games (three starts) with Philadelphia. Before signing with the 76ers, Neto spent his first four seasons in the NBA with the Utah Jazz (2015-19). Neto averaged 4.8 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 14.2 minutes per game with Utah. As a rookie in 2015, he appeared in 81 games (53 starts) and averaged a career-high 5.9 points and 2.1 assists per game.

Neto was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the second round (47th overall pick) of the 2013 NBA Draft, and his rights were traded by the Hawks to the Jazz in a draft-night trade in exchange for a 2015 second round pick (from Brooklyn) on June 27, 2013. Prior to coming to the NBA, he played professionally in Brazil and Spain from 2008-15. During the 2014-15 season, he appeared in 34 games (23 starts) for Universidad Catolica De Murcia (UCAM) of the Liga ACP in Spain, averaging 8.9 points, 3.9 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 22.4 mpg.

A native of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, Neto competed in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games as a member of the Brazilian National Team.

Wizards sign Raul Neto, and retain Garrison Mathews

The Washington Wizards have signed free agent guard Raul Neto and have retained guard Garrison Mathews as a two-way player.

Neto (6-0, 180 lbs.) has compiled career averages of 4.9 points, 1.9 assists and 1.3 rebounds on .446 shooting from the field in 253 games (75 starts) in his five-year career with Utah and Philadelphia.

“Raul’s experience both in the NBA and overseas will be valuable to our backcourt roster,” said Wizards General Manager Tommy Sheppard. “He approaches the backup point guard position with a combination of toughness and skill that will fit in with our style of play.”

During the 2019-20 season, Neto averaged 5.1 points and 1.9 assists per game in 54 games (three starts) with Philadelphia. Before signing with the 76ers, Neto spent his first four seasons in the NBA with the Utah Jazz (2015-19). The 28-year old averaged 4.8 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 14.2 minutes per game with Utah. As a rookie in 2015, he appeared in 81 games (53 starts) and averaged a career-high 5.9 points and 2.1 assists per game.

Neto was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the second round (47th overall pick) of the 2013 NBA Draft, and his rights were traded by the Hawks to the Jazz in a draft-night trade in exchange for a 2015 second round pick (from Brooklyn) on June 27, 2013. Prior to coming to the NBA, he played professionally in Brazil and Spain from 2008-15. During the 2014-15 season, he appeared in 34 games (23 starts) for Universidad Catolica De Murcia (UCAM) of the Liga ACP in Spain, averaging 8.9 points, 3.9 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 22.4 mpg.

A native of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, Neto competed in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games as a member of the Brazilian National Team.

Mathews returns to the Wizards after spending last season as a two-way player (he was originally signed on June 21, 2019). He averaged 5.4 points and 1.3 rebounds while shooting .413 from three-point range in 18 games with the Wizards. Mathews’ best outing came in a 123-105 win over the Miami Heat on December 30 when he scored a career-high 28 points on 4-7 shooting from deep to go along with four rebounds. The Lipscomb product also played in 17 games with the Capital City Go-Go, averaging 11.4 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists.

“Garrison showed in flashes last season that he can contribute with his shooting range and hustle,” said Sheppard. “Maintaining his development within our system as a two-way player is the best way for him to continue his improvement and we look forward to having him back.”

Raul Neto out with hamstring injury

Raul Neto out with hamstring injury

Utah Jazz guard Raul Neto has suffered a right hamstring injury. He will be reevaluated in two weeks.

Entering his fourth season with the Jazz, the 6-foot-1, 179-pound guard appeared in 41 games last year, owning averages of 4.5 points, 1.8 assists and 1.2 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per contest, also seeing action in eight postseason games.

According to the Deseret News, “this injury is the latest setback for the Brazilian, who missed half of the 2017-2018 regular season because of a variety of unrelated injuries. He re-signed with Utah over the summer on a two-year, $4.4 million contract.”

Utah Jazz re-sign Derrick Favors, Dante Exum and Raul Neto

The Utah Jazz have agreed to terms to re-sign forward/center Derrick Favors, guard Dante Exum and guard Raul Neto.

Favors (6-10, 265, Georgia Tech) returns to Utah as the longest tenured Jazzman on the current roster, last year becoming just the 12th player in franchise history to appear in 500 career games. The 26-year-old enters the 2018-19 season tied for sixth in all-time Jazz offensive rebounds (1,241), sixth in career field goal percentage (.518), seventh in blocks (666), 10th in total rebounds (3,690) and 15th in points (6,070).

The 22-year-old Exum (6-6, 190, Australia) is entering his fourth NBA season, appearing in 14 games last year with averages of 8.1 points, 3.1 assists and 1.9 rebounds in 16.8 minutes per contest. He returned from injury in time to appear in 10 playoff games for the Jazz, helping the team to the Western Conference Semifinals for the second-straight season. In the Second Round against Houston, Exum saw action in four games, averaging 8.3 points on 52.0 percent shooting, 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 14.4 minutes per contest.

Neto (6-1, 179, Brazil) was originally drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in the second round (47th overall pick) in the 2013 NBA Draft and was acquired by the Jazz in a draft-night trade. The 26-year-old has spent all three of his NBA seasons with Utah, appearing in 162 games (53 starts) with averages of 4.7 points, 1.7 assists and 1.2 boards in 14.5 minutes per contest. In 2017-18, he saw action in 41 games, owning averages of 4.5 points, 1.8 assists and 1.2 boards in 12.1 minutes, also playing in eight postseason contests.

The Jazz finished the 2017-18 season at 48-34, earning the fifth seed in the Western Conference Playoffs and advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals for the second-straight year. At 19-28 going into Jan. 24, the team posted a 29-6 record to close out the season, which marked the second-best record in the NBA after that date. Utah became the first team since the 2004-05 New Jersey Nets to end the regular season with a winning record after being nine games below .500 on Jan. 22