Kings Encouraged After Meeting With Rudy Gay

[RealGM Wiretap]

The Sacramento Kings' management met with Rudy Gay on Tuesday to discuss his future, including the player option on the final season of his contract.

The Kings sounded encouraged by the meeting.

Gay has until June 30 to decide on his option for next season.

Gay averaged 20.1 points on 48.2 percent shooting in 55 games with the Kings last season.

Via Jason Jones/Sacramento Bee

[caronimo]

he has $19 million reasons to stay with the kings.

[Jvaughn]

he has $19 million reasons to stay with the kings.

Since this is obviously the last max contract he'll get, I think the belief is that he may decline the offer then sign on for multiple years. If they can get him for $12-14 mil a year that's a good deal for both sides.

[malgus]

he'd be crazy not to opt into his 19 million dollar contract.



crazy

[caronimo]

he has $19 million reasons to stay with the kings.

Since this is obviously the last max contract he'll get, I think the belief is that he may decline the offer then sign on for multiple years. If they can get him for $12-14 mil a year that's a good deal for both sides.

i think he's closer to $8 million in the open market. that would take him nearly two-and-a-half seasons to make what he could in one season by simply accepting his player option.

[Temuhjan]

he has $19 million reasons to stay with the kings.

Since this is obviously the last max contract he'll get, I think the belief is that he may decline the offer then sign on for multiple years. If they can get him for $12-14 mil a year that's a good deal for both sides.

i think he's closer to $8 million in the open market. that would take him nearly two-and-a-half seasons to make what he could in one season by simply accepting his player option.

Agreed. 8 mil per sounds about right for a chucker who does little else.

[defmut]

Only Shaq can give him the stare to not reconsider. Of coarse he's going to paint a pretty picture wearing a bow tie to the meeting.

[kenwood3333]

He has the physical attributes to become a top player but for some unknown reason he always play below his capability.

[damecurry]

I find the perception on Gay off, he's not a bad individual player, hard to argue with 20ppg at almost 50%. I agree he does little else, but the problem with his game is how it seems to affect teammates. He's a ball/motion stopper, kills momentum and can't seem to fit well next to anyone/in any system. He plays fine, he just ***** up the rest of the team, it seems. With his current reputation it would be foolish not to opt-in and hope to improve the fit/evolve along with other players on their roster, and do whatever necessary to get the Kings to the playoffs. If that happens all you'll here are "longest non-playoff streak in nba broken! Gay helps Kings get there!" instead of the "Kings still can't make Issaih/Rudy/Demarcus work! Gay = team killer?" that's there now if he tries to walk out onto the open market.

[Rhythm043]

Since this is obviously the last max contract he'll get, I think the belief is that he may decline the offer then sign on for multiple years. If they can get him for $12-14 mil a year that's a good deal for both sides.

i think he's closer to $8 million in the open market. that would take him nearly two-and-a-half seasons to make what he could in one season by simply accepting his player option.

Agreed. 8 mil per sounds about right for a chucker who does little else.

...and has mastered the art of the 2.5 foot Jumper (which he usually misses) when he could dunk it or lay it in.

[Bentley1225]

The trade from the Raptors and their turnaround exemplified that Gay really doesnt make his team mates better. He does give the Kings much needed athleticsm.

[HotelVitale]

I find the perception on Gay off, he's not a bad individual player, hard to argue with 20ppg at almost 50%. I agree he does little else, but the problem with his game is how it seems to affect teammates. He's a ball/motion stopper, kills momentum and can't seem to fit well next to anyone/in any system.

It would be hard to argue with 20ppg at 50%...but he was only at that rate for a few months in SAC. On the Raptors, he shot 39% for the year, and the entire year before he shot 41%. If he's shooting close to 50% then he is what you imply--high volume, one-dimensional, and useful if not particularly efficient--but if he's shooting closer to 40% on 18-19 shot per game, he can singlehandedly torpedo your team's offense.

[HotelVitale]

i think he's closer to $8 million in the open market. that would take him nearly two-and-a-half seasons to make what he could in one season by simply accepting his player option.

That probably underestimates the NBA open market. Trevor Ariza's probably going to get more than $8m per season, and that guy was bad for years before a decent contract year. I guess that Monta Ellis just got a 3/25, but most teams see that as a steal in retrospect. In general FAs who can score get overpaid, don't see why Gay would be different.

But I agree that he'd be better off taking that player option, unless the Kings offer an extension around 4/50. Otherwise just take the $19m this year and then gamble you get at least a 3/25 next year. Gay's only 27 so that sounds like a good gamble.

[ThereIsNoSpork]

The trade from the Raptors and their turnaround exemplified that Gay really doesnt make his team mates better. He does give the Kings much needed athleticsm.

Casey's entire offensive system though was to iso Gay or DeRozan. He had no chance to succeed from day 1. He basically told him to go out there and be a chucker, just like Bargnani a couple years ago. "Live and die with chucknani come hell or high water" Not a coincidence Gay went from like 34% to 48% going from the Raps to the Kings. He's not a #1 option and they arent trying to force him to be one. Neither is Bargnani. Or DeRozan. SMH. So many ineffecient chuckers trying to be made into #1 options over the years and never any real talent on the team. Wiggins Parker and Embiid are shaking their heads. Especially Wiggins

[CHAMPi0N]

I'm confused - does "encouraged" imply that Rudy is opting in or out? They'd have a good amount of reasons for either case.

[PDXKnight]

There have been stories that the kings have been wooing Gay to opt in which is utterly shocking to me. I've never seen a team bend over backwards so much in hopes that a player opts into a ridiculous deal. I wouldn't worry kings, Gay will be dumb to turn down 19 mil.

[dmize]

It would be hard to argue with 20ppg at 50%...but he was only at that rate for a few months in SAC. On the Raptors, he shot 39% for the year, and the entire year before he shot 41%.

SMH, he played 55 games for the Kings and 51 total for the Raptors.

[LA Scissors]

THE KINGS HEARD THAT RUDY IS OPTING OUT. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE ECSTATIC.

[your boy]

THE KINGS HEARD THAT RUDY IS OPTING OUT. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE ECSTATIC.

You think he'll go to the Lakers? He'd be their best player.

[HotelVitale]

It would be hard to argue with 20ppg at 50%...but he was only at that rate for a few months in SAC. On the Raptors, he shot 39% for the year, and the entire year before he shot 41%.

SMH, he played 55 games for the Kings and 51 total for the Raptors.

Maybe you should try hitting google instead of the emoticon panel. The 41% was for all of last season--he shot 40.8% in 42 games on the Grizzlies. Taking into account his entire past two seasons, he's at 43.5% overall. Considering he only gets to the line 4 times per game, takes 16+ shots, and averages nearly 3 TOs per game, those are not good numbers.

His true shooting is also around 52% over the past three seasons, which I would guess puts him in the bottom fifth of guys who score at least 18pts per game. Not the very worst of high volume guys but right up there. And he doesn't contribute anywhere else at a high level. But please, keep the eye rolls coming.