Gay had surgery five days later, expecting to be ready for the start of the 2017-18 season. 18, 2017, against the Indiana Pacers, ending his season. He suffered a complete tear of his left Achilles tendon on Jan. Gay helped his free-agent-to-be cause as he averaged 18.7 points and 6.3 rebounds in 30 games with the Kings during the 2016-17 season. The team also made it less attractive for Gay to return, as they traded All-Star forward DeMarcus Cousins to the New Orleans Pelicans during the night of the 2017 NBA All-Star Game.
![rudy gay injury free agent rudy gay injury free agent](https://www.sltrib.com/resizer/w1fCBR7JJxDs_7rFLFfKhFZ09EI=/1200x630/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/sltrib/BTPOLWEVVFHNNK6EE6O33OTEVY.jpg)
The Kings have not been in the playoffs since 2006. It was one of those downs where I was like, ‘I’m not going to let this happen again.’ ”įrustrated with the losing and rebuilding, Gay opted out of his contract with the Kings that would have paid $14 million during the 2017-18 season. “I was down this time of year before because I wanted to play in the playoffs. “I was in my boot and I was at a local sports bar around my house thinking about what I could be doing, how I could be healthy and how I could be in the playoffs the next year,” the 31-year-old Gay said. Today, he is realizing what he envisioned as a starting forward for the San Antonio Spurs. While watching the opening day of the 2017 NBA playoffs at a sports bar near his offseason home in South Florida, Gay daydreamed about a return to the postseason. And to make matters more challenging, Gay was recovering from a season-ending Achilles tendon injury. His chances of returning to the postseason were bleak if he remained with the Sacramento Kings. If the Clips could retain their core and also provide enough incentive to bring in Gay, they could suddenly take care of the small forward position, which has given them problems for years.OAKLAND, California - Rudy Gay had amassed just seven career playoff games in 11 NBA seasons. Redick are all scheduled to enter free agency this summer. Los Angeles still has work to do just to keep their own team intact, as Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and J.J. The Clippers could be the team that realistically sticks out the most. Other playoff contenders that could use Gay and could end up being connected to him at some point include the Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Clippers, among others. The Heat already have a solid core in Hassan Whiteside and Goran Dragic and will be looking to make some big moves to get their team back into the playoff hunt in the Eastern Conference. One recurring Rudy Gay rumor in the past has been his interest in joining up with the Miami Heat. Gay’s suitors on the surface level could make for a lengthy list, as any prospective NBA playoff team could use his size, athleticism, scoring and overall versatility. While Gay may have to initially prove he can still ball and will play by his new team’s rules (he caused a distraction by wanting out of Sacramento), he has a desired skill-set and has suggested in the past that his main objective is playing for a winning club. Even then, his suitors may be somewhat limited.
![rudy gay injury free agent rudy gay injury free agent](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2593,w_3890/https://behindthebuckpass.com/wp-content/uploads/usat-images/2016/04/9869346-nba-golden-state-warriors-at-sacramento-kings.jpeg)
With most players struggling to return from Achilles injuries, it’s possible Gay may have to wait deep into the summer to get serious offers. Gay’s best bet is the former, as he’s slowly exiting his prime and it’s unlikely he’ll get huge money after such a devastating injury. Still only 31 years old in August, Gay could either opt to latch on with a title contender for a discount price or try to re-establish himself as a go-to star with a mid-level team. Gay offers a solid two-way presence that can score, rebound, shoot from outside and also defense. Rudy Gay could end up being a serious bargain for the right suitor, as the seasoned veteran was averaging over 18 points and six rebounds per game for the Kings before going down with his injury. With Gay officially becoming a free agent, his focus will focus to his recovery and soon to his new potential team. All reports dealing with Gay’s rehab have been positive, however, with the star forward looking at a return to the court at some point in the summer. The news is a mild surprise given Gay’s 2016-17 NBA season ended in disaster, with the aging star suffering a ruptured Achilles. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Rudy Gay has officially declined to exercise his $14.3M player option by his 6/10 deadline. The move costs Gay a guaranteed $14.3 million he would have received if he decided to stick it out for one more year with the Kings, but the 30-year old decided to test the NBA free agency waters, instead: The star forward decided to opt out of his deal with the Sacramento Kings on Monday, effectively making him an unrestricted free agent and able to sign with any team this summer.