Sacramento Kings: Rudy Gay Resurrecting Career

Rudy Gay hadn’t thought of playing for Team USA a second time. It wasn’t until Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé called directly to inform Gay that Kevin Durant had dropped out, instructing him to call Jerry Colangelo and make his interest in playing for the FIBA World Cup known.

Even after the team had been drilled down from 28 to 16, Ranadivé knew Gay would make the final cut. Gay’s history with the program included winning gold for the U.S. in Turkey.

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There were better options for Team USA at small forward; however, after Paul George’s freak injury, Kevin Durant backed out, creating space on the Team USA roster. As it stands, Gay is the only true small forward on a team that’s heavy on guards and big men.

An unbalanced roster to say the least, but stacked in areas of importance, ready to take on the ensuing competition that so far hasn’t been very competitive.

Gay’s summer with the Kings has gone in complete reverse. There was no other team in the NBA that would’ve paid him $19 million this upcoming season. Gay’s immediate choice to opt in wasn’t a big shock.

Players only have a small window to cash in, and it’s possible Gay has exercised his last year of cashing in this big.

It was head coach Michael Malone and Ranadivé who pitched Gay on sticking in Sacramento for the long run, and he responded well to their pitch, saying,

"“It was good. After two tough seasons, it was good to know that they wanted me there, not just for now, but for long term.”"

As if $19 million didn’t speak the loudest behind closed doors.

An extra dose of confidence for a player who needed it desperately, Gay’s playing well with Team USA again. His payday with Sacramento in addition to their surprising willingness to break bread should be reinvigorating for him.

In eight seasons spent under the NBA limelight, Gay was drafted eighth overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in 2006, and has played for three teams since.

Once a prized small forward with the Memphis Grizzlies before shoulder surgery would sideline him in 2011, the Grizz pushed forward to upset the San Antonio Spurs before losing to Oklahoma City in the semifinals. Another moment when a team’s success makes a player expendable.

It was clear Memphis was moving in a direction opposite from the one Gay was facing, more so when he returned to Memphis from injury. The Grizzlies thrived on team play in his absence and when attempted to return back to an iso-loaded offense centered around Gay, they lost in the first round of the playoffs.

It was his lowest point with the Grizzlies and shortly after being cut from the 2012 Olympic team, the lowest point of his career.

Perhaps a testament to his talent, Gay’s seems to be on the verge of fully resurfacing. He has health, experience, money and a good situation in Sacramento on his side. Gay played the most amount of games in three seasons, his 20 points, six rebounds and three assists last year for the Kings will either be duplicated or pushed to the next level in the upcoming season.

A worthwhile investment for the Kings, who were looking for the perfect compliment to center DeMarcus Cousins, it’s yet to be seen if Gay is that player. Cousins and Gay spending the summer together abroad doesn’t hurt that goal. Cousins told Chris Kudalis of the Sacramento Bee,

"“It’s definitely good bonding time for us, and for camaraderie too. Because when you wear USA on your chest, you’re playing for something bigger than yourself.”"

It’s yet to be seen what both Cousins and Gay can produce together with parallel vision. Last season was overshadowed with Rudy Gay’s contract situation, and Cousins being Cousins.

The Kings have $19 million riding on the tandem pushing them further than they’ve been in recent years. As the summer comes to a close it’s starting to look like a smart gamble.

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