Rudy Gay has four years left on a max deal. He's also on a team that made an exceptional playoff run — establishing an identity as a dominant, interior-oriented team — in his absence.
Add it up, and it's now time for the Gay trade rumors to begin.
The Grizz recently gave Zach Randolph a $71 million extension and Mike Conley a $45 million extension, and they even have re-signing Marc Gasol to worry about. Perhaps, even more important is that Shane Battier has returned to Memphis and Tony Allen has proven to be an elite perimeter defender, making Gay somewhat redundant. He's also somewhat of a ball stopper, which doesn't exactly vibe with the "Get it to Z-Bo" strategy that Lionel Hollins wisely adopted in the playoffs.
So, who is interested? In a speculation piece about potential stars who could be on their way to Cleveland, Ohio.com has reported that "the belief around the league is that Gay could be had in the right deal." The Cavs, of course, have stockpiled assets in the wake of LeBron James' exit, and while Gay may not be James, he would represent a major step forward in their rebuilding process.
The most significant voids to be filled in Memphis are perhaps in bench scoring and 3-point shooting.
Gay's current deal has $68 million remaining.
