by Marcel Mutoni / @ marcel_mutoni
If the rumors are to be believed, the Rudy Gay Trade Sweepstakes have shifted into overdrive.
It’s basically an accepted fact at this point that the Memphis Grizzlies are openly shopping their star forward, and they’re currently talking to a handful of teams around the NBA about the possibility.
From Hoopsworld and ESPN:
The Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings and Boston Celtics are among the teams that have had conversations with the Grizzlies about Gay, according to league sources. The Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors have shown interest in Gay in the past and could be potential trade partners as well. Gay is owed $17.8 million and $19.3 million over the next two seasons and Memphis wants to avoid paying the luxury tax, which is why they’re looking at deals that would allow them to cut costs.
The Raptors might not be able to swing a deal for him. But they’d love to. Sources said this week that the Raptors — who tried to make a play for Gay before the 2012 NBA draft — remain seriously “interested” in the Grizzlies’ leading scorer and are trying to assemble trade packages to bring the 26-year-old to Toronto after preliminary talks with Memphis. Among the trade chips that the Raptors are believed to be dangling, in addition to draft considerations, are veteran point guard Jose Calderon (who has an expiring contract worth $10.6 million) and young big man Ed Davis. […] The Raptors, meanwhile, tried to trade for Gay six months ago, offering up various packages headlined by the No. 8 pick in the draft (eventually used on Terrence Ross) and Calderon. The Grizzlies, still owned by Michael Heisley at the time, passed.
The new front-office in Memphis clearly wants to shake things up and cut costs, but they are being cautious about possibly moving the Grizzlies’ leading scorer.
As for Rudy Gay himself, he says that he’s not bothered by the trade chatter at all. Per the Commercial Appeal:
“This is every year,” Gay said. “If it happens it happens. So what. I’m playing today as a Grizzly. It’s a business. People are going to talk and stuff will happen. It doesn’t make me any less of a player. What people say about me doesn’t change how I approach the game or how good I think I am or how good other people think I am. So it doesn’t bother me at all.”
It remains to be seen if he’ll continue to sound so indifferent as the February 21 trade deadline draws closer.
