The Sacramento Kings wanted to make a big splash last year and did so when they dealt for Toronto Raptors’ forward Rudy Gay. This offseason, the Kings rolled out the red carpet in an attempt to keep him. Gay decided against opting out of the final year of his contract and now can become an unrestricted free agent in 2015.
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Gay told reporters he can see himself in Sacramento long-term.
“I think so,” Gay said via Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. “I’m enjoying California, NoCal. It’s cool. It’s not as bad as I thought it was. You play in NBA cities and you expect Sacramento to be like L.A. or the Bay, but it’s not; it’s its own little thing. It’s a family city, and that’s what I’m growing to be, more of a family person.”
The two sides have been negotiating since before Gay left to play for Team USA in the FIBA World Cup.
“We started (negotiations) before I went to Spain with the USA team, stopped and haven’t picked it up yet,” Gay said after Monday morning’s practice. “It’s something that I really don’t need over my head right now. I’m trying to make this team better and also be better myself. And I didn’t need it over there. That’s something that I think will handle itself.”
Gay averaged 20.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 45.5% from the field, 33.0% from beyond the arc and 82.2% from the free throw line last season. . In his eight-year career, he has put up 18.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 45.1% from the field, 34.2% from three and 78.4% from the charity stripe. Gay was selected with the eighth-overall of the first round of the 2006 draft.
Be sure to check FanSided’s official NBA page to keep up to date on the latest news and rumors from around the league as we get you ready for the start of the 2014-2015 season.
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