NBA Free Agency 2018: 5 offseason targets for the Boston Celtics
By Kareem Gantt
4. Rudy Gay
There was once a time when Rudy Gay was a top-20 scorer in this league. Then, he got shipped to Sacramento, where good players go to have their careers die a slow death, and Gay’s career was no exception.
Yes, Gay was still a productive scorer with the Kings, but the culture of losing that has pervaded over that franchise eventually took its toll on Gay, and when he landed in San Antonio, he was basically a shell of his former self, his career stunted by all of those seasons of losing in Sacramento.
It’s a clear bet to say he won’t be returning to the Spurs next season, so Gay will be looking for a new home, and the Celtics should take a look at him this offseason. The man can still score. Even though he wasn’t much of a factor in San Antonio last season, he still averaged 11.6 points per game on a 47 percent shooting clip, and, if put in the right system and atmosphere, he can be a valuable weapon off the bench for a contender.
His price tag is also cheap, so if Boston misses out on the “Kawhi Leonard Sweepstakes,” they should put in a call to Gay’s representatives to gauge his interest in wearing Celtic Green.