NBA rumors: Warriors sign 17-year NBA vet to compete for final roster spot
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Warriors have signed Rudy Gay to a one-year deal with the opportunity to make the team during training camp. Gay will be competing with players like Trayce Jackson Davis and Rodney McGruder for the final spots on the Golden State roster. McGruder was just recently signed to the team with the same idea that he would compete for a roster spot.
Gay is a long-time veteran, who started his NBA career in 2006. Since then he has played for the Raptors, Grizzlies, Jazz and Spurs. Gay has a lot to be proud of as he has played at the highest level of basketball for 10+ years. Obviously, Gay doesn't have so much time left in the NBA due to the fact that he is 36 and his basketball skills are aging rapidly.
He is also a player whose basketball value diminished as the game transformed into a more open 3-point game and was less reliant on mid-range jump shots. Gay wasn't a great 3-point shooter early in his career and it limited his relevance during his theoretical prime.
What could Rudy Gay contribute to the Warriors?
If Rudy Gay is still on the roster after training camp, it should be expected that he will only play a small dose of minutes this season. Most likely, he will not be a regular rotation player. He may play some garbage time minutes but he will only be a veteran presence on the roster. To be perfectly clear, there is nothing wrong with only being a good veteran presence on the team.
Gay's experience could fit in well with the Warriors but having another decent defender who can handle both 3s and 4s and move the ball on offense is never a bad thing to have as injury insurance.