He's not there yet but the Raptors are moving the right direction. Cleaning up Colangelo's mess is only step #1.
A little late to the action.... Like the majority here: I love this trade for Toronto. Ujiri is wisely ridding himself of Colangelo's mistakes. As for Sacramento, I don't get it. At 6-13 in a loaded conference, they're obviously not going to make the playoffs. Gay, despite his blackhole label, seemingly makes them better. At least on paper. And there's a loaded draft upcoming. I don't get it.
I think this is what Sac needs. They don't need a monster season, they need some mediocre ones to solidify their fan base and sell tickets. Once they've sold some tickets they can tank and get some picks.
No one not even a chucker "star" like Gay will sign with the Kings as a FA. Life sucks as a small market team so you trade trash for a controversial player and hope he can improve. They will likely still get a top ten pick in the draft and if you add that guy to Cousins and Gay well that's a decent core.
GAY gives them a better chance at sucking cause he takes away the ball from his other players such as boogie and thomas. This will cause rifts between Boogie and Gay.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>The thing about Rudy Gay that is so vexing. There is so much readily avail data on him, games where he was injured, games when he was traded</p>— Haralabos Voulgaris (@haralabob) <a href="https://twitter.com/haralabob/statuses/410656748983164928">December 11, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>If you can’t get a good idea of who someone like Rudy Gay is as a player. Give up. You shouldn’t be involved in analyzing the NBA (Cont)</p>— Haralabos Voulgaris (@haralabob) <a href="https://twitter.com/haralabob/statuses/410656883364462592">December 11, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>We aren’t talking about a player who’s played 1-2 years and has played nearly ever game. So many good data pts with the injuries and trades</p>— Haralabos Voulgaris (@haralabob) <a href="https://twitter.com/haralabob/statuses/410657054328508416">December 11, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
you guys are obsessed with this guy. he's just a guy who seems like he has more potential than he shows. he has tracy mcgrady athleticism but not all his instincts. he is overpaid. the rockets still shouldn't have trade him but we should all move on
You do realize that the Rockets got Battier in the deal and Battier was pretty amazing as a Rocket even though he didn't put up superstar stats or anything right? The Rockets won the deal then and now even more as we have seen how Rudy Gay's contract extension years ago would have held the Rockets out of the scenario where they could have rebuilt completely & acquired 2 top level guys like Harden & Howard. Also it was rumored that Morey when he worked with the Celtics was a huge fan of Rondo when he was being scouted out of College. If the Rockets would have taken that pick for themselves, it wouldn't have been surprising to me at all if they would have moved back in the draft for multiple picks and ended up with Rondo & someone else... maybe even Lowry as well. Point being... they drafted Gay for Memphis. Rudy Gay now.... maybe the criticism is slightly unfair since its mostly derived around his contract vs. the value he gives you on the court, but you are wrong that you think he's someone who has more potential than he shows. The problem with Rudy Gay is that he thinks he's a great basketball player when he's really just a great athlete. His athleticism could be used much more effective on the defensive end, and scoring in the open court. His shot selection just screams "I think I'm Michael Jordan" when he really should try to play within himself, and actually contribute to wins. Then people would think much differently about Rudy Gay. Rudy Gay going to the Kings right now is about the worst thing that can happen for him and the Kings. He's a player who needs to be back on a team like Memphis where he knows his place as the 4th or 5th best player. The Kings couldn't have picked a worse player to be given the key's to the kingdom to be their #1 option on the perimeter.
Thomas Maclemore Gay D Will Cousins This will be a young exciting team. They wont be very good, but they'll be exciting.
Highlight dunks when trailing by 30? You got it. <a href="http://s293.photobucket.com/user/lcahmed/media/ccugotitmeme_zpsbe672978.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm61/lcahmed/ccugotitmeme_zpsbe672978.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo ccugotitmeme_zpsbe672978.jpg"/></a>
I can't wait till he and Cousins start beefing it out for who should get the most touches in the offense.
A lot of people will look at scoring average, shooting percentage and general effectiveness when evaluating Gay. If he did the things you suggest (staying within himself), and wasn't counted on as the #1 or #2 scoring option, as you also point out, then in effect, he would show more potential than he has showed. He could grow more and fine tune the things he does well rather than spending such energy and time doing the things he doesn't do so well. I suspect, he could be viewed completely differently (as you also allude to). But more importantly, he could be a guy who propels the right team to stardom rather than being the guy who is thought of as a "contender killer".
