NBA Rumors: Multiple Eastern Conference contenders interested in Rudy Gay
Recent rumors suggest that Utah Jazz forward Rudy Gay has garnered interest from some Eastern Conference teams. With Utah looking to move the veteran, Hoop Wire's Sam Amico shed more light on the matter.
The Utah Jazz have emerged as an interesting trade location for several teams. This could be viewed as an oddity considering the look of the Jazz roster at the start of the season.
Having moved their superstar and a majority of their key veterans, the Jazz went into a full rebuild. However, this hasn't hindered the new-look Jazz team in the slightest.
Led by Mike Conley and Lauri Markkanen, the Jazz are currently the fifth-ranked team in the Western Conference.
While this could be viewed as an early-season fluke, the Jazz have been playing some impressive basketball. With youngsters buying into coaching schemes, the Jazz have seen several players perform at a high level.
This has had an impact as more teams have taken an interest in the Jazz players.
While Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson have been common figures in trade rumors, the Jazz do not wish to trade either. In this regard, some teams have turned their eyes toward the veterans on the roster.
As per Hoop Wire's Sam Amico, several teams in the Eastern Conference have shown an interest in veteran forward Rudy Gay. He mentioned the details in his article. He wrote:
"The Jazz have been looking to move small forward Rudy Gay, who is having only a small impact with a career-low in minutes. Several Eastern Conference contenders are interested, sources told Hoops Wire.”
Several Eastern Conference contenders are interested in Rudy Gay: ahnfiredigital.com/nba/utah-jazz/…
Naturally, the situation has been painted as a win-win for the Jazz. While Gay has been a solid player in the past, the veteran is way past his prime. With this in mind, he rarely makes a solid impact.
The Utah Jazz have made attempts to move their veterans in the offseason as well. While retaining Mike Conley was a surprising move, Utah may continue this practice as they fetch trade proposals for Rudy Gay.
Teams who could benefit from pursuing Rudy Gay
Rudy Gay has notched an average of 4.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game this season. Playing 15.8 minutes per game, the veteran forward is not the most productive piece on the roster.
It is evident, given the look of Utah's roster, that Gay is a less-than-necessary player for the team. Filling in as a backup center in small-ball lineups, Gay also ends up playing out of position. This drastically affects his productivity.
With all these factors in mind, it is hard to imagine him being an impact role player on any team with title aspirations. However, he could offer a lot in terms of veteran leadership.
Gay has been in the league for 16 years. While he hasn't achieved a lot of success in the postseason, he could still offer a lot in terms of veteran experience to a young team.
In this regard, he could offer a lot to teams such as the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers as veteran presence. Teams such as the Orlando Magic could also do well to acquire a veteran such as Gay, but they are far from being a title contender at this point.