So as rumor has it, Ernie Grunfeld made a "good offer" to the Memphis Grizzlies for small forward Rudy Gay. There is already a log jam at small forward and Gay is an overpaid underachieving player. The Wizards already have Trevor Ariza, Martell Webster, and Chris Singleton at this spot. To make any sense of this trade, at the very least two of those players need to be on the move.
Rudy Gay's career line is 17.9 points per game, 5.7 rebounds per game, 34.4% from 3pt range, 45.3% field goals and 77.2% free throws. Is this player worth $16 million the next two seasons? This year Gay is only shooting 41.3% from the field and a paltry 30.8% from beyond the arc. When a team, like Memphis, is fourth in their conference and an up and coming team, why would they trade a player like this? They say it is to get under the luxury tax, but you do that in the off season. This is the kind of bad deal that the Wizards and Ernie Grunfeld are known to make. There are warnings and red flags all over.
Of the team's "interested" in Gay, only Golden State is over 500. The Toronto Raptors, Phoenix Suns, Washington Wizards and the Minnesota Timberwolves are all the teams I have seen as interested. Notice how the better managed teams are not going after Gay? The Wizards don't need another "star." Wall just came back tonight and had a decent game, Bradley Beal is starting to come into his own as well. Nene is solid when healthy and honestly Kevin Seraphin needs to see more action. There really isn't enough ball to go around with Gay in the mix.
Now to honestly stomach a trade for Gay, I can only see one offer. Sure this will seem like a lot but salaries have to be close. Gay for Ariza, Webster, Vesely and a protected first round pick. At least we know Gay is a better player than Vesely. We would need to clear out some small forward space and I would like to keep a more defensive minded player in Singleton than Webster. Ariza has been nothing to this team and Vesely is the worst pick in the last 15 years next to Kwame Brown (yes fans its been 11 years since that terrible pick). At the very least Gay is gone after two seasons, althought his $17.8 and $19.3 million will hurt, this team will be wide open money wise. Wall can still be re-signed, Beal can be re-signed and who ever the Wizards take top three in the 2013 draft can also be extended (if he is any good).
So all in all, I am completely against trading for Rudy Gay. You don't fix one mess up with another. Harden is gone and doing pretty damn good in Houston. You win some you lose some, but don't screw up again. Hold on to the 2013 first round pick, take a solid player, keep Wall healthy and go from there. Ernie Grunfeld needs to be fired at seasons end, but if he pulls the trigger on a deal like this, the few fans that are left in this town will most likely revolt and Ted Leonsis won't be able to give tickets away. Let's see what Wall and Beal can do together and wait until the offseason to make any drastic moves.
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