Rudy Gay

[SacKings7]

Say we add Rudy Gay as a starter, plus a high draft pick, and firm up our rotation. What's our ceiling? 40 wins? And now we're paying him $50+ million over the next five years, and we're still a lottery team? These B-level players are who you go after or trade for when you're a contender already, not when you're trying to build a contender from scratch.

I tend to agree with you actually. But Gay has been in the league, what, 3 years? There's still a chance he develops into an A-level player.

Hypothetically, let's say we go acquire Gay and land Cousins in the draft. We then have Evans/Udrih or Greene/Gay/Landry/Cousins as our starters with Udrih or Greene/Thompson/Hawes/Garcia on the bench. In a couple of years that team could be scary good. The one thing that does scare me though is what bajaden mentioned in one of the other threads: Possibly a hard cap in the near future. So if that's the case, then you say no to Gay for sure.

 

[LPKingsFan]

Maybe not 14, no. But 11 or maybe 12, then sure. But I really like his game

Someone will pay him more than is reasonable. I hope it's not us.

 

[bajaden]

We only somehwat do at this point -- Beno can run it. But the guard in that play has to be able to shoot as a rule, and that's Reke's weakness. He and Hawes run a pretty good one up top, but I haven;t seen anything much on the wings, and he and Landry were on entirely different pages on that play after the trade.

I agree. Thats why its imperitive for Tyreke to develop his outside shot. Right now, without the shot its too easy to guard. As I said, I saw them run it a few times on the right wing with Thompson. But when you know that Tyreke probably won't shoot from out there, it certainly looses its effectiveness. I don't remember Landry being involved in that many pick and rolls, but I may have missed it.

There's really no reason you couldn't run the pick and roll with Greene. I'd like to see Greene come off of screens more. The way Peja used to. But that goes back to his mid-range game. Right now he's not that good at shooting off the dribble. Hopefully he's working on that.

 

[Superman]

I tend to agree with you actually. But Gay has been in the league, what, 3 years? There's still a chance he develops into an A-level player.

Hypothetically, let's say we go acquire Gay and land Cousins in the draft. We then have Evans/Udrih or Greene/Gay/Landry/Cousins as our starters with Udrih or Greene/Thompson/Hawes/Garcia on the bench. In a couple of years that team could be scary good. The one thing that does scare me though is what bajaden mentioned in one of the other threads: Possibly a hard cap in the near future. So if that's the case, then you say no to Gay for sure.

There's a chance, but you want to pay him $50+ million on a chance that he becomes an A-level player in the future? That's what the Hawks did with Joe Johnson, and yeah they made the playoffs a few times in the East with some 40 win seasons, but they are not a contender, despite the other pieces that they have. Still don't have an A-level player.

I'm just saying, you don't go after a player like Rudy Gay or even Joe Johnson unless you are already a contender, because they are not going to make you into a contender.

 

[Larry David]

It's also what the 76ers did with Iggy. How's that working?

 

[Big Cuz 15]

There's a chance, but you want to pay him $50+ million on a chance that he becomes an A-level player in the future? That's what the Hawks did with Joe Johnson, and yeah they made the playoffs a few times in the East with some 40 win seasons, but they are not a contender, despite the other pieces that they have. Still don't have an A-level player.

I'm just saying, you don't go after a player like Rudy Gay or even Joe Johnson unless you are already a contender, because they are not going to make you into a contender.

i'd rather save the caproom for a 2011 player than overpay for a wing player. we're missing that elite big man that will consistently draw double teams

 

[rainmaker]

i'd rather save the caproom for a 2011 player than overpay for a wing player. we're missing that elite big man that will consistently draw double teams

Would your opinion change if we draft Favors or Cousins, or end up with the #3 or #4 pick today? Then do you go after him, hopefully in a sign in trade, knowing you already have a star pg, and a potential star big. In just over 5 hrs the chips will start falling into place.

 

[Big Cuz 15]

Would your opinion change if we draft Favors or Cousins, or end up with the #3 or #4 pick today? Then do you go after him, hopefully in a sign in trade, knowing you already have a star pg, and a potential star big. In just over 5 hrs the chips will start falling into place.

i just don't think gay will make us THAT much better. if we could like land cousins, get bosh in a S&T. i'd be stoked

cousins
bosh
casspi or greene
beno or garcia
reke

or..

cousins
landry
casspi
gay, garcia, beno, greene, noc
reke

with the first option we shore up some of our deficiencies.

2nd, we just add another piece to complete our logjam at the wing position

 

[Bricklayer]

It's also what the 76ers did with Iggy. How's that working?

The one difference in our situation is that he would be coming in as the #2 option. You have to be careful, especially with a new CBA coming up and with so many young players coming up for renewals in hte next few years -- we are cheap now, but there is sort of a hidden future costs thing going on to keep the team together. But unlike a team like the Sixers we wouldn't be making the supremely stupid error of close to maxing a second tier guy to be the franchise guy. We'd be close to maxing a second tier guy tobe a second banana. Still dangerous, but at least his presumed role would be more in line wiht his talents than asking him to be the straw that stirs for you.

Still think it makes little sense with two cheap young comers with great size already at the position.

 

[bajaden]

People always seem willing to bet on the future development of another teams player, or yet another young inexperienced player in the draft. But they seem reluctant to exercise the patience it takes, for the development of one of their own players. Its highly possible that either Greene or Casspi could be just as good a player as Gay. But even if either isn't. If one of them just comes close, then I don't see the point. Not when you consider the price differential.

I agree that Gay is a second tier player. And I also agree that its very likely he'll get better to a degree. But he doesn't have star written all over him. Let me put it this way. I'd gladly trade Greene or Casspi, and be willing to pay 14 mil for Brandon Roy. But not for Rudy Gay. And there in lies the difference for me. I like Gay! And if I could get him for 8 mil a year I'd be very interested. But 14 mil starting and for 6 years. Nope! Too big a commitment for a player I'm not sure would be a difference maker.