The Mutually Beneficial Pairing of Rudy Gay and the Kings - Zach Lowe

[HighFlyingMonkey]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-mutually-beneficial-pairing-of-rudy-gay-and-the-kings/

This a great comprehensive article on Gay's new deal, the X's and O's behind his success with the Kings, and his fit with Cousins going forward.

The Kings rode those good vibes Sunday, inking Gay to a three-year, $40 million extension, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo and confirmed by several league sources. That is really the best-case scenario for the Kings’ notion of buying low on overpaid players: Gay has played well, and the Kings will bring him back for about $6 million less per season as the salary cap is primed for a mega-leap. Getting the Sacramento version of Gay for $13 million under the current cap environment is a fair-ish price, even if you’re not the biggest fan of his game. Getting him for that money as the cap jumps from $63 million now into the $90 million range1 for 2016-17 might end up a steal.

Gay made that easier with his play as a second option in Sacramento, instead of the lead dog role for which he was miscast elsewhere. He has played both better and differently as a King than he did as a Drake or Grizzly. The Kings have used him more than anyone ever did as a pick-and-roll ball handler, and Gay has done well in that role over consecutive seasons now; he’s shooting 46 percent as the lead dog in the pick-and-roll this season, doing solid work drawing fouls when he tries to score2 and making smart passes otherwise.

The Kings are posting him more, and Gay’s post-up game has exploded in Sacramento after weirdly falling off throughout 2012 and 2013. He’s a ridiculous 79-of-141 on post-up shots as a King, good for 56 percent, a number that would have ranked third among 117 players who attempted at least 50 such shots last season.

 

[Chubbs]

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-mutually-beneficial-pairing-of-rudy-gay-and-the-kings/

This a great comprehensive article on Gay's new deal, the X's and O's behind his success with the Kings, and his fit with Cousins going forward.

He sang a rather diff tune less than a year ago.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/a...y-gay-trade-means-for-toronto-and-sacramento/

And this past summer.

Kings of Confusion

"It was probably the most-asked question among team executives, agents, and coaches at the NBA summer league in Las Vegas earlier this month: “So, um, does anyone have any idea what the Sacramento Kings are doing?”

http://grantland.com/features/sacramento-kings-rebuilding-strategy/

Sounds like someone in the Kings organization actually told him in detail what the plan is after the Kings of confusion article. I'll say, someone was confused. Just not the King's.

To be fair. This article is pretty good. It almost sounds like he sat down with PDA.

"And guess what: It has worked so far. Damn near everything has worked for the Kings over the first 10 games of the season; a bunch of us are going to have to swallow some royal crow if Darren Collison keeps pushing the pace, getting to the line six times per game, dishing dimes, and keeping DeMarcus Cousins happy."

A lot has changed in a month, Kings fans. Woo ****ing hoo!

 

[Livinthedream]

The only issue I have with the article is that free agents won't go to small markets. This has been true in the past, but I think free agents have been looking more at good organizations vs. big markets. Durant doesn't want to leave OKC. Lebron went back to Cleveland. Players aren't beating down the doors to get to the Lakers, Boston or NY. So if the Kings show vision, a well run organization and the signs of turning the losing culture around, I don't think we're automatically written off by free agents.

This is exaclty the culture change and sell job PDA, Vivek and Chris Granger have been doing with every player and agent that has passed through here the last season. It's also why we've been featured in Grantland pieces so frequently. We're providing access to hopefully sell our culture change. It comes with risk because journalists usually like to report more bad than good. But we're trying to be relevant. So maybe free agents are not out of the question.

 

[ElRey]

I'm not going to read the article. I lost all respect for Zach Lowe after his previous scathing articles about Boogie and the Kings in general. He's been eating a lot of crow lately.

 

[Chubbs]

Zach "Royal Crow" Lowe.

 

[HighFlyingMonkey]

The only issue I have with the article is that free agents won't go to small markets. This has been true in the past, but I think free agents have been looking more at good organizations vs. big markets. Durant doesn't want to leave OKC. Lebron went back to Cleveland. Players aren't beating down the doors to get to the Lakers, Boston or NY. So if the Kings show vision, a well run organization and the signs of turning the losing culture around, I don't think we're automatically written off by free agents.

This is exaclty the culture change and sell job PDA, Vivek and Chris Granger have been doing with every player and agent that has passed through here the last season. It's also why we've been featured in Grantland pieces so frequently. We're providing access to hopefully sell our culture change. It comes with risk because journalists usually like to report more bad than good. But we're trying to be relevant. So maybe free agents are not out of the question.

Well, Lebron to Cleveland is an outlier. Its his hometown, team that drafted him, etc. I wouldn't use that as an example of a trend reversal.

In general, big markets have an advantage over small markets in attracting talent via free agency. Its not a guarantee; big markets strike out of free agency all of the time. But the advantage exists, and denying it is nothing less than pulling an ostrich. Small markets usually have to overpay relative to big markets. Its an NBA truism and there hasn't been much suggesting otherwise.

As far as retaining talent, thats an entirely different ballgame. There, small markets parlay the advantage of inertia in keeping their talent. An existing free agent already has ties to the community, they know the city, the coach, the organization, etc. Small markets keep their free agents all of the time when they are well-run organizations; Webber resigned here, OKC resigning Durant, Spurs resigning Duncan, and just recently we locked up Rudy for another 2-3 years.

But again, the difference is between attracting and retaining.

 

[Livinthedream]

Well, Lebron to Cleveland is an outlier. Its his hometown, team that drafted him, etc. I wouldn't use that as an example of a trend reversal.

In general, big markets have an advantage over small markets in attracting talent via free agency. Its not a guarantee; big markets strike out of free agency all of the time. But the advantage exists, and denying it is nothing less than pulling an ostrich. Small markets usually have to overpay relative to big markets. Its an NBA truism and there hasn't been much suggesting otherwise.

I understand Lebrons situation. He still had the option of playing where he wanted.

As far as retaining talent, thats an entirely different ballgame. There, small markets parlay the advantage of inertia in keeping their talent. An existing free agent already has ties to the community, they know the city, the coach, the organization, etc.

I could argue that we kept Rudy and we did not over pay. Rudy played half a season with us and had no real ties. My argument was that well run organazions, regardless of market size, are getting more attention. The Lakers can't just throw money at players and rebuild. Neither can NY with players or coaches. You can play in Portland and New Orleans and still get endorsement deals like Lillard and The Brow. If big markets are not automatic, then it is easier for small markets to retain their good players. Charlotte can attract free agents, etc.

So in the past, I know small market teams had to over pay and I don't recall denying that. I'm saying, that may not be the case in the future. Just build a strong organization and you'll have your shot. Maybe not at a superstar. But at high tier free agents.

 

[Gilles]

If I'm not mistaken, Rudy is nursing the same injury as last season. Given the circumstances, which allowed him to play in Spain, I think this might have been the final nudge, that pushed him over the top. Still he retained flexibility, and barring injury I expect Rudy to opt out, but Kings lock the core for a couple of years, and are guaranteed to have money to spend this summer. Mutual benefit indeed.

 

[Glenn]

If I'm not mistaken, Rudy is nursing the same injury as last season. Given the circumstances, which allowed him to play in Spain, I think this might have been the final nudge, that pushed him over the top. Still he retained flexibility, and barring injury I expect Rudy to opt out, but Kings lock the core for a couple of years, and are guaranteed to have money to spend this summer. Mutual benefit indeed.

I have been wondering if last year's injury ever healed fully.

 

[VF21]

If I'm not mistaken, Rudy is nursing the same injury as last season. Given the circumstances, which allowed him to play in Spain, I think this might have been the final nudge, that pushed him over the top. Still he retained flexibility, and barring injury I expect Rudy to opt out, but Kings lock the core for a couple of years, and are guaranteed to have money to spend this summer. Mutual benefit indeed.

Why? He has a good deal, he has a team and a fanbase that respects him, and he loves Sacramento. Do you really think he'll just walk away from all that?

 

[funkykingston]

Why? He has a good deal, he has a team and a fanbase that respects him, and he loves Sacramento. Do you really think he'll just walk away from all that?

Opting out after two years doesn't mean he'll leave Sacramento.

Gay is locked up for this season and two more. After that the new TV deal kicks in and the salary cap will likely be much higher. If Gay doesn't opt out I think it'd be a sign that something went wrong.

After all player option years rarely benefit that player's team. Either the player is playing well and they'll opt out for more years and money or they are playing poorly and they'll opt-in with the team being on the hook for another year of an overpaid player. That's just part of NBA contracts.