The Sacramento Kings have seemingly been active on the trade market over the past few weeks. At the center of those reported discussions has been forward Rudy Gay.
Gay has been rumored to be on the move for a while, especially in reference to the New Orleans Pelicans. While nothing of note has occurred yet, there is a new report saying that the Kings are willing, if not seeking, to trade Gay.
Sacramento is said to be seeking a quality young player in return if it parts with Gay. Or a player they like with at least one year left on his contract after this season, which would give the Kings some insulation against trading for someone in February who turns around and leaves town in July. (Gay, 29, is scheduled to earn $13.3 million from the Kings next season before he’s forced to decide on a $14.3 million player option in 2017-18)
This is a really smart idea by the Kings. Gay is a valuable player who can net some decent trades on the market. However, Sacramento is currently playing well as is and has a chance of making the playoffs this season. If this report is true, it shows that the Kings are looking to the future in building a perennial contender but are being prudent enough to not sacrifice the present of the team.
Being a team that is often criticized for questionable decisions, this is a welcome sight for Kings fans.
