Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay informed the Kings today that he will opt out of the final year of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent, a source confirmed to Def Pen Hoops.
The Undefeated’s Marc Spears had the news first.
Coming off a season-ending Achilles injury, Gay has spent the past few weeks contemplating whether or not to opt out of his $14.2 million option for the 2017-18 season.
After originally notifying Kings management that he would opt out, Gay’s injury caused him to re-think his situation over. He feared the injury could prevent him from receiving a respectable offer this summer, but has healed well and is reportedly ahead of schedule to return.
A report surfaced in March that Gay decided to remain with the team for his final year, but multiple sources labeled the report as false.
Gay hopes to scan the league and determine potential landing destinations once free agency begins on July 1, but remains open to negotiating a new deal with the Kings, according to The Undefeated.
Gay averaged 18.7 points and 6.3 rebounds in 30 games with the Kings this year.
The Miami Heat, Indiana Pacers and Houston Rockets all expressed interest in trading for Gay this past season.
He expressed an interest in being traded to the Heat during the season, according to sources, but his thinking in the present day is currently unclear.
Rudy Gay left his previous agency, Octagon, primarily because they failed to sufficiently help the Kings in the process of securing a trade for him, sources told Def Pen Hoops’ Orazio Cauchi and I in December. Gay is now represented by Roc Nation Sports.
