These are solid contributors who would be good additions in Sacramento, but none would be able to fill the void that will be left by Rudy Gay. The list of upcoming free agent small forwards is underwhelming, with Otto Porter at the top followed by guys like Tony Snell, Ersan Ilyasova, and P.J. If the Kings look to fill the hole left by Gay with a free agent, the options are limited there as well. Most of the, albeit small, amount of talent the Kings have acquired over the years has come via the draft or by way of a trade.
One can hope, right?Īs pointed out in a previous article, Sacramento is not exactly a popular destination for free agents. Who knows? Maybe Malachi Richardson, who is averaging 21 points in the D-League, will get a call-up and blossom into a solid player.
Omri Casspi will be a free agent after this season and it's doubtful the Kings re-sign him, and you wouldn’t want him as your starting small forward anyways. He’s been a solid addition to the Kings thus far, but his aging legs can no longer handle starter minutes. Matt Barnes plays small forward, but he too has a player option for next season. Unfortunately, what they have is next to nothing. In terms of replacing a player as important as Rudy Gay, the Kings options are limited. He told the Kings that he would decline the option and test the free agent market, in search of higher earnings or a more stable franchise, or both. The 3-year extension Gay signed in 2014 had a player option for the third year, allowing him to opt out of the contract that is set to pay him $14,263,566 for the ’17-’18 season. Before training camp commenced in October, Sacramento Kings small forward Rudy Gay informed the team's front office that he will choose to become a free agent at the conclusion of the season.