When Rudy Gay tore his left Achilles tendon in January while playing for the Kings, he at least had the assurance of a $14.2 million guaranteed contract for next season.
That assurance is apparently gone, however, as Gay will opt out of the final year of his contract and become a free agent, according to Marc J. Spears of ESPN.
Rudy Gay to opt-out of his Kings contract and expects to be back on the court mid-June, @TheUndefeated has learned. https://t.co/X4SW6DlhvF
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) May 8, 2017
With the Kings in full rebuilding mode after trading DeMarcus Cousins before February's trade deadline, it would have been a no-brainer for Gay to opt out were it not for his injury. His decision to test free agency indicates that he's confident with his recovery so far, and feels he can return at full strength in the upcoming season.
Gay can flat out score -- he averaged 18.7 points and 6.3 rebounds in 30 games with the Kings this season before his injury -- and his ability to play both forward spots will be an asset in the free-agent market.
It's safe to say a return to the Kings is out of the question, so it will be interesting to see which teams bid for Gay's services this summer.
