Next stop for Rudy Gay: Miami
Rudy Gay
So much attention was paid to New York’s recruiting pitch to LeBron James at MSG last month — like bringing in the newly-crowned champion Yankees to sit courtside and chat up The King — that it mostly buried the fact that Miami probably outdid NYC one week later when LeBron visited their gym. The Heat brought in Penny Hardaway (LBJ’s favorite player growing up), plus Jordan and Pippen (the Bulls were his favorite team), and gave ‘Bron a first-hand reminder of what it would be like to play with Dwyane Wade.
The whole thing was a microcosm of how the free-agent summer of 2010 has been covered: New York gets all the hype and intrigue, while everybody forgets that Miami, among other advantages, has just as much cap room and at least a competitive level of marketing appeal to offer big-name targets. (I don’t know about you, but I don’t get the impression D-Wade and Shaq were hurting for endorsement opportunities in Miami.)
In Pat Riley‘s perfect world, the Heat will re-sign Wade and team him with LeBron in 2010, and Riley will retire with more rings than Phil Jackson, Larry King and Bilbo Baggins combined.
But every pipe dream needs a backup plan. And in the unlikelihood that Miami lands two A-List superstars, I’m making a prediction: Rudy Gay will sign with the Heat.
As much money as NBA teams spend on collecting game film and sending scouts on the road, you can’t overestimate what it means for the front office decision-makers to see a player perform in-person. As I watched Gay drop 41 points on Miami’s home court yesterday, channeling Harold Miner and James White with some of his dunks, I could just picture team owner Micky Arison shooting Riley glances like, “Can we get this kid?”
Showing off all of the skills that earned him Reggie Lewis comparisons growing up in Baltimore and Pippen comparisons coming out of UConn, Rudy at once exposed Miami’s biggest weakness (small forward) and showed exactly how he’d fill the void in a second-star role next to Wade or whoever the Heat spends its max dollars on.
This much I do know: When the time comes, Gay’s people will laugh at Memphis’ $4.4 million qualifying offer, and the cash-strapped Grizzlies won’t match any big-money offer he gets as a restricted free agent. I also know Gay has been losing 70% of his games playing in half-empty arenas for a team with zero mainstream appeal his entire pro career. Looking at the teams that have big money to spend (Nets, Knicks, Heat, Bulls, Wolves, Thunder, Clippers), Miami offers Rudy the best combination of potentially playing for a winner, getting some attention, and getting major paid.
A lot has been made recently about Wade’s future plans, primarily because the Heat have been losing (like last night’s 28-point defeat to the Grizzlies). At least initially, however, Wade will lean toward staying with the Heat. One, they can pay him the most money. Two, Miami is one of the few “destination” spots in the League, a place where free agents want to sign and guys hope to get traded to no matter how good or bad the team is, simply because of all the city has to offer.
But the best way for Riley and Arison to keep Wade on their side is to put a title-contending team around him. They’ll roll out the red carpet and rally girls for Bosh and Amar’e and LeBron and the usual suspects, but my gut tells me they’ll ultimately get Rudy Gay’s name on the dotted line. Not that it’s anything to be disappointed about.
In your gut, which teams do you feel will land 2010′s big-name free agents? (LeBron, Wade, Bosh, Johnson, Amar’e, Boozer, Ginobili, Gay, Ray Allen, Shaq, T-Mac, Iverson, etc.)
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December 14th, 2009 at 10:28 am
loganlight says:
As a heat fan, I would love to see Gay and Wade together… BUT, they are going to need a long term solution in the middle. O’neal is decent, but his knees are going to catch up with him quick, and he seems undersized when pitted against Howard, Shaq, and even Perkins.
It would be great if Miami could land Amare, though he’s not enough to be an outright contender, it would be a great step in the right direction. They would still need a hard nosed center to compete, but they could move B-East to SF…
But yes, I couldn’t help but think that Rudy was filling out an application for Pat Riley last night. Good look.
LL
December 14th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Chicagorilla says:
I don’t know how well he’d mesh with Wade and Beasley. They’d have to get rid of Super Bees, because he is more a SF than a PF (in his mind at least). I can see Rudy in Chicago though, in a sign and trade deal for Loul Deng. that would be lovely.
December 14th, 2009 at 10:42 am
MSkittle says:
Gay is amazing. So underrated
December 14th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Bass says:
I would like to see gay in a heat uniform, but i do think the heat should first try to get bosh in a sign and trade centered around beasly. Then if possible try and grab Rudy in the off season. If Arison is willing to take the luxary tax hit a core of Wade Gay and Bosh is a formidable one to biuld around.
December 14th, 2009 at 10:49 am
Vic De Zen says:
With the way this Grizzlies team is playing, I wouldn’t be surprised if he re-signed. Seriously.
December 14th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Detroit Dave says:
He goes to Detroit to add to the Rip Hamilton,Ben Gordon, Charlie V – UConn connection. Tayshaun gets traded and that how the story ends.
December 14th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Ducky The Truth says:
@3
i 100% agree.
December 14th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Joshua says:
miami: wade (not max deal) bosh/amare ray allen
Cleveland: lebron (not max deal) bosh/amare
Newyork: joe johnson(max deal) boozer
Nets: T-mac Gay(almost max deal out of desperation)
Spurs: ginobili
thunder : shaq like a mentor for the young guns and so he can boost about durant being the best he ever played with
+ the thunder need a shotblockin wide body in the middle krstic is just a filler and BJ mullens wont cut for years to come and shaq can mentor him
the rest wont get nothing not enough appeal wolves
and the clippers are jsut a bunch of losers with a crazy owner
thought on this anybody
December 14th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Joshua says:
i meant ray allen cleveland sorry
December 14th, 2009 at 11:03 am
joe_flow says:
Just a thought. How bout they get a dominant big plus some decent wing or role players? I thought they were trying to get B-easy to play the wing?
December 14th, 2009 at 11:30 am
LoBezn0 says:
Gay to the Heat with Wade re-signing, then Heat make a three-team trade with Orlando and some other that will land them Gortat, them shipping out Beasley to the third team, and Orlando getting a young back-up PG and/or C. Then Heat re-sign Haslem to a long-term, cap-friendly deal.
December 14th, 2009 at 11:46 am
LoBezn0 says:
As of right now, according to my gut:
LeBron stays with the Cavs;
Wade stays with the Heat;
Bosh stays with the Raps;
Johnson bolts to the Bulls;
Amar’e signs with the Suns with the same number of years Nash has on his extension;
Boozer completes an under-the-table,handshake deal with the Nets before free agency begins, then signs with the Rockets;
Ginobili stays with the Spurs;
Gay signs with the Heat;
Ray Allen stays with the Celtics;
Shaq goes to the Nets to turn Brook Lopez into the Big Ivy Leaguer Championship Winner, and christens Devin Harris as the best PG he’s ever played with;
T-Mac signs with the Knicks;
Iverson finally signs with the Knicks.
December 14th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
PMI says:
Wade is going to Chicago.
December 14th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
bfears says:
thts a pretty good scenario. lol @ “Boozer completes an under-the-table,handshake deal with the Nets before free agency begins, then signs with the Rockets”
December 14th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
Kaanon says:
I hope the knicks get Rudy Gay.
December 14th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
POPPI GEE says:
I am just glad T-Mac got on the list as a “Big Name” free agent.
December 14th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
karstn says:
Hey, norwegian heat fan checkin’ in here. Have been watching a alot of the Heat this year and to me it seems that dwade is enjoying his franchise as much as lebron atm. And I hope both he and Pat Riley are commited to winning more rings in miami.
Lol, some thoughts on next season;
The Heat have a nice young core of role players that a contender needs (Wright,Cook,Chalmers) a (in this scenario) third scorer with a variety of skills (Beasley, poor mans Odom atm, but a serious beast!) And it is just no way that Haslem leaves town.
Go aggresivly after Rudy Gay, ink him and get Wade to sign next. To fill out the roster i would go after the wizards free agent to bee, Brendan Haywood. He still has alot of basketball left, is an underrated defender and looks to me like he would most welcome a team in such order as the Heat (Peckin order would be crystal clear on that team)
This would give them a starting unit of;
Chalmers
Wade
Gay
Beasley
Haywood
and Cook,Wright,Haslem bench.
Ofc the bench would need work, but that 5 wouls stir up alot of excitement around calle ocho. haha.
GO HEAT!
December 14th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
John says:
Heat will sign Wade, Gay, Boozer and Bosh. We will ship Quentin, JO, James Jones , Diawara, Arroyo, Beasley, Joel Antony and Quin.
Mario Chalmers – Veteran for the minimum
D- Wade – D. Cook
Rudy Gay – D. Wright
Carlos Boozer – Udonis Haslem
C. Bosh – Jamal Magloire
Pat Riley return to the bench and we gonna win 3 chips in a row. Book it.
December 14th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
TBO says:
The Heat have done an amazing job clearing up cap space for the 2010 free agent class. The Bulls have a chance to steal Wade away, but they will need a huge org change to entice the big time free agents
http://gameofinches.blogspot.com/2009/12/does-vinny-get-fired-before-after-or-on.html
December 14th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
j-dizub says:
Miami needs a dominant big man. Otherwise they’ll remain playoff fodder for Dwight Howard and the Magic, who aren’t going anywhere.
December 16th, 2009 at 8:02 am
eazy yi says:
how could derrick rose and dwyane wade play well together?
December 16th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
nevacare says:
DWade to Chicago. Maybe even with Boozer. The Rockets will have $$$ to spend because they won’t re-sign She-Mac.Don’t be surprised if Joe Johnson ends up back with the Celts because I don’t think they will resign Ray Allen. The BIG question is what is Mark Cuban going to do he’s ready to throw some $$$ around because he sees the window is closing fast on Dirk & Co… The Rockets might go after Gay to play SG & correct their draft day blunder trade for Battier
December 16th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
nevacare says:
DWade to Chicago. Maybe even with Boozer. The Rockets will have $$$ to spend because they won’t re-sign She-Mac.Don’t be surprised if Joe Johnson ends up back with the Celts because I don’t think they will resign Ray Allen. The BIG question is what is Mark Cuban going to do he’s ready to throw some $$$ around because he sees the window is closing fast on Dirk & Co… The Rockets might go after Gay to play SG & correct their draft day blunder trade for Battier. Amare may be able to play Center in Dallas. Lebron needs to head West the East is loaded all of a sudden.lol
December 17th, 2009 at 2:39 am
Cp says:
I see an absolute shocking amount of Boozer trade scenarios in the comments of this website. Boozer for Haslem? Do you think the Jazz front office are morons?
Seriously… Carlos Boozer is avg over 20 and 10 people. The scenarios I sometimes see are seriously bonkers.