Recent rumors have emerged that the Houston Rockets are set to pursue Sacramento Kings small forward Rudy Gay this summer and could present their own wingman, Trevor Ariza, as a trade piece.
It is public knowledge that the Kings had been trying to trade their disgruntled veteran all throughout the summer, but the team cannot seem to find the right deal for the 10-year veteran because teams are wary of absorbing his current average annual salary of more than $13 million.
However, those who are willing to pay him his wage do not have enough assets to pull off a trade for salary-matching purposes, which is why the former Connecticut standout is still available at the moment.
After telling reporters that he wants the security that fellow NBA veterans Paul Pierce and Jamal Crawford has with the Los Angeles Clippers, Gay then recently expressed his desire to play for the Miami Heat next season. These things are said to be indications that Vlade Divac and company are surely working double-time to try and find the right deal for Gay as he is clearly unhappy with his current status with the Kings.
CBS Sports reported that "the Rockets have expressed interest in Gay", but again his salary is posing as a potential stumbling block to the trade. The report mentioned that "the Kings are not looking for a ton in return for Gay, so that may make finding a deal a little easier even with all the issues surrounding a deal".
SB Nation noted that the 29-year-old Baltimore native "would certainly fit Houston's seemingly all-out offensive approach" now that the team is under the guidance of seven-seconds-or-less head coach Mike D'Antoni.
His offensive and defensive skillsets will definitely be maximized under D'Antoni's system especially when he plays the stretch four position during small ball lineups.
The article said that the Rockets could include Ariza and Corey Brewer in a package in exchange for Gay as the salaries and perceived values do match up in that scenario.
While Ariza and Brewer are not really stars in their team as compared to Gay, they are certainly valuable role players that bring a lot to the table both in offense and defense to any team that acquires them.
