The Kings upset Rudy Gay by not talking to him about trading him. Then, they got on the same page by talking to him about trading him.
What will it take to actually get a deal done?
Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders:The next hurdle is value. League sources say while there are teams that have expressed interest in Gay – most notably the Houston Rockets – getting anything of real value back on what could be a one-year rental at Gay’s price tag is hard math to make work.
There is a sense among league insiders 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.
The Rockets added offensive talent this offseason in Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon and Mike D’Antoni to complement James Harden. Gay would fit the trend.
Sacramento might want Trevor Ariza in an exchange of small forwards. Houston would probably rather use Corey Brewer as centerpiece of a trade. (Neither player alone would make salaries match, though Gay could be traded for Ariza and Brewer.)
The Kings might not be seeking much for Gay, but their definition of selling low could still be higher than what the rest of the league considers fair value. There’s a reason a trade hasn’t happened yet.