Somebody is going to overpay for the services of Rudy Gay. Might as well be Minnesota.
While others are making midnight calls Thursday to LeBron or Wade or Bosh, Minnesota will be calling up Gay, according to the Star Tribune.
Yes, you are remembering correctly, the Timberwolves did draft a small forward in Wesley Johnson just last week. But Johnson is not the athlete nor does he have the potential of Gay, who was already giving Memphis 20 points a game last season on solid shooting. If he extends his range consistently out to 20 feet (or maybe the arc) he becomes much tougher.
Gay would be a good fit in Minnesota, but you are going to have to pay for him. Memphis owner Michael Heisley said he would match offers for Gay, but there are serious questions around the league that he would match a max or near max offer, about $13 million a year. Which frankly is too much for Gay right now.
But other teams will make that offer to. Teams like maybe the Clippers that need a wing player and miss out on the LeBron/Wade sweepstakes. Someone is going to do it.
Minnesota could try a sign and trade, but good luck getting Memphis to take on Al Jefferson’s deal. They are not that crazy down in Tennessee.