Orlando Magic Daily
Fansided

Orlando Magic Offseason Needs: Orlando Magic should target veteran leadership

By Anthony Prodanovich

TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 14: Paolo Banchero #5, Moritz Wagner #21, and Franz Wagner #22 of the Orlando Magic take part in the pre game huddle before playing the Toronto Raptors in their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on February 14, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - FEBRUARY 14: Paolo Banchero #5, Moritz Wagner #21, and Franz Wagner #22 of the Orlando Magic take part in the pre game huddle before playing the Toronto Raptors in their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on February 14, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
Rudy Gay, Utah Jazz
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – JANUARY 13: Rudy Gay #22 of the Utah Jazz shoots over Moritz Wagner #21 of the Orlando Magic during the first half of a game at Vivint Arena on January 13, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /

Veteran players the Orlando Magic should target

Rudy Gay

Rudy Gay, though not as decorated as Blake Griffin had a stretch of 10 years, from age 21 to 30, where he averaged at least 19 points, six rebounds, one steal and one block per game as a starting small forward.

Although a more difficult avenue to acquire, unlike Blake Griffin, Rudy Gay has a $6 million team option with the Utah Jazz, Gay is still contributing fairly meaningfully for a young team. All this while Gay was working his way back from an injury.

A fringe top 30 player in the NBA at his peak, recently Gay has been playing limited forward minutes on a young Jazz club that, like the Magic, has promising talent that made a push for the Playoffs. What Gay could add is a lowkey role player who always added starting quality production while playing as the second and third option.

That might be a stretch and certainly only for an emergency. But Gay can still get up some buckets when called upon.

This year for the Jazz, he averaged a career-low 5.2 points per game in 56 appearances. His shooting htis year was a career-worst 38.0 percent and 25.4 percent from deep.

Some of that might be his continuing recovery from injuries that have slowed him down the last few years. Some of that might be playing limited minutes for a team with plenty of young players they wanted to emphasize.

Gay can still be a contributor and at least a good voice in the locker room. Even though he gets plenty of good stats bad team hate throughout his career, he is still a respected member of the NBA fraternity.

Rudy Gay could mentor Franz Wagner, Caleb Houstan, Chuma Okeke and any other tweener forward on how to remain competitive and resourceful even as a role player to a winning team. Gay’s talents though useful off the court his on-court production over the past two years have dwindled as he comes near to retirement.