The Golden State Warriors are signing veteran small forward Rudy Gay to a one-year deal, according to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Gay played for the Utah Jazz last season.
The Jazz traded Gay to the Atlanta Hawks, who then traded the swingman to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder waived Gay, allowing him to sign with the Warriors.
Gay averaged 5.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 56 games last season while shooting 38.0% from the field, 25.4% from beyond the arc and 85.7% from the free-throw line. The UConn product was healthy minus a finger joint sprain that sidelined him for two weeks.
The 37-year-old Gay has career averages of 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 1,120 games with the Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Jazz. He played with Warriors stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson on the 2014 FIBA World Cup Team. Team USA won the 2014 gold medal.
The Warriors lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2023 Western Conference Semifinals in six games. It was the first time Golden State didn’t make the NBA Finals while playing in the postseason in the Steve Kerr era, which began in 2014-15.
The Warriors made a big trade this offseason, sending Jordan Poole to the Washington Wizards for Chris Paul. Golden State is expected to start Paul, Curry, Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green next season.
The Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls and New Orleans Pelicans were also linked to Gay, who has been in the NBA since 2006. He was the eighth overall pick in the 2006 draft.
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