Gay is a player who can offer much more versatility than Iguodala, posting similarity scores on par with hybrid wing-power forward types such as Iguodala’s former teammate, Thaddeus Young. However, Gay is a much different player when analyzed critically. There is nothing wrong with this mindset, because Gay does play the same position as Iguodala, has similar freakish athleticism, and both players put up somewhat similar statistics. They see Gay as a rich man’s Andre Iguodala, a player with an exceptional work rate who is willing to do whatever possible to help his team win. Many of these fans see Gay as a near-superstar who provides much-needed scoring, rebounding, and bolsters the Grizzlies’ already solid perimeter defense.
To the casual NBA fan, this trade seems perplexing. Could these guys be up to something, or is it just me? The Grizz had a recent change of scenery in their front office as well, with the hiring of Jason Levien as CEO and John Hollinger as VP of Basketball Operations. This week, the Memphis Grizzlies were involved in a trade that will send one of their franchise players, and arguably the face of their franchise, Rudy Gay, to the Toronto Raptors.
