NBA Trade Rumors: Miami Heat In Talks With Sacramento Kings For Rudy Gay

Rudy Gay is one step closer to joining the Miami Heat, or another NBA team. According to one of the NBA trade rumors floating about, the Heat and Sacramento Kings are engaged in talks that could potentially send Gay to Miami. If the rumors are true, the Sacramento Kings could be sending Rudy Gay to the Miami Heat within the next few days.

Basketball Insiders is reporting that the Heat and Kings are currently discussing a three-player swap. In the proposed trade, the Heat would ship point guard Goran Dragic to the Kings, who would send Gay and Darren Collison to the Heat. If the trade rumor goes as reported, the Heat would be taking on more salary with Dragic set to earn $15.8 million this season. Gay and Collison are slated to make $13.3 million and $5.2 million.

In the report, offered an Eastern Conference executive’s take on Rudy Gay’s status with the Kings. The executive believes that the Kings must move on. The best team for him could be the Heat.

“Sacramento has to trade Gay. He’s already informed them he doesn’t like it there. They can’t let him walk for nothing.”

There are a handful of NBA teams who would welcome a trade for Gay. Along with the Miami Heat are the Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and Minnesota Timberwolves as teams rumored to have an interest in the small forward.

As the NBA trade rumors were circulating about Rudy Gay and his possible destinations, the Miami Heat was reportedly his desired choice, according to CBS Sports.

Going to the Miami Heat makes all the sense in the world for Rudy Gay.

The Heat have a need for a small forward who can put up points. Gay is one of the better scorers at his position. He has been a borderline NBA All-Star throughout most of his career. There is a void of offense up and down the Heat roster. Adding Gay would give the Heat a go-to option for what will likely be a rebuilding season. Gay would relish being the top scoring option on a team like the Heat.

There is also no state income tax in Florida, so financially, Gay gets more money in comparison to California’s state income tax of 13.3 percent. It would be the same if he were to play for the Houston Rockets.

What would eliminate the Rockets from the discussion is they are lacking tradable assets. The Sacramento Kings would love to have a point guard come back to them in a trade of Rudy Gay. It is unlikely that the Rockets will part ways with their starting PG Patrick Beverly because of his defensive prowess.

Kings, Heat reportedly have discussed deal involving Rudy Gay and Goran Dragichttps://t.co/rJ75o5gE4c pic.twitter.com/LpPcg0NFWr

— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) October 18, 2016

Other teams, such as the Bulls can offer one of their backup point guards, but neither of them match up salary-wise. Plus, if the Bulls were to trade with the Kings, they would rather go after Kings’ All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins.

The Timberwolves could offer Ricky Rubio, but chances are they will wait to see how he fits in head coach Tom Thibodeau’s system first.

The Heat can offer Goran Dragic, a pretty good point guard, who could make the Kings and DeMarcus Cousins happy. Potentially getting Dragic back from the Heat puts the Kings in the discussion for a playoff appearance. It could have lasting ramifications if the NBA trade rumors come to fruition.

The Sacramento Kings will be in danger of losing their first round draft pick to the Bulls if they land out of the top-10 of the NBA draft lottery. At the same time, the Kings want to please their fans and end the longest current NBA playoff drought.

That might be motivation enough to complete the deal sending Rudy Gay and Darren Collison to the Heat for Goran Dragic. At some point, the fans will turn on the Kings if they continue to be irrelevant come playoff time. It definitely does not make sense for the Kings to hold on to Gay too much longer. It is best for both the Heat and Kings if a deal comes out of this NBA trade rumor.

Of the NBA trade rumors to come out in the past couple of weeks, Rudy Gay and Darren Collison to the Miami Heat for Goran Dragic may have some legs. Do not be surprised if the Miami Heat and Sacramento Kings come up with something sooner rather than later. The Heat and Kings could put something together before the NBA preseason comes to an end.

[Featured Image by Ethan Miller/Getty Images]