Rudy Gay got angry at what happened between him and the Grizzlies in 2013

Rudy Gay was a mainstay in the Memphis Grizzlies lineup from 2006 to 2013. He was often one of the best scorers on the team and was seen as a premier small forward around the league. He held that role for a long time, so he was surprised when he got traded in 2013 to the Toronto Raptors.

Since Gay was attached to the city of Memphis, he had bad blood against the front office because he felt blindsided by the deal that sent him to Canada. Rudy wanted to see it through with the Grizzlies amidst the ownership and management change, but he was traded before he could see the results.

“Obviously, that was just out of a little bit of anger. There were a lot of people in Memphis and a lot of relationships I left in Memphis that I'll always have,” Gay said to USA Today in 2013. “It was a total shock to me. I never went to any of the new management and told them that I wanted to be traded. I've never done that.”

Gay was a superb player for the Grizzlies

Any Grizzlies fan in the 2000s and early 2010s genuinely appreciates Rudy. He stuck around with the team for a long time, cementing himself as the best perimeter scorer. Gay was often the matchup for the best players in the league, like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, but he did not look out of place in that role.

Whenever the team needed a bucket, the ball would end up in Gay’s hands. He was a natural scorer because he could do his damage in isolation and mid-range pull-ups, but he could also post up his matchup and hit fadeaway shots.

Rudy was an underrated scorer amongst his fellow wing players but had the upside to average 25+ points per game if given the opportunity and not be part of the loaded Grizzlies frontcourt with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, who also needed touches to score. In the end, Gay played 479 games for the Memphis Grizzlies, and he averaged a very respectable 17.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.

Gay’s reaction was understandable

Since he was such a loyal player to the Grizzlies, it was understandable that he was angry after the trade. He wanted to stay in Memphis and finish what he started with the team alongside the new management. However, he was not part of the plans and relegated to the side.

It was unfortunate, but Gay understood that the NBA is a business and will continue to happen. This was also an opportunity for Rudy to spread his wings and become a more prominent player in Toronto. He remained a steady wing throughout his career, finishing a 17-year career in Utah during the 2022/23 season.

Related: Grizzlies icon Zach Randolph to be inducted into Memphis Sports Hall of Fame