Raptors' Gay likely headed to Sacramento
LOS ANGELES -- A proposed trade sending Toronto forward Rudy Gay to the Sacramento Kings wasn't a done deal before the Raptors faced the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.
"We won't have three guys tonight. Nothing's official, so that's all I can say right now," Toronto coach Dwane Casey said before the game. "Until it's official, I can't comment on it. I'm sure we'll have something to talk about tomorrow.
"I wish I could comment, but we've got to go with the guys in uniform. That's why you stay ready to compete in this league. It's a business. One day you may not be playing, and the next day you have to be prepared to do your job."
The deal, first reported by Yahoo Sports, would send Gay, center Aaron Gray and forward Quincy Acy to the Kings for point guard Greivis Vasquez, guard John Salmons and forwards Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes.
The 6-foot-8 Gay was Toronto's second-leading scorer at 19.4 points per game and second-leading rebounder at 7.4 boards per game. Forward Landry Fields replaced Gay in the starting lineup against the Lakers.
"It's never a good time to lose one of your star players, but it's a situation that we all have to roll with," Casey said. "It's a business; it's the NBA. We still have some good players in the locker room. We've got some guys and young kids looking for an opportunity to play. This is their opportunity.
"Rudy is a prince of a guy. He's an athletic, dynamic wing player that gets to the basket, can shoot the ball and handle the ball well. We were using him more in drag situations, pick-and-roll situations. He was growing into that role (and) doing a better job. That was a different role for him, but he was growing into it. That's what he means to us."
Vasquez, 26, is producing 9.8 points, 5.3 assists and 1.9 rebounds per game.
Salmons, 33, averages 5.8 point, 2.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists.
Patterson, 24, provides 6.9 points and 5.8 boards per game. Hayes, 30, is averaging 2.1 points and 2.9 rebounds.
Gray, 29, and Acy, 23, were little-used reserves for Toronto.
