Gay: "I Want Some Kind Of Consistency, We Don't Have That Here"
SACRAMENTO (KHTK1140) -- As the Sacramento Kings shift from the George Karl experiment to the Dave Joerger era, many players on the team have voiced their opinion on the state of the franchise - small forward Rudy Gay is no exception.
The 12-year-veteran sat down in an interview recently with SB Nation's Sactown Royalty and made several transparent remarks about the direction the organization is going, trade rumors and what to expect next season.
"Obviously, we don't have anything to really build on," Gay said about this year's offseason. "We have a new coach. I think that's the only thing we can really build on."
Despite the coaching change to Joerger, a defensive-minded guy who has seen success over the last few years in Memphis, Gay admitted he still doesn't know what to expect.
"He coached me in Memphis," Gay said of his new head coach. "I knew him as the assistant, that's two different things. But from what I saw, Mike Conley has made strides since he was hired, Marc Gasol made strides. And last year, you've got to give him his credit with all the injuries they had, they still made it to the playoffs."
After finishing 33-49 last season, the Kings made a splash in the coaching market in hopes to crack the West's top eight. However, when draft time came around, several Kings fans were left scratching their heads.
Heading into the draft, the biggest weakness the Kings had was the starting point guard position. After Rajon Rondo and Seth Curry left, the only starter-caliber guard on the Kings roster was Darren Collison, who is still dealing with a domestic violence issue from June. While no charges have been filed, it would seem wise to get some insurance on the bench.
Star center DeMarcus Cousins made a public comment as the draft picks for Sacramento were rolling in, tweeting "Lord give me the strength" with a praying hands emoji. He claimed it was about something else, but Cousins, along with the rest of the fan base, were left wondering what general manager Vlade Divac's plan is.
On discussing the team's latest additions and the possibility of being traded, Gay had little to comment.
"Honestly, I haven't paid attention," Gay said. "I don't even know who our new players are to be honest with you. I've just been focused on trying to be healthy and trying to get in shape and get ready for the season, wherever that might be."
Despite reports coming out that Gay formally requested for a trade, he made clear in this interview that he did not, in fact, ask for a trade.
The frustration from Gay after last season is evident. Since being traded to Sacramento in Dec. of 2013, Gay has had three coaches and starting point guards in less than three seasons and the team has yet to sniff the playoffs.
"At this point in my career, I think I want some kind of consistency," Gay said. "We don't have that here, at all."
When asked what he's looking for in a team as a player, Gay continued the theme of consistency.
"I feel like I still have a lot of years left," he said. "With stability, look at people like Jamal Crawford, look at people like Paul Pierce, a lot of people. When they have that stability and they know what their worth is for a team and what their job is for a team, how they can work on that and play for that team."
The interview also touched on his offseason surgery. For the past two years, Gay said he's had Achilles tendonitis bugging him and he finally received medical attention after the season.
"I feel better than I have in at least two years," Gay said about his surgery. "I'm excited."
