In 2006, the Grizzlies would trade fan-favorite Shane Battier to the Houston Rockets in return for former fan-favorite Stromile Swift and the 8 th overall pick - University of Connecticut standout Rudy Gay.
Rudy Gay represented a transition for the franchise, as he arrived to a Grizzlies team that was stuck in neutral as a playoff team that would get swept in the first round. The team’s lack of success led to the legacy of their beautiful uniforms outlasting the actual play on the court and the play of the team’s best player being underrated as he is still sprinkled across the top of franchise leaderboards. 500 during his tenure in Vancouver, Abdur-Rahim had a productive career as a consistent bucket and defender for those young Vancouver teams. While that did not necessarily happen as the franchise never finished above. He was immediately made the face of the franchise and given the responsibility of carrying the expansion franchise to relevance. Shareef Abdur-Rahim was the first star to don a Vancouver Grizzlies jersey. They both brought to the team the total package as players that could get their own shot as well as hold their own defensively. While the line has become more blurred over the years of what a “wing” is, there is no denying that Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Rudy Gay are two of the best wings the Grizzlies have ever had. Through these multifaceted skillsets, these players are often the most celebrated by basketball fans. On the court, they are instrumental to a team’s success as they are generally the most unique player on the floor, possessing the size of a big man while having the athleticism and shooting prowess of smaller guards and the defensive flexibility to guard multiple positions. Off the court, they are a cherished finger food that do the body good while watching the game. Subscribe to our Orlando Magic newsletter at /joinus.Wings are an American treasure, essential to a successful game day experience. The league average for every season is set to 15.0.
PER: Developed by 's John Hollinger, PER stands for Player Efficiency Rating and is intended to measure per-minute productivity. drtg: Defensive rating, an estimate of points allowed per 100 possessions.
ortg: Offensive rating, an estimate of points produced per 100 possessions. trb%: Total rebound percentage, an estimate of available rebounds a player grabbed while he was on the floor. efg%: Effective field-goal percentage, which adjusts for the fact that a 3-point field goal is worth one more point than a 2-point field goal.
Here's what those advanced statistics mean: ts%: True shooting percentage, a measure of shooting efficiency that takes into account 2-point field goals, 3-point field goals and free throws. But the Grizzlies insist they're not looking to trade him, meaning Gay should be the face of the Grizzlies for years to come. The future: The Grizzlies improbably reached the Western Conference Finals while Gay was sidelined with a shoulder injury, causing some to wonder if that made Gay expendable. And while Gay has improved, his offensive game isn't as nuanced as some of the NBA's other top scorers. He seems to be a Type B personality he's someone who doesn't always demand the ball, even when he should. Weaknesses: Even after his fifth NBA season, Gay occasionally struggles with the same problem that's plagued him since high school: His focus. Gay, only 25, still has potential to become a big-time scorer. He possesses prototype size for a small forward, and he's supremely athletic. His shooting percentage (47.1 percent) and three-point percentage (39.6) were career highs this year.
Strengths: Gay has made significant strides on offense in his four seasons, blossoming into an efficient shooter from all over the floor. He has a player option after the 2013-14 season. 503 efg%, 9.3 trb%, 108 ortg, 105 drtg, 17.8 PER Contract status: Gay is set to make about $70 million through the 2014-15 season. Rudy Gay Small forward ranking: 9th Current team: Memphis Grizzlies Height/weight: 6-9/220 Age on Nov. This week, we're focusing on small forwards. Think a player's ranking is too high or too low? Voice your opinion by writing in the comments field below. We'll unveil two rankings a day, beginning on Monday mornings with the 10th best player at a position and ending on Friday afternoons with the best player at that position. Instead, these rankings are meant to capture where players rank at this moment. These rankings also don't measure players' potential or their career achievements. These are not fantasy basketball rankings. We're ranking the NBA's top 10 players at each position over five weeks. Now we're talking about the best of the best.