Milwaukee Bucks: 10 potential mid-level exception NBA free agency targets

Rudy Gay

Having spent years as a highly productive scorer and borderline All-Star in the Western Conference, Rudy Gay is certainly approaching the home straight of his career, if he’s not already on it.

Gay is heading into his 13th season and will be 32 before the new campaign kicks off. The combination of age and injuries are probably starting to show their effects in terms of athleticism and quickness, but that certainly doesn’t mean Gay is no longer a really effective.

Gay is a smooth and gifted natural scorer who has averaged double-digits in points per game for every season of his career and has only been below 17 points per game on two occasions — his rookie season and last year in San Antonio.

While last season’s status falling in that bracket may seem like a major warning sign against what Gay can offer in the coming year, it could just as easily be spun as a major positive. For the first time in his career, Gay accepted lesser minutes in a bench scoring role, and his scoring average held up to his previous exploits when adjusted per 36 minutes.

As was evidenced in San Antonio, Gay’s fit has become increasingly specific but his scoring ensures he can still positively influence games.

You don’t necessarily want Gay taking up the toughest defensive assignments at this point in his career, nor should he be taking the most shots on a team, but as a bench scoring forward, there aren’t going to be many free agents who offer a threat as great as him within this price range.