No discussions between Kings and Gay about contract extension

Rudy Gay last night had his best game of the season with 41 points. But it is not sure that Gay will stay with the Kings next season. The forward has a player option in his contract with Sacramento and coule be unrestricted free agent after this season looking for a multi-year deal.

Per Basketball Insiders, Gay’s extension possibilities are complicated by his player option. If long-term security is his top priority, then he’s better off opting out at season’s end and becoming an unrestricted free agent, where the Kings would be able to offer him a five-year contract. If he opted in he could only get an additional three years, but only if agreed to it after July. If he did so beforehand, he could only add on two additional years, as the opt in would count for one. That helps him preserve the $19.3 million payday for next year; if he opts out, his starting salary is highly unlikely to match that. Even if a team was willing to give him the max, it’d be a little less than the opt in figure at $19.2 million.
For comparison’s sake, Andre Iguodala, who the Kings briefly offered a four-year, $56 million contract this offseason that would have paid him $14 million annually, is averaging 9.8 points, four rebounds and 4.8 assists a game.
Gay has a player option for $19.3 million next year, but could pass on the bigger pay day next year in order to secure a long-term deal.
Going into the season, the Kings’ new ownership and management groups proved that they are willing to pay what it costs to keep the players they want, agreeing to a max contract with DeMarcus Cousins despite having the ability to wait until the offseason and let him test restricted free agency. They had every right to make him prove himself throughout the year before awarding him that contract, but they believed in him. So far, it looks like