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The Memphis Grizzlies have made a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Rudy Gay, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today. Per team policy, financial terms were not released.
Gay, a 6-8, 230-pound forward, placed second on the Grizzlies in scoring last season (19.6 points, T-18th in the NBA) while posting 5.9 rebounds and a career-high 1.48 steals in a career-high 39.7 minutes (3rd) in 80 games (all starts) last season. The four-year NBA veteran holds career averages of 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.25 steals in 35.3 minutes in 318 career games (282 starts), all with the Grizzlies.
Currently Memphis’ longest-tenured player, the 23-year-old ranks in the Top 10 in franchise history in points (5,538, 3rd), rebounds (1,756, 8th), field goals made (2,118, 3rd), three-point field goals made (337, 4th), steals (398, 3rd), games played (8th) and games started (4th). Memphis acquired Gay’s draft rights (eighth overall in the 2006 NBA Draft) along with Stromile Swift from the Houston Rockets in exchange for Shane Battier on July 12, 2006.
In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its right of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent, the team must tender the player a qualifying offer on or prior to June 30. A restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with any team but is subject to a right of first refusal with the team for which the player last played.
