Which of 11 Former Memphis Grizzlies Would Make Best Fit in a Return?

AJ Salah (@Salas42_): Rudy Gay (San Antonio Spurs)

Oh, the irony.

In 2012, John Hollinger’s arrival flooded Memphis’ Front Office with pseudo-analytic brainwash. Rudy Gay’s mid-range volume chucking was deemed inefficient and he was shipped out of town.

Several months later, the Grizzlies made the 2013 Western Conference Finals; (at the time) Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley was the most crucial contributor to their run as he hampered Oklahoma CIty’s Russell Westbrook. In the West FInals, Memphis were embarrassingly swept by a Spurs team that rudely ignored their lack of wing scoring.

Fast-forward by a half-decade, and Memphis is faced with another offense-type predicament. They are very likely going to lose Tyreke Evans this summer, and are painfully shallow in bench scoring.

MarShon Brooks caught fire as a late signing, but has much to prove in sustaining that level. Non-Gasol/Evans lineups this year were trial-by-error attempts to put the ball in the net.

Gay is — at the very least — a threat off the dribble, who can create for himself and keep defenses honest. He has shot more efficiently since he left Memphis; notching all his top-three true-shooting percentage marks as an ex-Grizz. And with a market correction hitting free-agency this summer, a veteran like Rudy could be cap-friendly for Memphis.

His raw numbers were slightly deflated by San Antonio’s balanced mentality, but a team as choked for scoring depth as Memphis should welcome his skills. Gay is a familiar face for the fans, who fills a glaring need the NBA Draft might not address.