Kings' Rudy Gay: Informs Kings he's unlikely to return next season

Gay informed Kings management Monday that he plans to decline his $14.3 million contract for the 2017-18 season and become an unrestricted free agent next summer, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports.

Analysis:

In addition, Gay told the Kings that he's not interested in renegotiating a new deal with the tean, so it appears that he's putting pressure on the organization to trade him at some point this season or risk losing him for no compensation when he hits free agency. The Kings had already been listening to trade offers on the forward, but are believed to be seeking a substantial return, which has halted the momentum in those discussions. Gay is coming off one of his least productive years in recent memory, and the constant inefficiencies he's displayed throughout his 10-year career have shown that the former Connecticut standout isn't capable of serving as a team's primary option on offense. As such, the Kings may have to reduce their demands if they hope to find common ground with teams during trade talks.