Rudy Gay to opt out of contract with Kings

Rudy Gay is still rehabbing a ruptured Achilles tendon that's sidelined him since mid-January, but the swingman plans to opt out of the final year of his contract with the Sacramento Kings, his agent, Roger Montgomery told The Undefeated's Marc J. Spears.

Gay signed a three-year, $40-million extension with the Kings in 2014, and would be due to make $14.2 million in his option year. He seemed to regret the deal almost from the moment he signed it, growing increasingly disillusioned with the dysfunctional franchise.

He warned erstwhile head coach George Karl that Sacramento was "basketball hell." He grew so disinterested with the team's roster construction that this summer he insisted: "I don't even know who our new players are." About the strongest endorsement he's given the franchise has been saying: "I have no choice but to work for the Sacramento Kings."

In other words, it's been no secret that Gay intended to bolt the first chance he got (he told the Kings as much before the start of this season), but it was unclear how the Achilles injury would affect his decision. Apparently, it has not.

So, Gay will become an unrestricted free agent. And while he'll be hard-pressed to match the annual value of his last deal, as a 30-year-old coming off an injury that tends to have lasting effects, he shouldn't have an issue landing a multiyear deal that recoups the sum he's eschewing to enter the open market.

Relevant to all this: Montgomery also told Spears that Gay is "ahead of schedule" in his rehab, and expects to be back on the court by mid-June, which may assuage some potential suitors.

In 30 games with the Kings last year, Gay averaged 18.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.9 blocks, with a career-best 55.9 true shooting percentage.