NBA Player Rankings: Top-10 Small Forwards In The NBA

Apr 7, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay (8) drives to the basket against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine (8) during the second quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

9. Rudy Gay, Sacramento Kings

Numbers to know:
Points Per Game – 20.1, 18.9, 19.6, 19.8, 19.0, 18.2, 20.0, 21.1 (14-15)
Rebounds Per Game – 6.2, 5.5, 5.9, 6.2, 6.4, 6.1, 6.0, 5.9 (14-15)
Steals Per Game – 1.4, 1.2, 1.5, 1.7, 1.5, 1.5, 1.3, 1.0 (14-15)

*last eight seasons

What’s more shocking than Gay already entering his 10th season? In an era where every other player has found their way onto the injury report — last season, NBA teams combined to lose over 4,600 games & $344 million in salary dollars to injuries — the wiry Gay has managed to play over 90 percent of his team’s games in his career.

Remove his rookie season, and Gay is a model of consistency, averaging 18-21 points, 5.5-6.4 rebounds, 1.0-1.7 steals per game, and hitting free throws at an 80 percent clip. So, the question is, why is he ranked this low?

After nine seasons, he’s only been to the playoffs once, the strike-shortened 2011-12 season where his Grizzlies bowed out in round one. His above-average steals totals mask his below-average defense, as he’s had a Defensive Rating of 102 (points allowed per 100 possessions) or worse in every season.

Finally, he’s got a stigma that’s following him around — his team improves once he’s out of the lineup. Memphis won their first ever playoff series in 2010-11, while Gay missed the second half of the season with a dislocated left shoulder. The following season, Gay was traded to Toronto and Memphis went on to make the Conference Finals. The Raptors were a floundering 7-12 at the start of the 2013-14 season. After trading away Gay, Toronto went on to finish a franchise record (at the time) 48 wins and grabbed an Atlantic Division championship.

Next: Chandler Parsons