NBA trade news: Sacramento Kings' Rudy Gay in LA Clippers' radar

The Los Angeles Clippers are rumoured to be eyeing Sacramento Kings swingman Rudy Gay, who has been at the centre of the latest trade talks around the league.

The Clippers have the obvious need to upgrade their wing position and acquire a three-and-D guy who could complement the team’s style of offense. One possible upgrade linked to the Clippers is Gay, according to Sacramento Bee’s Jason Jones.

While rumours about Gay in Clippers’ radar have not really materialised yet, the Kings small forward remains the best fit for LA’s problem. However, the Clips does not have much to offer to the Kings outside of the expiring contracts of Jamal Crawford and Josh Smith. But Trisity Miller of Clipperholics has a proposal that may work financially for both teams.

According to Miller, if the Kings plan to make a big splash in the free agent market, exchanging Gay and Caron Butler for Crawford and Smith’s expiring contracts, as well as Lance Stephenson’s $9 million deal, which has a team option on the final year, it could work well financially for Sacramento. This trade scenario succeeds in ESPN’s trade machine, but there remains doubts as to whether the Kings truly intend to push for a playoff run or go hard in the free agency market.

The Kings have a great chance for a playoff spot this year, with the team holding the eighth place in the Western Conference on a record of 18-23. They have won their last three games, including a 110-103 victory over the Clippers. Moreover, the Kings are starting to look like a real team, with the All-Star tandem of DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo finally showing their true potential in Sacramento.

According to Bleacher Report’s Adam Fromal, the Clippers may be the only beneficiary of trading for Gay. “Gay's athletic ability and the versatility of his game would be a boon to LAC, whether he settled in as the starting small forward or came off the bench as a supersub,” Fromal wrote.

But the likes of Crawford, Smith, or Stephenson could also provide the Kings the needed boost at the backcourt position. Their expiring contracts will also come in handy if the Kings suddenly failed to secure the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.

If the Clippers are planning to defeat powerhouses like the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors, they should strongly consider trading for a player like Gay, although it is unlikely the Kings would give them their starting forward that easily.