Former Utah Jazz forward Rudy Gay is a free agent still and it shouldn’t surprise anyone

Former Utah Jazz forward Rudy Gay is still a free agent.

Rudy Gay, the long-time forward for the Memphis Grizzlies, spent the last few seasons in Salt Lake as a member of the Utah Jazz. His time saw him compete for the playoffs and then helped provide guidance to the younger players the following year after the team traded away its biggest stars.

He was an admirable player for the Jazz, and he helped the Jazz get better by being a trade piece for the Atlanta Hawks during the offseason. The Jazz flipped a second-round pick and Gay to the Hawks in exchange for John Collins, a noticeable upgrade over Gay. Eventually, Gay got traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he was released by the club.

Now, at age 37, Gay remains unsigned with little to no interest in him from other teams. That shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone watching. While Gay had been a viable forward into his mid-30s, he’s fallen off considerably and isn’t the same player he was, even as recently as his time in San Antonio with the Spurs.

His field goal percentage from inside the three-point line has fallen 124 points in four years. His three-point shot has fallen 148 points. He’s no longer the same scorer. And did we mention, he’s 37?

Some outlets are writing like it’s a shocking thing that a player, who is old and no longer a viable offensive or defensive option is still unsigned. Like it’s some cosmic mystery, but in actuality, it’s not complicated or hard to understand at all; Gay is old and slow.

He’s aging out of the league, an event that happens to everyone, and for many of them, much sooner. Gay held on to his spot in the league for longer than most, and it’s very likely that someone, at some point, give him one last shot but it’s not at all surprising that a struggling, old player, isn’t being given any more opportunities when there is so much young talent to shift through.