Rudy Gay and his outrageous salary hurts the Toronto Raptors

I’m stating clearly, from the beginning, that Toronto Raptors forward Rudy Gay is a good NBA player. Even though he’s the antagonist in this video, I still like him. The thing I don't like about him: he's grossly overpaid. His contract is so debilitating, the Raptors are worse off with him on the team.

To begin, let’s play everyone’s favorite game and compare some player salaries from the 2012-13 year, specifically Gay’s, LeBron James‘s and Kevin Durant‘s (all figures courtesy of ShamSports.com).

Gay: $16,460,538
James: $17,545,000
Durant: $17,832,627

Only a crazy person would trash the Durant and James salaries. The Gay salary? It’s a little harder to defend.

For instance, Gay is a career 18 point per game (ppg) scorer, struggles shooting the three (he shot only 34 per cent behind the arc with the Raptors, just under the league average) and hasn’t shown any real statistical improvement since his second year. Basically, what Toronto received in the Jose Calderon, Ed Davis trade was a near-maximum contract guy who has likely reached his potential, will earn close to $18 million next year, and $19.3 million the year after (if Gay exercises his player option).

With a salary cap projection of $60 million for the 2013-14 season, Gay’s salary will eat up almost one third of the Raptors’ cap space.To further rag on Gay’s contract, let’s put it into some more perspective: DeMar DeRozan averaged 18 ppg last season, is only 23 years old (Gay is 27) and will make $9.5 million per year for the next four years. DeRozan is properly paid. If he continues to improve, his $9.5-million price tag will be a steal. Gay, meanwhile, is fast-approaching Joe Johnson territory–he’s becoming an overpaid player who has little chance to play up to his contract.

So, what can the Raptors do with Gay?

Unfortunately, the Raps are stuck with him. Unless whomever Masai Ujiri can swing a deal (don't rule this out, he pulled off the Bargnani deal after all), Toronto fans can only hope Gay doesn’t exercise his player option after next season (which he probably will, since I doubt any team will offer him close to $19 million in free agency). Toronto’s best case scenario would see Gay leave after next season, freeing up cap room for a loaded 2014 free agency class.

Toronto’s worst case scenario is that Gay posts two decently productive seasons with the Raps and the team signs him to a maximum contract. Let’s hope not.