“San Antonio Spurs” by Ashley Landis/USATODAY is licensed under CC BY 3.0

It’s fair to say the season didn’t go as expected for San Antonio Spurs fans or, at least, it didn’t go as they had hoped. The team’s wait for a return to the NBA’s head table rumbles on. They have won 22 divisional titles, six conference titles and an impressive five championships but the drought has been going on since 2017. 

Will Spurs ever win an NBA Championship again and take their tally to six? They last got their hands on the grand prize in 2014 and that is far too long of a gap in the eyes of those loyal to the team in black and silver. 

While fans of rival teams pick through the top NBA betting sites, eager to back their side in the latter stages, Spurs supporters must look to the future. The offseason will be a transitional one for the club and there are some big decisions they must get right. One question in particular continues to burn in the mind.

Will he stay or will he go?

How do you solve a problem like Rudy Gay? That’s something San Antonio wants to know the answer to and they must solve the puzzle quickly. Moves made at this point of the year will have a huge impact on how the team performs. One wrong signing could have a lasting effect. One player allowed to leave when he should’ve stayed could come back to haunt them. NBA success is built during the offseason and titles are won and lost on the tightest of margins. It’s imperative the coaching staff and board get it right.

So, what’s the latest with Rudy? The talented forward continues to split opinion amongst fans but one side of the argument will get their way this summer as he is approaching the end of his contract at the club. It has been a time of highs and lows for Gay and Spurs. But his time could be up. The board and coaching staff must decide if they want to make him an offer to stay. Is he worth the money? Does he have what it takes to take the team forward over the next few seasons?

Perhaps he doesn’t want to stay in San Antonio. It’s possible the player and his agents have already decided that the time is right to take on a new challenge. To wipe the slate clean, move away from the Spurs and work towards getting himself back to the top. Rumours suggest Rudy has already decided he’s off, but at this stage such comments are exactly that. Rumours. Fans must wait until the official news comes from the club on a contract being offered and either signed or rejected by Gay’s representatives.

“San Antonio Spurs” by Getty Images is licensed under CC BY 3.0

Arguments for and against

There are certainly reasons the club should break the bank to keep him. Those fans that are firmly in support of offering Rudy a new contract will point to the stats. He boasts a solid near 12 points average and 5.6 rebounds. That sort of return and that sort of consistency won’t be easy to replace in the trades. Although the money freed up by cancelling his wages could be put to good use.

Those against Rudy staying, the critics in the camp, accuse the player of being too greedy. They say he’s overly confident in his own ability and that mindset stops him being the type of team player Spurs need next season. It’s true, Gay will try to force a shot off whenever possible, sometimes denying a teammate an easier chance. 

That is just part of his game and something the coaches won’t be able to train out of him. He could sign a contract keeping him at Spurs until 2030 and he’ll always have that trait. He’s a man that seeks glory at all costs. Sometimes it comes off, often it doesn’t and he’s left looking selfish. That annoys many fans.

In the coming weeks supporters will get an answer one way or another. Will they be cheering Gay on from courtside or will they be watching him strutting his stuff for a rival team?