A Royal Pain
Fansided

Sacramento Kings 2010s All-Decade Team

By Anthony Cardenas

OAKLAND, CA - JANUARY 31: Sacramento Kings teammates Isiah Thomas #22, DeMarcus Cousins #15, Tyreke Evans #13, Jason Thompson #34, and John Salmons #5 emerge from a time out during a game against the Golden State Warriors on January 31, 2012 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - JANUARY 31: Sacramento Kings teammates Isiah Thomas #22, DeMarcus Cousins #15, Tyreke Evans #13, Jason Thompson #34, and John Salmons #5 emerge from a time out during a game against the Golden State Warriors on January 31, 2012 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2012 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings Rudy Gay (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Small Forward – Rudy Gay 2014-2015

21.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists per game

Following one of the strongest positions of the decade is one of the weakest. During the early part of the decade, it was John Salmons and Francisco Garcia playing the small forward position. Near the end, a hodgepodge of players manned the position for the Kings, including Garrett Temple, Matt Barnes, Vince Carter, and Justin Jackson.

There was solid small forward play for Sacramento in between, however. Since his arrival via trade in 2013-14, Rudy Gay was often the Kings second-most productive player. He and Cousins formed a formidable duo that the Kings tried, unsuccessfully, to surround with supporting talent.

Gay’s best season in Sacramento was also one of the best seasons of his career. During the 2014-15 season, Gay averaged 21.1 points and 3.7 assists per game, both career highs, to go along with 5.9 rebounds per game. His season-high came in just the second game, scoring 40 in the first of five wins in a row to bring the Kings to 5-1 before they imploded.

Gay’s production didn’t help the Kings much. They finished that season with a 29-53 record, their 4th and 5th leading scorers being Ben McLemore and Omri Casspi. The small forward production in this decade was a far cry from that of the previous one, when Peja Stojakovic and Ron Artest were some of Sacramento’s best players.

So does Gay make the All-Decade Team simply by default? Maybe. But his scoring output during the 2014-15 season was the second-highest of any of the five players we selected.

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