Toronto Raptors GM Masai Ujiri said last week that the Raptors would not be caught in no-mans land, and seems to have made a move with an eye towards the future. Numbers Game looks at the Raptors sending Rudy Gay to the Sacramento Kings. The Kings Get: SF Rudy Gay, C Aaron Gray and SF Quincy Acy. Gay, 27, is the second-leading scorer on the Raptors, averaging 19.4 points per game, which is about standard for his last five seasons, but hes doing it this year while shooting a career-low 38.8% from the field, with a career-low effective field goal percentage of 42.1%. That poor field goal percentage speaks to some ineffective close shots because Gays long-range shooting (37.3% on threes) is the second-best percentage of his career, as is his number of free-throw attempts per game (4.9). Gay is also averaging a career-best 7.4 rebounds per game and 1.6 steals per game, making him one of three players in the league to average at least 19 points, seven rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. New teammate DeMarcus Cousins is one of the others. In 33 games with the Raptors last season, Gay saw a bit of surge in his Player Efficiency Rating, back to 17-plus, but this seasons poor shooting leaves Gay with a 15.9 PER, barely ahead of last years 15.6 PER. Gay is an above average defender, but the Raptors have been more successful with him off the floor this season in terms of points for and against per 100 possessions, but it has to be taken into account that Gay, playing more than 35 minutes per game, is spending the vast majority of his time playing against the oppositions starters. In Sacramento, there is an opening at small forward in which Gay can easily fit, but he can also play some minutes as an undersized power forward, where hes been effective enough at times this season. He may not get as many shots -- Cousins leads the Kings with 17.3 field goal attempts per game, compared to Gays 18.6 per game -- but, with all those bodies leaving the Sacramento rotation, there will be ample opportunity for Gay to continue scoring in the 18-20 points per game range. Gay, who is making nearly $17.9-million this season, holds a player option for next season worth more than $19.7-million. Clearing out that salary was a top priority for a Raptors team facing a rebuilding process. Aaron Gray is a 29-year-old, big lug of a centre who has hardly played this season. He has the size (7-foot, 270 pounds) to handle matchups with bigger centres, but hasnt been able to rise above being used as a situational player. Gray earns a bit more than $2.6-million and his contract expires at seasons end and can offer frontcourt depth for the Kings in the meantime. Quincy Acy, 23, was a second-round pick in 2012 and has averaged 3.8 points and 2.6 rebounds per game during the 36 games in which he has seen action since the start of last season. Hes a hustle guy who will be hard-pressed to hold a regular spot in the rotation, but if he gets a chance to play a bit, he could be a cost-effective bench player. Acy has reasonably-priced team options for the next two seasons, at a cost of a little over $2-million, total. There is debate over whether the Raptors are simply a better team without Rudy Gay, who controlled the ball a lot, but was spectacularly ineffecient; his 1.05 points per shots ranked worst among Torontos top seven scorers. Maybe the Raptors will be better with others taking Gays looks on offence, but the real objective of this trade is clearing out Gays contract and giving the Raptors an opportunity to land a high draft pick. It says something about his career that Gay, the 8th overall pick in 2006, isnt likely to make the Raptors regret this move, no matter what contributions they get from the players they received in return. The Raptors Get: SF John Salmons, PG Greivis Vasquez, PF Patrick Patterson and PF Chuck Hayes. Salmons, 33, has made a decent career as a useful role player on the wing, starting quite a bit later in his career, even as his production has waned. This season, hes averaging a modest 5.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, his lowest averages since 2004-2005; not coincidentally, thats also the last season in which Salmons played less than the 24:44 per game hes playing this season. Stricly a jump-shooter at this point in his career, Salmons isnt even doing that particularly well, shooting a career-low 35.0% from the field, with a 41.9% effective field goal percentage. Salmons can continue to play as part of the Raptors rotation, as a place-holder, but could easily be relegated to the bench, so that Landry Fields and Terrence Ross have more opportunities to play on the wing. Its extremely unlikely that the Raptors will pick up the $7-million team option on Salmons contract for next season. Vasquez is a 26-year-old decent point guard, who effectively lost the position battle to Isaiah Thomas in Sacramento. Vasquez had started all 18 games for the Kings, but was playing fewer minutes than Thomas. Vasquez did have something of a breakout season in 2012-2013, for New Orleans, when he posted 13.9 points and 9.0 assists per game for the Hornets. Though Vasquez has size (6-foot-6) that might figure to give him an advantage on the defensive end, hes been a poor defender in the NBA. Until that part of his game improves, hes probably more suited to a backup role over the long haul. However, if the Raptors are going to keep stripping down their roster, and that could mean dealing starting point guard Kyle Lowry, then there may be a nice opportunity for Vasquez to play significant minutes. So long as Lowry remains there arent going to be big minutes available to Vasquez. Vaszuez, who makes $2.15-million this season, requires a qualifying offer of $3.2-million for next season. Patterson is a 24-year-old power forward who has been an adequate offensive player in the past, averaging a career-high 10.4 points per game on 51.2% shooting from the field last season, but has struggled this year, scoring 6.9 points per game on a career-low 41.0% from the field, including an abysmal 23.1% on three-point attempts. In his fourth NBA season, Pattersons production has gone up and down. When hes good, hes a useful part of the rotation, and can probably compete with Tyler Hansbrough for minutes in Toronto. Patterson is earning $3.1-million this year and has a $4.3-million qualifying offer for next season, which would be a reasonable cost if he proves to be a solid member of the rotation. Hayes, 30, has made the most of his ability, handling a physical role at power forward and centre, despite being 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds. He doesnt need touches, averaging 2.0 field goal attempts per game this season (averaging 2.1 points on 43.8% shooting, with 2.9 rebounds), yet his team is consistently more effective with Hayes on the floor. Hayes earns a little more than $5.7-million this season and is due to make a bit under $6-million next season. At his age, he hardly fits the rebuilding plan in Toronto, but hes a blue-collar worker and can give the Raptors minutes in the frontcourt, if needed. The botton line for the Raptors isnt so much what this new foursome brings to the floor -- if any of them are a factor long-term, its a bonus -- but moving out Gay gives Toronto both financial flexibility and a fair shot at lottery positioning for the 2014 Draft. Playing for next years draft isnt pretty but its a reality of this NBA season, with so many teams having no shot at title contention, while there is an elite crop of talent in the NCAA, not least of which is Canadian-born Kansas small forward Andrew Wiggins, who would probably be the dream scenario for the Raptors but, Ujiri has positioned the franchise to be in a better place going forward no matter who is ultimately brought in to be the core of the Raptors future. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Princ... Amukamara Giants Jersey . 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Without him theyve accomplishment that feat in three of four outings, averaging 23.0 dimes. Tasked with replacing a 20-point scorer, working three - soon-to-be four - new players into his lineup and managing a locker room filled with uncertainty as the trade winds continue to swirl, Casey has his team playing its best basketball of the campaign. Asked if that surprises him, in light of the situation he finds himself in, Casey responded bluntly, "No." Then he hedged, because what else is he supposed to say? "Its nothing to do with Rudy whatsoever," Casey continued, after Toronto recorded a season-best 26 assists, defeating the Bulls 99-77 in the second night of a back-to-back on the road. "I think the pieces fit more, from that respect, it has nothing to do with Rudy personally." It has everything to do with Rudy. The departed Raptors forward was taking more shots than he has before, missing more than hes missed before while averaging the fewest assists (2.2) of the 15 NBA players who hoist 17 or more shots a night. His absence has freed this team. Somehow, in spite of the continued trade speculation that has cast a shadow over their heads, they are winning and having fun in the process. For the first time this season, theyre playing as a team. "Im trying to set up everybody else and get them in a rhythm," said DeMar DeRozan, who had 15 points to go along with another four assists, hes accumulated 22 since the trade. "Once we do that everybody begins to play together because itll be fun and everything seems to be easier. Even though a lot of guys dont know the offence everyone on this team knows how to play, especially the new guys." "It was a team effort totally and its fun when you play like that," newcomer Greivis Vasquez chimed in, adding six dimes off the bench in his second game with the Raptors. "Its fun when the ball is moving and were playing great team defence. Ive only been here a week and I can tell all these guys have my back, and thats huge." Their unselfish play appears to be contagious. DeRozan - who Casey said is playing "like an old man," on account of his improved court awareness - has taken advantage of his new role in the offence, acting as the teams quarterback, a role GGay could never or would never accept.dddddddddddd Casey is getting 48 minutes of competent point guard play from Vasquez and Kyle Lowry, whose trade value continues to go up as he produces at a high level. Even sophomore Terrence Ross - averaging less than an assist per game as a pro - contributed a career-best four helpers. With wire-to-wire victories on consecutive nights, the Raptors havent trailed in eight quarters of basketball. Unlike Fridays win over the woeful 76ers - the NBAs worst defensive club - Saturdays dismantling of the Bulls was impressive enough to take notice. Despite their recent struggles, having lost 10 of 13, the Bulls defence is and will remain elite, even without the injured Derrick Rose. Toronto shot 48 per cent from the field, holding the hosting Bulls to just 36 per cent while outscoring them 26-11 in the final quarter to seal an impressive victory, their second straight on the road. "Last time we played them they got the best of us and we knew we couldnt come here and come out soft," DeRozan said, referring to the Bulls dominant victory in Toronto last month, a game in which he matched his career-high with 37 points. "We had to jump on them out the gate and keep our foot on their neck." The effort was indeed of the complete team variety. Jonas Valanciunas came out with an edge facing and ultimately outplaying all-star Joakim Noah and Amir Johnson turned in another productive outing. With a retooled second unit, playing in its second game together, the starters actually had some help. Vasquez, Patrick Patterson and John Salmons combined for 26 points and eight assists, turning the ball over just once playing the bulk of the minutes off Torontos bench. "We have the bodies, we were deeper tonight and the guys contributed," Lowry said. "This is the first time I played less minutes in a long time and that is a testament to the guys coming off the bench." "[The starters] know they dont have to play 40-plus minutes," Casey stated. "They know they have a strong bench behind them so that kind of gives them comfort to really turn on the gas." With an off-day Sunday and a couple days of practice, the new-look Raptors could actually be more in tune with one another when they host the Bobcats on Wednesday. "I just like the whole atmosphere, man," Vasquez said with a big smile on his face. "Ive missed this. This is real team basketball. Everybodys sharing, everybodys talking, nobody cares whos going to have the most points at the end of the night and thats what I see on the court. Im just happy but Im not satisfied. Weve got to keep playing, weve got to keep getting better." cheap nfl jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap nfl jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '