Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images[/caption]Since the six-player trade that occurred on Jan. 31, former Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay has shown glimpses of his All-Star caliber abilities. His talent and potential has never been questioned, dating back to his days as an All-American high school prospect, but the real question continues to linger: can he lead a team and constantly play at a high level?
Take Monday night’s 1-of-11 shooting performance accompanied by five turnovers against the Washington Wizards for instance. A franchise player or player of his talent just can’t have nights like that.
Throughout February, it had seemed as if Gay had turned a corner. Before the abysmal game, it seemed as if the change of scenery had given him a breath of fresh air and a new opportunity to finally raise his game from great player to All-Star caliber.
In the first 10 games he suited up for Toronto, he averaged 21.4 points and buried two game-winning shots against the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers.
In his first game as a Raptor, he scored 20 points off the bench to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers and then followed that with a 29-point performance in a loss against the Miami Heat. As a member of the Grizzlies, Gay only managed to score 20 points in three games in January and four games in December.
Is this a new Rudy in Toronto or just an illusion like that font under the Raptors basket? Will the same player who scored 17 points in the third quarter against the New York Knicks and finished with a season-high 32 show up or the guy who went 1-for-11 against the lowly Wizards?
Hopefully, Gay will continue to improve and become the franchise player Toronto needs.
