Toronto Raptors Offseason Player Evaluations: Rudy Gay

Name: Rudy Gay

2012-13 Statistics: 75 games played, 35.8 minutes, 18.2 points, 42% from the floor, 32% from three-point range, 6.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals, 2.6 turnovers, 15.6 PER.

Comparison: Big Budget Action Movie (think Michael Bay)

Most people have seen a Michael Bay movie.

They are big. They are loud. They are (usually) exciting and filled with action.

The budgets are big. The trailer is normally appealing and if you see a few scenes out of context it may give the appearance of quality film.

And while they may be all of theses things -- with the exception of maybe Bad Boys -- they all have one thing in common -- a lack of substance.

When you think of it that way, Raptors forward Rudy Gay actually has a fair amount in common with one of these big budget action movies.

Sure, on paper Gay is an exciting player. Watching a highlight mix of his plays is not unlike a well-cut trailer of a big budget action movie ( you can see each below). After watching each of them you come away with the feeling that you might want to see the movie/ watch that player play for your favorite team.

But, with Gay, when you get your wish and sit down and watch him play, his flaws become apparent -- just the same way the flaws in Bay's movies become apparent after you take in the first 10 minutes.

The things you saw in the highlights are still there -- the dunks, the steals, the clutch baskets -- but what you don't see are the bad decisions, the questionable shots, the poor defense and the tendency to float through games.

When Gay arrived in Toronto, he instantly became the best wing player the team had employed since Vince Carter. His ability to get to the rim is something that the Raptors have not had in quite some time.

There is no question that Gay has a legitimate skillset, but inefficient shooting -- 42 per cent from the floor and 32 from beyond the arc -- and carelessness with the ball -- 2.6 turnovers per game -- have prevented him from being a player of substance instead of just a player of style.

Another similarity between your average Michael Bay movie and Gay is that they are both expensive.

As a point of reference, the budget for Bay's most recent film Pain and Gain was $26 million -- a modest number for a Bay film, Transformers 3 had a budget of $195 million -- while Gay is set to make $17.9 million next season.

The expense of Gay's contract combined with the shortcomings in his game make him a very troubling player for fans to watch being handed the keys to their franchise.

With work, it's possible that Gay can become a more efficient shooter, but until that happens he will continue to have a great deal in common with the films of Michael Bay.