Rudy Gay has been linked with Celtics as a potential replacement for Danilo Gallinari

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Andrew Wiggins #22 of the Golden State Warriors drives against Rudy Gay #8 of the Utah Jazz.

With Danilo Gallinari with a cruciate ligament rupture indefinitely, many have wondered if the Boston Celtics will find someone to replace him and who that replacement might be. The common name being thrown around is Carmelo Anthony, which Bally Sports’ Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson says the Celtics are reportedly interested in along with the New York Knicks.

While NBC Sports Boston’s Nick Goss Anthony listed as one of Boston’s options, he also named a younger wing who could potentially fill in for Gallinari: Rudy Gay.

“Gay is still a decent scorer, good free throw taker and could play small forward or power forward. He would also add a little height to Boston at 6ft 8 and 255 pounds,” Goss said.

Goss also explained why Gay could potentially be available for purchase.

“Now that the Jazz is in the midst of a full rebuild following the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell swap deals, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Gay and other veterans leaving Utah in the coming months.”

Gay signed with Jazz in the 2021 off-season. He averaged 8.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and one assist per game while shooting 41.4 percent from the field and 34.5 percent from three in 55 games with Jazz. With $6,184,500 in earnings for the 2022-23 season, Gay could potentially be included in Juancho Hernangomez’s $6.9 million trade exception.

Celtics got interested in gays last summer

on August 2, 2021, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reported that Gay was among the players Boston wanted to bring on board.

“The team could also be chasing Spurs forward Rudy Gay and former Celtics forward Kelly Olynyk, according to a league source,” Himmelsbach said. “Gay, meanwhile, played for San Antonio while Udoka was an assistant there. He made 38.1 percent of his 3-point mark last season.”

Gay not only has experience playing under Udoka at San Antonio, but also Derrick White, who he played with at Spurs for four years.

The executive suggested that the Celtics search for gay men

Before Gallinari tore his cruciate ligament and traded Donovan Mitchell ahead of the Jazz, an Eastern Conference executive told Heavy.com that the Celtics should consider going after Gay because he believed they could use a different wing and that Gay would be available.

“Nobody mistakes Rudy Gay for the guy 10 years ago, but he’s still a tough, smart veteran and it’s obvious they’re going to give him away in Utah if they can,” the manager said. “Everyone expects they would move it and the Celtics need a wing. If they’re willing to pay the taxes for him, it’s just a valuable guy to have in a roster on a team that expects to be able to match him.”

The executive acknowledged that acquiring Gay would mean they would have to pay more luxury tax, but believes it would be convenient to have Gay with them in case an injury happens.

“The contract isn’t bad for Boston, but they would have to pay more luxury taxes and that could be difficult to sell.” But they need someone who’s ready to play, who’s a pro, who can sit out for two weeks and then get thrown into the starting XI with an injury, and who you don’t have to worry about. This is Rudy. We don’t know what things will be like on the Covid front, so you need people ready to play.”

The Celtics have already lost one of their players to injury for likely most, and possibly all, of the season. Gay could step in for Gallinari, but that depends on whether they think he’s worth taking on more luxury tax bills.