Heat Should Go Gay

Miami: slightly better than Memphis.

There's a YouTube called "Rudy Gay Dunking All Over Miami."

It's nearly three minutes long.

That's how bad it got Sunday night at American Airlines: the Grizzlies -- the Grizzlies! -- absolutely humiliated the Heat on the strength of Rudy Gay's 41 points and plunged Miami's season from a place of unease and into utter, abject misery.

Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!

"The way we played tonight was unacceptable," Dwyane Wade said.

The way Rudy Gay played was an audition for Pat Riley.

So how about Rudy Gay?

Oh, sure, the Heat could also use Lebron James and a time machine. There are several scenarios that would work for Miami. But Gay, 23, could be the perfect solution to the Heat's problem at small forward: his contract is expiring, he's clearly good enough, it works on paper, and who wouldn't want to leave Memphis for Miami? 

It's almost certain Gay will be leaving. The Grizzlies aren't flush enough to match what others will offer in free agency, and don't offer a worthy market or audience. With Pat Riley all but wearing a Brinks uniform next summer, the Grizzlies' improved play probably won't be enough to keep him at a salary beneath what he could command from Miami.

And it's certain he's talented enough to play Robin to Wade's Batman: you don't see Michael Beasley or Dorell Wright or James Jones or Quentin Richardson scoring 41 points on anyone, and Gay's athleticism puts everyone on Miami's roster to shame. It's not even close. He put on 20 pounds in the offseason, a total of 240 on his 6'9" frame, to better bang up against the Carmelos and Kobes and Brons, yet hasn't lost a step or an inch (Heat fans: "CLEARLY!").

He's amazing now, and the best is yet to come.

Sow how about this: trade Beasley, let the handful of peripheral players sail off into the sunset, exercise the option on Mario Chalmers, and bring in Chris Bosh, Rudy Gay, and a big guy to play with Wade.

Sounds like 41-points worth of fun.

Janie Campbell is a Florida sports fan who believes in ballpark hotdogs and worships Howard Schnellenberger. Her work has appeared in irreverent sports sites around the Internet.

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