It looks like the relationship between Sacramento Kings and their star forward Rudy Gay is coming to an end.

According to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, it's on a matter of when, not if, Gay is traded away from Sacramento. That, or he'll have the opportunity to walk away in free agency while Sacramento gets nothing for him.

Kyler also notes that even though the Kings want to get rid of Rudy Gay, they're also not looking to get that much in return. Just a few years ago, Gay was a 20-point per game scorer and one of the most versatile small forwards in the NBA. His inability to develop a three-point shot or add any kind of consistency to his mid-range, inside, or passing game has made it tough for the Kings to pair him up alongside DeMarcus Cousins. Last year, both players put up good numbers, but that didn't result in any wins.

The Houston Rockets, among some teams, are interested in Gay but want some sort of commitment before they pull off a trade for him.

Per Basketball Insiders:

Gay holds a Player Option for next season and even though $14.2 million seems like the right number for Gay, even in this new bloated contract environment, he likely opts-out not for the first number, but the last number on his new deal.

It’s unlikely Gay fetches a deal more than $14 million annually as a free agent, but can he get a team to lock in two or three more contract years in the process? More importantly, opting out would allow him to choose his next team.

Gay’s option year makes consummating a trade tough. Some of the teams that like Gay (that’s you, Houston) don’t want the 2017-18 contract year. The teams that are interested in the contract year want Gay to opt-in and lock in that security, but it doesn’t seem he’s ready to commit to that.

The whole Kings organization has been a bit of a mess for a while now, and there are even reports that there is no chance DeMarcus Cousins will re-sign in Sacramento when he becomes a free agent.