Rudy Gay Injury: Kings Star Out vs. Timberwolves with Injured Hip

Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay will be out of the lineup Friday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves due to a hip injury.

James Ham of Comcast SportsNet Bay Area first reported Gay would not suit up. Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee reported Gay was out due to a hip injury. 

Gay is coming off a disappointing 2015-16 season. He missed 12 games and averaged 17.2 points per night—his lowest output since his rookie season in 2006-07.

In an interview with Blake Ellington of SB Nation's Sactown Royalty in July, Gay admitted he had been suffering from an Achilles injury: "I actually had surgery. I had Achilles tendonitis, basically micro tears in my Achilles, and for the past two seasons it's been bothering me, so I've been trying to play through it, and I got to a point where I needed to have it fixed, so I got it fixed."

Gay has already missed six games so far this season. He has sat out each of the Kings' previous five games due to the hip issue, which he originally suffered during the first quarter of the Dec. 12 game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

There's no question Sacramento needs Gay healthy and productive if it's going to end its decade-long playoff drought. Arron Afflalo was a solid addition in the offseason, and DeMarcus Cousins is among the best big men in the league. Still, Gay's scoring makes him one of the Kings' most integral players.

Head coach Dave Joerger will turn to Matt Barnes to fill in for Gay at the 3. Barnes is a solid role player, but the Kings could be in trouble if Gay is out for a long stretch of time and Barnes is starting on a nightly basis.

Though a more natural 2-guard, Garrett Temple will be another option for Joerger at small forward.