The San Antonio Spurs want Rudy Gay to be on their roster in 2019-20.
The veteran forward is set to be a free agent this offseason after spending the past two seasons in San Antonio.
Coach Gregg Popovich was asked when he met with reporters this week if the team were open to re-signing Gay.
"We are hoping we can figure out a way to keep him here," Popovich said at his end-of-season news conference, via the San Antonio Express-News.
Popovich said Gay was a positive presence in the Spurs' locker room.
"He's a great team-mate, has a great personality, great sense of humour," Popovich said. "He's a very outgoing individual. He's an easy team-mate to be with, so he makes people feel comfortable.
"For young guys just starting out … it's important to see the vets and be able to sit down and have a meal with them and laugh. [Gay] does that well."
The 32-year-old averaged 13.7 points and 6.8 rebounds in 26.7 minutes per game this season. He shot 50.4 per cent from the field and 40.2 per cent from three-point range.
"Rudy is a scorer," Popovich said. "He's somebody who changes games. And he's gotten better rebounding-wise and defensively, which was never his forte. But he understands the importance of it and is just getting better every year."
Gay has also played for the Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings during his 13-year career. He has averaged 17.6 points per game in that time.
