"Rudy Gay was supposed to be in Minneapolis at about 4 p.m. Thursday for the first of what promised to be several dates with suitors in NBA free agency.

But Gay never made it to a planned meeting with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Instead, the Grizzlies stepped in and swept their restricted free agent forward off his feet.

Gay and the Grizzlies verbally agreed Thursday to a five-year, estimated $82 million contract less than 12 hours after the league's free-agent period began. The deal will start at $13.3 million based on projections for the league's new salary-cap figures.

"I want to win, and I want to do it here," Gay said, confirming his new deal when reached by telephone. "My whole thing is to progress. We have to make some upgrades, but I like where we're headed."

The Griz clearly consider Gay, a four-year veteran, to be a cornerstone. Team brass, especially owner Michael Heisley, insisted for months that the Griz would re-sign Gay."