"For me, to put in all this work in all these years and have the opportunity to play and say I don't want to play, I don't know where people got that from. It was probably a misquote or a misunderstanding," Gates said. " ... I ain't asking to play less. Every time I'm in a game, I feel like I have the opportunity to make a play. Why would I want to be on the sideline? That defeats the purpose. The only way you can contribute is by being in the game."