McGrady: If traded from Orlando, Rockets are first choice

Mr. Mooch and adeelsiddiqui,

Some have suggested that bringing McGrady to Houston will cause Yao to get less shots...well....not really...

* Francis was a PG trying to score like a SG. If Francis could score at the level of McGrady, then he'd have the green-light to shoot more. But he can't score at the pace of McGrady.

* Francis was our PG. He had a job to distribute the ball as well as score. But since he was bad a passing...well, it kinda deflated the effectiveness of the PG job (which included accurate passing to Yao); high turnovers (3.7). McGrady? 5.5apg/2.7to per game. Not bad for a SG. That being said...

* What's easier? A 6'3" guard, with high turnovers, loves to score, and not good at passing...sending into Yao? Or, A 6'8" SG, with low turnovers, loves to score, and IS good at passing, sending into Yao?

So, at worst, Yao may not necessarily get more shots, but rather easier shots...This would ok since we'll be getting more for our money in letting McGrady shoot; that's what he's good at. Any passes sent to Yao by McGrady will be *easier* just based on the length of McGrady and his high threat at scoring for the double-team. Anybody remember Boki sending in the entry pass to Yao? Notice how much easier it was? And that was just based on length; although Boki pretty accurate at passing.

Don't forget we're not trading a PG for a PG. We're trading a PG that wanted to be a SG for a real SG. Apples and oranges.

Personally, I think that McGrady's *difficult* shots attempts will LESSEN (he doesn't have to carry the load), but get easier attempts (more open). Why? Because of Yao scoring threat for the double-team. This should result in a higher FG%.

I also think that Yao's shots attempts will INCREASE a bit (due to factors I've mentioned above and by Yao's development), and will be easier attempts (more open). Why? Because of McGrady's threat for the double-team. This should result in a higher FG%.

The strange thing about passing and movement is....
"Easier shot attempts" in essence will seem like "more shots." Because, although you don't get more shots per say, your shots become more efficient and just seem like more. Scoring just becomes easier. That's when watching the Rockets basketball becomes fun!

Just some notes from 2003-2004:

McGrady's shot attempts per game: 23.4
Yao's shoot attempts per game: 12.5
Francis's shot attempts per game: 14.1 (down from 16.2 the year before)

Now, If McGrady comes to Houston... who here thinks that Yao's attempts wont increase a bit? It wont matter if McGrady shoots more. As long as McGrady's FG% increases and he plays off of Yao's presence. They both will help each other.

 

DavidS, I agree. I see more compatiablity between Yao and TMac that between Yao and Francis. Francis' rarely hit Ming at the right place at the right time. Overall, TMac seems to have a much better sense of timing than Francis. Francis always seemed to bog down the offense; his job was facillitate the offense. That rarely happened.

TMac is such a good shooter, such a good driver, such a good finisher PLUS being an excellent passer, if he comes, Ming won't have as many double and triple teams to deal with. Defenders knew that Francis could not break up the zone. In addition, a playmaking, sharpshooting PG instead of Francis will improve Ming's game as well. TMac or not, the Rockets need to move in a new direction, one that does not include Francis.

 

LOLOLOLOLOLOL


Ofcourse!


I just cant see him leaving LA so I dont think of him as a Free Agent. (Thats my excuse anyway!)

 

Kuddo to you kid, but I can't handle big challenges now!

karla

 

as talented as Tmac is.. the guy is a known quitter... he doesn't have half the heart francis has... he doesn't play hard.. unless he's playing against guys like Carter, Kobe.. etc etc.. to feed his ego...

If you place Francis in place of Tmac during this season.. I really don't think orlando would lose 19 straight games... that's what I'm worried about... the Rockets need a strong leader... Yao isn't one yet, and I'm not sure if he would ever be one... TMac never will be one...

 

Who cares? Leadership by star players is overrated. Tmac goes out and scores a **** load of points, Yao will score a **** load of points and boom: championship. Seriously, the leading is up to the coach, Tmac is talented enough to score 25 a night no matter how hard he tries.

 

^^^^exatcly TMAC + YAO = Championship, who gives a **** about leadership

 

i think leadership is overated. Either you good or not and either you play your best or not. It is simple as that. Sure other people could encourage you, but how hard could that be.

 

tmac has to put forth some effort. he has been the leading scorer in the league for 2 years straight. mind you this is the best basketball league in the world.

hell with some effort he might score about 50 ppg.

 

Yeah, he can achieve that easily with Yao being a decoy. But let's hope that would become a habit.

 

Well, Feigen seems to think we shouldn't go after TMac because he's not a "Van Gundy guy"


http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2599908

NBA NOTEBOOK

McGrady may be just a flirtation

Joining Rockets is not as simple as it would seem

By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

So now Tracy McGrady really and truly wants to play for the Rockets.

This is sort of like the prettiest girl in junior high telling her best friend to tell your best friend that she kind of likes you. NBA and junior high logic are not far apart, and tomorrow he could be batting his eyes at another.

But McGrady does turn heads.

McGrady, who led the league in scoring the past two seasons, can score with his eyes closed and often does. This is not just an automatic All-Star. McGrady impresses the other All-Stars.

Sounds pretty good. And he really and truly wants to play for the Rockets.

Sorry, but it's not that easy.

We start with the reason the Magic would ever consider trading him. McGrady, who Friday told the Orlando Sentinel that the Rockets are his first choice if he gets traded, can opt out of his seven-year, $93 million contract after next season.

For some reason, Magic general manager John Weisbrod has insisted on a decision from McGrady about his plans before next season and has not backed down on the ultimatum. McGrady said Thursday he was 90 percent sure of his decision and would share it in July (that was back when his first choices were the Lakers and Spurs).

The Magic did land the first pick of the draft, but McGrady said he doesn't want to wait for a draft pick to develop (McGrady being unwilling to wait for a draft pick to develop is sort of like Larry Brown complaining about coaching changes in the NBA).

There is no such thing as a sign-an-extension-and-trade deal, but McGrady can void his opt-out option to make a deal work. No one could consider giving up all it would take to trade for McGrady to go through it all again next summer.

But that's the easy part. As great a scorer as McGrady is, maybe the league's best, he does not defend, does not lead and is an arrive-late, leave-early sort of worker. That does not quite sound like a Jeff Van Gundy guy, and that's before considering he is a high-volume shooter far removed from Van Gundy's inside-out style.

The biggest concern of all might be that he is 25 years old and has back problems and does not seem to work hard enough to prevent them.

To get McGrady, the Rockets would have to offer Steve Francis (Yao Ming is untouchable). The Rockets are not looking to deal Francis. He and Van Gundy do not have the problems with one another that many believe. But after five seasons with Francis, the Rockets can understandably wonder if they can do better with an MVP candidate.

Funny thing is, Francis seems to have become much more of a Van Gundy kind of guy. His strong playoff showing was encouraging, but his shortcomings remain. He is turnover-prone and had his worst shooting season from the perimeter and as a finisher. But he does get teammates open outside shots every night, and he is willing to defer to Yao.

If the Rockets had McGrady, they would have to make major changes around him. But free agents that like the idea of playing with Yao would rush to join McGrady and Yao.

Still, there is a feeling that if not another Grant Hill, McGrady could be the next Penny Hardaway. Twice an All-NBA first-team pick, Hardaway went to Phoenix and only showed glimpses of what he was. All of which makes the choice tough, but the decision easy. Keep Francis and load up enough to trade for the first pick, take Emeka Okafor and don't look back.

 

Generally speaking I like Feigen's writing. He tends to be pretty level headed with his comments and doesn't bash the team like some of the other columnists. But what the heck is he smoking here. How could we possibly get the #1 pick without giving up Steve. Cat and Cato or something just isn't going to get it done. Orlando could get much better deals than that.

 

Saw that. Here are a couple much worse on TMac.

http://www.chicagosportsreview.com/marx/marxview.asp?c=104630

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/magic/2003-11-20-mcgrady-answers_x.htm

Still think the return is worth the risk. TMac is still young. He can do some development together with Yao.

The key is with him and Yao both demanding double team, this team can win much more easily.

 

Feigen was the same guy writing last year how Karl Malone would be the ideal fit in Houston. That's all I need to say.

 

Very true. That shows everyone has his limitations. Decide on your own.

 

What about Hollis Price? That guy kicked our ass repeatedly.

 

yeah and he also must have forgot how much penny was injured before he was traded. (much more then tmac).

 

That too. Forgot to mention.

 

Also Okafor isn't exactly what we need. He needs time to develop his jump shots.

 

i DONT KNOW about Okafor, a rookie with a bad back.