This is kinda why it surprises me we may be getting Reece Gaines out of this deal. He was the #15 overall pick just a year ago, and he has the potential to be the big PG type that Steve would work well with. Of course, he was also picked under the old Magic Management (as was the Juwan Howard signing) which could partly explain why they are willing to move him out.
so, you're not sure about Boki's status in the deal. you're sure about Cat and Cato. who else are you "sure" is involved??? gaines? lue? BTW, thanks for the reassurance, Doc. i feel better already
well - we will have to have 5 inches worth of vengeance (sounds like a PRON flix?!) - becasue T-Mac is a solid 6'8" and Francis is a smaller 6'3"
Finally! Thanks for the info Doc! Now all we need to do is get Fisher or Barry and this is an A+ offseason.
I'm trying to figure out how Wisebrod is going to get around his comments over the past couple days about "the deal isn't close," etc. Maybe... "The Rockets really stepped up..." or "Tracy just really wanted this to get done..." or "We didn't think it was right to drag this out any longer. We want to get on with building this team...." or "Francis really impressed everyone..." The guy has been contradictory the whole time. He says there no deal, but then he says there is a deal. He says they are entertaining all offers but then he talks to Steve. He says it's a shame Steve found out about the deal before there was a deal but then he says it's a shame Steve wasn't included in the discussions. He tells the media one thing but informs Grant Hill and Steve's agents differently. So, what the hell will happen tomorrow? Tick, tock...
1. I'm very glad to be getting McGrady. The team will be better for it. 2. Despite everything, I'm still a bit sad to see Francis leave. I had such high hopes when he came. And he did work his ass off in games. And he was fun to watch sometimes. Still, a better than even trade for us, I think.
If they ever have to escort Wisebrod out of the basement of a Texas police station en route to the parking lot, we'll need about 5 or 6 guys to ensure that Jeff Ruby is kept far anough away that he can't take extreme measures. We need him around here, as I'm sure does Mrs. JB...
I'm not quite that far along, thankfully. What frustrates me about Wisebrod is that I've been around lots of people in politics who do this EXACT same thing. They deny, deny, deny, deny and then surprise. It is common practice across the political spectrum and can be very effective. Problem is that this isn't politics. It involves the lives and careers of quite a few players. It is CLEAR that this guy has been telling the media one thing and telling everyone else another and that is really frustrating. Every so often, some guy shows up in the NBA (or NFL or MLB) and tries to re-write the rules of etiquette with things like this and they always end up making things go further off the track than they should. The reason this whole deal has been such a mess is because Wisebrod is a wild card. If this were Jerry West or Steve Patterson or any veteran GM, this would've been over a week ago and it would've gotten done without all the bull****.
Oh, I got sleep...during the DAY today! Funny thing is the next couple days I'll be in the recording studio much of the time - cut off from the board, the radio, the phone, etc. Yikes.
My guess is he plays the "I really wanted Francis ASAP" card. To him, it's not going to be about trading one of the top 5 players in the league- it's going to be about acquiring Steve Francis. Have fun in Orlando. And just for a quick Cuttino Mobley on what he'd do with the #1 pick recap... "With Odom running the break, and me and Steve on the wing...it's over." At least they're all in Florida together...well, for a little bit.
