This is the story: A source who I woke-up real early this AM ("..... are you crazy,what time is it there?") told me K.O'Connor,Utah VP B-Ops, asked to see Anderson today(Tuesday). His agent D Fagan,said no,the Jazz would have to see him not Shandon.Apparently Fagan was not abrasive or rude.The meeting is tentatively scheduled for later today.This source also confirms that Utah has softened on their "no sign and trade" stand,but really want Anderson to stay,and are will offer him the start.I guess this means Hornacek is second banana. Big question for Anderson is the offer which he says will be "just over five a year this year, in a $19M/three year deal". Also, the Pacers and the Rockets have contacted the Jazz on a sign/trade deal,and "one other team" approached them.He doesn't know who.But the Jazz's first priority is to keep him and "...not let any one in the West get him". No big surprises in any of this,but...... This is the surprise! He did ask me if the Rockets were getting anywhere with acquiring Tracy McGrady? I almost put the car off the road! He states that is the buzz in Jazz management circles, that they (Rudy and Dawson with Toronto) have been hammering away at a deal that would send McGrady and Christie to Houston for a "...whole bunch of guys". This is my guess! This may have started when Toronto and McGrady's agent got together two weeks ago and McGrady didn't get too excited over a seven year deal worth over $70M. He didn't say no,but I'll bet he felt he should explore his free agent status next year with a higher caliber team.Also Toronto wants to unload Christie and are having difficulty getting substantial offers. I heard through a reliable "Greenway person" early last week that the contact between Toronto and Houston was very heavy for several days, and some "lower level people" went to Toronto in the middle of the week to "sort some stuff out". Didn't think much of it then. I have no conjecture on this now other than the obvious.But this is interesting........ I also wouldn't ignore the remote possibility that Utah and Toronto were playing a two-man game against Fagan to insure Anderson gets signed in Utah.Although I don't know how this would benefit The Raptors(?). My Utah friend's opinion(and I don't take his opinion lightly): My friend doubts this "conspiracy" adamantly,says it's "not the Jazz's style". Mmmmmmm,the jury still out on that one,for me. And,I still don't trust Fagan. He did say he felt the Rockets still hade the inside edge on Anderson due to his guaranteed PT/Start,Rocket's integrity in previous deals, (and therefore)Anderson's trust of Dawson's "more to come" agreement,and the Rocket's roster quality.He said Anderson talked to everyone down there (in Houston)recently, including Pippen. Dang! wonders never cease. Pippen doing a team thing. I called an Ontario friend "in the know" to get her read on this Toronto business but she wasn't home. Thought I would post this anyway.Will check back with her later,she is a great source for this Toronto stuff. [This message has been edited by popeye (edited September 07, 1999).]
POPEYE ! I don´t trust you! Thanks for posting man! ------------------ A little bit of Pippen in LA...
popeye you are the f()*#ing man! Can someone who has watched McGrady play (it's been pretty hard the last couple of years, i understand) give us a scouting report? I know he's a straight out of high school, tall and thin type -- but i need more.
Mcgrady 101- Tall, athletic,the kind of person who likes to dunk on people, decent shot but its still developing still not too consistent with it, not too much of a trey ball kind of guy but he will try it every once in a while. Good defender energy kind of guy, like a not fully developed Garnett. In the Pimple mold as in hes that athletic 3 we always wanted which we never got with Pimple. He's a runner which is good, fast paced and young. I dont know about 70 mil though but if Eric Dampier got a 50-60 mil contract from Golden State(I Live in San Jose and G.S. Warriors have the worst basketball organization since the Patterson regime with the Rockets)then theres no reason why he cant make a 100. ------------------ uhhhhhhhmmmm..... whats a signature?
He also can handle the ball pretty well. So well, that some suggest he should play point guard. But I stress the word: some.
Well,if you had asked me to make a list of some of the people I would like to get a hold of this year ...... McGrady would have been there. And for all the reasons you just pointed out,Scarface. As far as being worth $70 Million: Man I would like to see him play in our uni for a year before I would pull the trigger on that. I know there are a lot of players out there who make comparable money and are less deserving,but I would hate to see a McIlvaine or Stackhouse-type deal slap us in the face in a couple of years. He would be sweet on the run and gun though wouldn't he? I hope this Toronto deal has teeth and a future.
yeah run and shoot part II anyone? Maybe we should bring in kevin Gilbride to replace Bill Berry, I didnt think Toronto was shopping Mcgrady becuase of him and Vince Carter being so close and all. Oh well there loss would be our gain. 70 mill I wonder how much Vince C. is worth ------------------ uhhhhhhhmmmm..... whats a signature?
McGrady and Christie for a whole bunch of Rocket guys? That would be very, very shocking. Toronto is ridiculously high on McGrady -- too high in fact. They could have had Penny among others if they had parted with McGrady. I don't see how the Rockets could do it.... maybe I lack "vision", but without cracking the Top 4 I see no way the Rockets could land those two. I've been wrong before (several times), but this one sounds way too good to be true. Either way, if the Rockets are talking with Toronto at all, I'm sure they're probably interested in Bryce Drew. They need a PG pretty badly. ------------------ Clutch "Give me the left side of the menu and a coke diet." -- Thomas Hamilton www.clutchcity.net
Wow, that would be awesome! MacGrady to replace Pippen in 1 or 2 years, at which time we trade Pippen for a future great center. I hate losing Thomas, since he's evidently been playing real well, but if that's what it takes to get Christie and McGrady, I'd do it in a second. I'll bet we have to unload Drew too, which wouldn't be preferable, but we already have Francis, and McGrady would be a better building block. If we trade MacLean and Maloney for Ervin Johnson and Cassell (M&M average 5 mil, Ervin around 2, so there has to be someone else, and I've only heard about them shopping Cassell, which would work), then trade Ervin to Portland for Cato and Anthony (Which Milwaukee and Portland have already discussed), we'd have a great team (if they gel) this year. In addition, we'd have already done most of our rebuilding for the future, except for whoever replaces Dream and Barkley. Sign Mack and Ron Harper (unless we got Cassell from Milwaukee), (I don't think Washington will make the team, and if McGrady signs, we won't need Grey) and you've got: <HR ALIGN="CENTER"> Dream/Cato/Roberts/T.Hamilton Barkley/Massenburg/V.Hamilton Pippen/McGrady/Mack Mobley/Christie (Mack) Francis/Anthony/(Cassell or Harper) <HR ALIGN="CENTER"> That's the best team with depth I've heard yet! of course, it still seems too good to be true, but I hope it is!
I would do it it in a heartbeat. I think we would have to give up McLean,Mack,Draft picks, and one of the power fowards we got in the draft other than Kenny Thomas.
Maybe too good to be true, but sure fun to think about anyway. If that happened, I wonder what new criticism people could find about the Rockets. We would have youth, experience, athleticism, talent, offense, defense, versatility (not all necessarily in that order).
If the Rockets were to swing a deal to acquire Chrisite AND McGrady, Cuttino Mobley would HAVE to be involved. After all, you have to give up talent to get talent, and outside of the Big 4, he has the most trade value/potential/youth whatever you call it. The only realistic deal I could come up with would be: Mobley - the backbone of the deal from Toronto's point of view. A young point guard with upside.. Resigned Mack- a perimeter threat they need A Slew of Draft picks-two or three at the least.... Those three would HAVE to be included if a deal were to happen. I would imagine Thomas, Drew, Maloney, or Bull would be involved too.... Man, this offseason is getting VERY interesting....
Cabbage is right.. U have to give talent to get talent. ANd if this deal is true and would happen, then Mobley is going for sure. Unless the raptors are like the magic, that would give anyone for anyone. But i dont think this will happen. I could see maybe one of them to come. but not both. If i had to chose, I would probably chose Tracy M. Because he is younger and he can show some stuff on the court. Although Christie is a good defender and can shoot real well. I would go with tracy if this deal happened cause of age and action he brings on the court.
well thats a no-brainer. mcgrady over christie anyday. the thing is, the only way toronto would even consider this deal is if mobley is included. Why would they give up the 2nd and 3rd best players on their team for the Matt's and Maclean? Drew is nice, but Mobley is definitely gone if something happens. Dont be too surprised if Mobley AND Drew are shipped. Now that I think about it, that is the most realistic.... Mobley Drew Mack Maclean 2 future first rounders FOR Christie McGrady Salary Cap throwins That seems like a pretty fair deal.... [This message has been edited by thacabbage (edited September 07, 1999).]
This is the only way I figure it to go if it can go at all.(Note:This is a guess there is no substantiated prognosticating going on here): Christie at $3.2M(02), and McGrady $1.7M(00) = $4.9M for MacLean $3.2M(01) and Maloney $1.4M(05)and either Drew $800K(02) or K.Thomas $800K(03) = $5.4M(85% Rule) or MacLean $3.2M(01) and Drew $800K(02) and K Thomas $800K(03) = $4.8M Neither of these trades favors Toronto IMHO.Even if you throw in picks or another scrub each,it still ends up looking like McGrady is coming here for nothing.Unless Toronto doesn't feel they will get anything in a free agent market next year for McGrady, and they are sold on both K Thomas and Drew's impact. Mmmmmmm How about this: Maloney $1.4M(05) and Mack $2.5(02) and Drew $800K(02) and K.Thomas $800K(03) = $5.5M (85% rule) Just saw your post vegetable man, and I have to think Rudy would be a little skitish on parting with Mobley,especially since he is the only known Rocket commodity in the backcourt. But your premise makes sense.If you substitute Mobley for Drew above,then that would look a whole lot better to Toronto,and as I said makes hell-of-a-lot more sense. Remember that Toronto was going to take Maloney in the Hakeem deal,and they did like him 12 months before that when we were putting the Rogers deal together.They really like the versatility of Mack for the same reasons we like him.K Thomas didn't exist in a vacumm and you got to believe they saw the same things Rudy saw at the revue. Lastly,Toronto will have four playable and tradeable (well Maloney may be a huge question mark unless he proves everybody wrong with some increased playtime) players, for ... Christie who wants out and thus far has been difficult to unload, and McGrady who reportedly did not say "yes" to a $70M offer and will be free agent next year. [This message has been edited by popeye (edited September 07, 1999).]
Popeye, Mobley HAS to be in the deal. There is no other way. From what Jeff said, he has been tearing up in the summer leagues and obviously Grunwald might want to pair him in the backcourt with Carter. Who would you rather have? Drew or Mobley? Much rather have Mobley of course, for his defensive prowess, versatility, desire etc....its the only way, mobley is the backbone of the deal.
