wow... talk about numbers... pre-injury grant hill was one of the biggest fantasy monsters ever. assuming the player you are talking about is steve. those numbers are a kobe to jordan upgrade.
Yao takes a whopping ( ) 12 shots per game. Contrary to popular belief, there ARE enough shots for 2 superstars on the same team. McGrady knows he was wrong, and he now KNOWS he needs another superstar. Yao/McGrady would work. I'd trade anyone and anything outside of Yao for a McGrady+Hill package. It would take more than the proposed deal though. The Magic wouldn't trade T-Mac for Mobley and Francis, and then Cato for Hill. HOWEVER, they would probably do something like this: Francis Mobley 6.9MTE Kelvin Cato for T-Mac Grant Hill Juwan Howard We take Hill off their hands for free (6.9M TE). The Cato-Howard swap clears up their jam at the 4, gives them a starting C, and makes up the difference in salaries. Cato/Declerq Gooden/Garrity/5M MLE Lottery Pick/Garritty/Bogans Mobley/Francis Francis/Lue/Gaines That would probably work for both sides. Francis would thrive in this system and in the East.
That's in the past. I think it has become VERY obvious that McGrady is LONGING to play with a sidekick (especially after the last few seasons). He KNOWS he needs a 2nd guy to help carry the load, especially if it is a low post player. From everything I have read about McGrady and his comments in the past about Yao Ming, he really seems to respect Yao and think he is a very good player. I really do believe he would LOVE to play with Yao. If the Magic does not get a high lottery pick you really have to wonder what they are going to do. McGrady is NOT going to be happy if he has to play with a HS player. He is looking for IMMEDIATE impact. IF the Magic doesnt get Okafor, you really have to wonder if they will SERIOUSLY look to try to upgrade their team via trading their lottery pick. I just dont see the Magic trading McGrady this offseason. I think they will be stubborn and try to work things out with McGrady on the roster. But if they dont make a move this offseason they will SERIOUSLY have to consider a trade before the trading deadline so they dont lose him for anything like they did with Shaq. If the Rockets can obtain McGrady, you do it and worry about filling in the holes later.
I'd consider it because Hill's and McGrady's contracts expire the same year as everyone else's. We'll be set up for a lot of cap space in the 2006 offseason. I would want Mo Taylor included on our side because his contract runs another year beyond that summer. But, it'd depend on the package. We'd already be doing them quite a favor taking on Hill, so I wouldn't give them the keys to our team for McGrady.
Career wise: Hill has averaged 1.7 more ppg, 1.7 more rpg, 0.3 less assists per game, and 0.5 turnovers less while shooting 4.4% better from the field. Are you next going to start comparing Karl Malone's 3P% to Steve? Grant Hill doesn't shoot 3s. Hill has taken less 3s in his CAREER than Steve has in any one year outside of the injury-plagued year. And even in that season, not by much. Steve and Grant's numbers are comparable, but the fact is, Hill outdoes him in every field except assists- and even then, Steve's a PG and only holds a slim margin. Further, the main gripe about Steve (other than his passing abilities) is his FG%- a stat Hill has consistently kept above 45%.
Yao will probably take more than 12 shots per game to be effective. I mean, we are complaining Francis is a ballhog and Yao doesn't get enough shots. For your reference, T-Mac averages 23! shots per game and Francis takes 14 shots per game. What the heck does "McGrady knows he was wrong" mean? It is not his fault that G Hill bummed his knees and I did not hear any super star was run out of orlando by T-Mac. Of course T-Mac wants to have aother all-star to play with him. But ask him to take less than 14 shots (Francis's number) is not going to work for him. T-MAc/Yao will work only if Yao sacrifices his game. You know, take even less shots but have more rebounds, blocks, assists.. (Kinda of like Francis went through this season)
Grant Hill was one of the best players when he was healthy. Francis is no Hill. But I am happy that his numbers are actually comparable to Hill. (1.7 ppg, 0.5 to, 0.3 assist, 1.7 rpg are not that a big difference)
They could trade the lottery pick for a stud SF and this Orlando Rockets or magic will kick ass in the East. It is a good trade for Francis and Orlando, but it sucks for Rockets. BTW, there is no way Les is going to pay Grant Hill's contract and the luxury tax it brings.
I won't do this from a business point of view, Hill's contract is just too big to swallow. IMO, Vince Carter will fit much better with Yao. Will him be available?
If you have a chance to get one of the best players in the league like T-Mac(without giving up Yao, of course), you do it. Yao/T-Mac would the Shaq/Kobe duo for the next 10 years. Now I'll admit the idea of taking on Grant Hill's contract to make this deal work has me nervous. But if you can get T-Mac to agree to a long-term extension before making this trade, I'd go for it. If the Rockets could then sign a servicable power forward and point guard(a Kenny Smith clone would be perfect), they'd be among the top title contenders in the league for years to come.
He is doing Magic a great favor by all these efforts. If he were a stand up guy, he would have opted out the contract and come back only when he is really ready and take a pay cut.
This will work only if: 1) Magic takes on our garbage contracts: Cato, MoT, and Pike. Of course, they take over SF's contract too. 2) Hill agrees a buy out plan.
Good points, but looking at how tough the west is now, and will be in the next couple of yrs, does anyone see this current makeup of players capable of being a elite team. Think about how good some of the other teams are already who will still be competing for the next 4 or 5 yrs and think about what the Rockets will have. Are we going to hold our breath for our backcourt to all of a sudden stop turning over the ball in crucial stages? Its a reason why our record is piss poor against the west. Thinking about Alexander, he will pay if the team is winning and with the proposed trade, its not like he's paying more or even more yrs, just trading contracts. Hill max contract is the same as Cat and Cato's contract and ends the same yr as Cato's. McGrady and Francis makes the same money and the other characters are throw in's. Lue ,Hunter,maybe nachbar ,pike, picks etc. I don't want to sound like its all Houston benefit. Orlando needs alot of pieces even in the sorry east. Even with Okafor who will be a 10ppg 8rebs 2blks as a rookie, is that enough to win even in the east? The deal proposed gives them what they need and what we need. They need quantity and we need quality. The Magic and the Rockets as trading partners makes as much sense as any in the league. The Magic doesn't want Shaq part 2 to happen and be left holding an empty bag and still in cap trouble and the Rockets have probably seen the cap of the current backcourt. Show me how many teams that can offer a all star,a decent 2 guard and a serviceable big man for a superstar, and a injured player. Look what Phoenix got for Marbury who was and is better than Francis and a resurgent Penny. Eisley,McDyess,and 2 rookies, one who haven't even made it over here yet. The team that gets McGrady has to have a chance to win or he won't resign and that Houston. He probably will want to be the man, which Yao wouldn't have a problem with either. The thing is that even with Yao , he could get shots along with Ming because you've just taken almost 30 shots away by trading Francis and Mobley who combine for about that many. Its addition by subtraction. Ty Lue at pg with Jackson and McGrady,Tayor and Ming with Hill,Spoon,and other bench players and that team is better and younger than the one we have. Give a little to get a little.
I agree with you there... Vince would be the perfect fit with Yao... Vince is the type of player who would be more happy with an assist than a score...
