As much as I want Francis traded, I'm starting to have second thoughts. Not about acquiring McGrady, but about the disrespect that Weisenheimer is showing for the Rocket's organization & Francis/Mobley/Cato. While I don't like Francis, I surely don't hate him. He's been a part of our Rockets' family & has earned a measure of respect, even from those that truely hate him. If I'm CD, I'd quietly give him until Wednesday to get this deal done. At that time, I'm going to start aggresively looking for other trading partners. I'll still leave the door open for the Magic trade, but once I find another deal that I'm happy with, I'm going to pull the trigger on it. No GM is going to hold me hostage so that he can grandstand for the media. Not even, if it was for Garnett. The Orlando media is calling him a hard nosed negotiator. But, if he doen't get the Rockets to sweeten the pot, then how is that considered a hard nosed negotiator? If the Rockets pull out & McGrady stands by his statement of not resigning with any team but the Rockets, it's possible that he could have to settle for table scraps, or let McGrady walk for nothing. It's getting close to the time for us to start putting some heat on him. Come on CD, show the rookie what wheeling & dealing is all about.
Weisbrod suddenly leaks out the information? It's been the Rockets side that's leaked out all of the information from the get-go, whether it be Jim Gray with his sources, or Francis' agent, or other members of the organization. The Magic have remained mum on the entire situation and are letting due process take it's course. Francis, after all, is the one who came out and said he didn't want to play in Orlando. You qulech his fears on the phone, then bring him into town to seal the deal. Come on, Rockets fans. Calm down -- you'll get McGrady in due time. You all are reading entirely too much into this and think your organization has none of the blame to bear in this whole situation, reading whatever your press is feeding you. Step back for a moment and take a look at the situation from both angles and realize that there are more permutations than Houston.
Perhaps this guy has another Motive. Most the league feels the Rockets offer is weaker then others mentioned. He has to trade with us because of T-Mac. Perhaps he is trying to piss the Rockets off, so they walk and he can talk T-Mac into going somwhere else ?????
actually, its been widely stated that it was the magic that leaked to the media that the deal was "done". i've heard it stated several times on espn and other places as well.
Darn those Rockets for leaking information to the Orlando Sentinel!! On top of it those jerks have the nerve to keep giving TV interviews!!! The Rockets obviously screwed up somehow with regard to Francis. You are mistaken to flip the story around and try to pin it all on the Rockets so the Magic look clean. Both sides have screwed up in this deal somehow. By the looks of various news paper articles and tv interviews, the Magic haven't been mum of jack. Oh, and Jim Gray wasn't the only source on this matter. Even Bird had a say.
"I'm not playing for Orlando!" "I have an idea, let me go to Orlando and meet with the GM just in case I do get traded there." Hockey Guy is a jackass, and thinks everyone is stupid. "Your Fired!"
Look at it this way... At least we're not wasting our time coming up with clever replies to the daily "what about these players for KG? post". This is real NBA political intrigue. We will probably be waxing nostalgic in August about this moment. As well as fending off topics about how to get Kmart or Shaq in exchange for Boki and Pike.
No need. This is the same guy who beat his chest up and down that Phoenix and Indiana had much better chances than the Rockets to land McGrady. Now, it's "you will get McGrady in due time." As for the leaks, no question Francis and his agents blabbed, but the Sentinnel actually broke the story and THAT did not come from Francis. As for the Rockets, they are BEYOND quiet. Ask any journalist in town and they'll tell you they haven't been able to get a PEEP out of anyone at the Toyota Center except Les Alexander.
If Weisbrod hasn't pulled the trigger now, why would he do it tomorrow. This guy is moved by logic and is a little insensitive to other aspects to the human spirit. He has a piece of paper that confirms to him he's smarter than everyone else...so I'm sure what we or the media say just amuses him. We may be checking the web for the most recent updates in vain...I don't know about you...but I feel like a fool. To get in his mind...the things to ask is what benefit is there to waiting till August 10? Tmac budging to include other teams. Rockets sweetening their offer. Other teams possibly giving you more. What would he gain by doing it now? A lot of good will...a vote of confidence to Francis...a sense of fair play that others around the league will recognize. I guess the other questions are what would he lose by doing it now and what would he lose by doing it later. Anyway I'm about to throw my can of care and let things settle down. I'm tired of reacting one way or another with every word the guy says...
I don't think the Rockets have to sweeten their offer, and I think it HAS to get done before July 1. Just sit tight...2 more days and this will all be over. DD
Link Francis Accepts Trade for McGrady By Greg Sandoval Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, June 29, 2004; Page D01 The prospect of playing alongside high school star Dwight Howard and an easier road to the playoffs were enough to persuade Houston Rockets guard Steve Francis to drop his objections to a trade that would send him to the Orlando Magic for NBA leading scorer Tracy McGrady, according to his agent. The Magic is expected to announce the trade, which was held up a week after Francis balked at playing for the last-place team, on Wednesday, according to a source with knowledge of the deal. Francis, a three-time all-star, is flying to Orlando today to meet with the Magic's management, including President John Weisbrod, the man who persuaded Francis to move to Orlando. Under the terms of the trade, the Magic will send guard McGrady, forward Juwan Howard and guard Tyronn Lue to the Rockets for Francis, guard Cuttino Mobley and center Kelvin Cato, said the source. Upon hearing news of the pending trade, Francis initially said he disliked the idea of playing for a team that was rebuilding. His representatives began making inquiries about which teams would be interested in swapping for Francis in the event he was traded to the Magic. But in a Thursday-night phone conversation, Weisbrod sold Francis on the team's draft acquisitions, playoff chances and appreciation of his talents, according to Jeff Fried, Francis's agent. "They could have got anyone for Tracy McGrady," Fried said. "That impressed Steve about how highly the Magic thought of him." McGrady finished this past season with a 28-point scoring average, tops in the NBA, and Francis averaged 16.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists to join Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson and Grant Hill as the only players in NBA history to average at least 15 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in each of their first five seasons. Francis, an all-American at the University of Maryland, also was impressed with the players Orlando has obtained since the end of last season. The Magic chose Atlanta high school sensation Howard, a 6-11 power forward, with the first pick in the draft. Scouts say Howard, a skilled scorer, shot blocker and rebounder, has the talent to become an NBA star. The Magic also obtained St Joseph's guard Jameer Nelson, the NCAA's player of the year last season, from the Denver Nuggets. The addition of Francis, Howard and Nelson could help the team compete in the realigned NBA next season. The Magic will be in the same division, what many predict will be the league's weakest, with the Washington Wizards, Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks and expansion Charlotte Bobcats. Of the five teams, only the Heat made the playoffs last season.
Good post Clark. I've been reading the forums since the news of the deal leaked out, and haven't seen someone step up and say this.
Of course he's going to argue in favor of the Magic, he is a Magic Fan after all. While I understand the need to protect/defend your own team no matter what, praising the Orl GM and blaming the Rockets for this one is flat our ridiculous. If you're so enamored with the job your GM is doing, how is he getting the exact same deal as was reported last week? Exactly what did stalling the trade prove? That he's not a pushover because he has the power to make an organization wait a week longer?
Weisbrod used the media to pit teams against each other way before Jim Gray leaked anything. We knew Indiana, Pheonix, and Houston were in the mix and were offerring certain players or Orlando was asking for certain players...this kind of information can only come from Orlando. Things backfired I believe when Weisbrod realized the leaks are affecting the players. You're not trading cards, you're trading people Tracy did the Magic a favor and the Magic are spitting in his face and even saying that they might keep him into the season. Think about it...that's just letting NBA players know you're the next Jerry Krause.
Houston had no incentive to leak the information. Weisbrod leaked it, to incite a bidding war for McGrady's services, plain and simple. And that is exactly what happened - at least according to him. He was hardly mum. His quotes are splattered all over this board.
