Not many people mention it, but one of the most realistic trade scanarios for the Houston Rockets would be with the Toronto Raptures. It would involve Tracy McGrady as the centerpice of the deal, and I would not be surprised if the night after the Toronto Raptures get eliminated from the playoffs the Rockets contact Tracy McGrady and his agent and talk about him coming to Houston. Here's the deal. Toronto Raptures recieve: 9 selection in this years draft, Walt Williams, Kenny Thomas, and Bryce Drew. Houston Rockets recieve: Tracy McGrady, and this years Toronto Raptors first round selection. This trade would also involve the 4.5mill. exception, in which Toronto would sign him and then deal him to the Rockets so they can fit him under thier salary cap. Please email me at lavergnekevin@netscape.net and tell me what you think! ------------------
Wow! Sounds great! Sending the Wiz, Bryce, KT and our 9th pick for Tmac and a pick? I do like the chemistry that the Wiz was forming at the 3 spot, because he was shooting the ball really well. However, we get a more athletic SF in McGrady, who teams up with Francis and Anderson. That would be a fearsome team. Losing KT is tough-- who will we play down-low? We'd have to draft a BIG man. If only Toronto didn't make the playoffs this year, we'd be looking at Kenyon to add into the mix. Now that would be nice! Elie17 ------------------
I like the name Raptures instead of Raptors... it has more to do with eastern canada's french/catholic population. but, too many more kids and rudyt will become a babysitter... "share the ball!". ------------------
The trade sounds great, but doesn't make sense the way you posted it. You say that we would trade our $4.5 mil exception in a package for McGrady and that the Raptors would use that $4.5 mil to sign McGrady. That doesn't make sense. For this to work, the Rockets would have to trade the exception for ~$4.5 mil of scrubs (give or take a few $100,000), then the Raptors would have to sign McGrady with that extra $4.5 mil and deal him back to the Rockets for KT and WW. Assuming McGrady gets the max, we'd then have to throw in some of our scrubs to even the salaries out. Is your head spinning yet ? I'd love to have McGrady for the players you mentioned, but are you sure that you got all the details? ------------------
I thought it is against league rules for the Rockets to have contact with potential free agents in the time frame mentioned. This scenario doesn't seem right. Mango ------------------ The Serious Police are watching Donate Blood
The trade sounds good only to get TMac, but it would totally shatter any chemistry this team has built. Do that trade and you can COUNT on the Rockets being in the lottery again next year. ------------------ We're going to miss you Chuck! Thanks for all the memories!
PIG would be our powerforward. Chemistry? Bah. If you get a chance to acquire someone with that much talent you do it. I only have one problem with this scenario. We would need a frickin' shooter, and a pure shooter is harder to find that some of you would imagine. Every team needs at least one to open up the defense, and allow Francis and co to work their magic. I think that Walt was the key to our late season run. By hitting his shots, he made everyoen else better. Who replaces that? I'd enclose CATO in that deal. ------------------ [This message has been edited by haven (edited April 26, 2000).]
True, We have no "pure" shooters.. outside of Bullard. And it's sad that "Air" Bullard doesn't have more athleticism to match his shooting game. What we have with walt is a little bit of quickness and dribble, which allowed him to go down the lane as well as hit the open J. He's a valuable asset if he can consistently play like he was playing at the end of the season. Tmac is Tmac. Tmac is incredible, and is like KG. It's amazing having a player like him on this team. But, if Shandon developed his jumper this summer, like took jumpshots instead of working on his drives (he's got that down pat) then I'd be all willing to give up the Wiz. Elie17 p.s. don't get me wrong..i say take Tmac, He's diamond,... and he's young, athletic, and gets alot of blocks! ------------------
Wait, one more question,.. What's all this talk about Tmac going to Chi-town? Who has more to offer? Is it the money? Can the rockets match that in this deal? ------------------
You ask who would be our PF? How about Carlos Rogers, a guy who gives you 100% every night on the court, and who has nice skills. He is also a very good offensive rebounder, and was the starter before he injured his hand. Also when I mentioned the trade exemption I did not mean the Houston Rockets would trade it to the Toronto Raptors. If you remember what the 4.5mil. trade exemption does is allow the Houston Rockets to make a trade within 4.5 million of that players salary( Tracy McGrady), and I believe the players I named would do that with their current salarys. Anyone who would not like this deal obviously do not understand the importance of a difference maker. I believe Bryce Drew, Kenny Thomas and Walt Williams are and could become very good players. But niether could or can have the impact on a game the way Tracy McGrady could. Isn't that why we were willing to trade Micheal Dickerson and Othella Harrington( to very good players) for Steve Francis (a potentiall gamebreaking player). ------------------
Bear k.l -- What makes you think this deal is "one of the most realistic" out there? Are you just guessing on this or do you have some reason to think this has a good shot of going down? No offense but I highly doubt this. I think McGrady is heading to Orlando (Mitch Lawrence recently wrote he is all but out of Toronto and most likely headed to the Magic) ... also the Raptors I believe have to give their first round pick to the Clippers, so that's out.... unless you're referring to the pick Toronto gets from the TWolves I believe. ------------------ NOTHING BUT .NET CLUTCHCITY.NET
Clutch, Seems like speculation because a red flag is the part about contacting T-Mac as soon as Toronto's season is over. Probably a spoof because he spells it "Raptures" several times and then spells it "Raptors" near the end. Mango ------------------ The Serious Police are watching Donate Blood [This message has been edited by Mango (edited April 26, 2000).]
The truth is, teams seldom play by the rules when pursuing players. Remember Barkley's tirade to the media when we were after him? Early in our pursuit of him, he said that the NBA had denied the trade because the Rox had violated the rules by talking to the Suns before they were allowed. According to Sir Charles, the league was making a scapegoat of him, when "everyone ignores the rules: why make an example of me?" Two months later, we had him anyway. If you really want McGrady, trade Walt + Carlos + Drew. That way the Raptors get something of value, rather than lose him outright. Also, Walt at the 3 would move Carter to the 2, where he wants to play (I think). And Los would get to return to a place where he liked playing (maybe because of its proximity to his hometown Detroit). TMac and his agent would have to be convinced that Houston will get its new arena and that TMac can get enough media exposure here to make that shoe deal of his really pay off. I have read that TMac is definitely going to Orlando. And definitely going to Chicago. Who knows what he'll really do? ------------------
ROXTXIA, If Bear had a history here with previous leaks/concepts that came to fruition, then I could overlook the contact part. Why would the Rockets let it leak before it even happened that they were going to break the rules? Why the unexplained switch from "Raptures" to "Raptors"? Finally, more typos in one day than popeye does in several months. Mango ------------------ The Serious Police are watching Donate Blood
McGrady is NOT a restricted FA!! . . . . oh...I guess I'm still in a repetitious rut. nevermind. carry on.
You're right about that, Mango -- not wanting to leak info. It's ruined big trades for us before. (Stoudamire) In any case, would we really want McGrady? I should probably post this under the "who would you choose?" topic (or whatever it's called), but I would rather give up Drew and our pick and maybe even these other picks owed us for a shot at Odom. And I'm kinda afraid of losing Walt now. I don't like starting completely from scratch; we have good chemistry on the team. Didn't the "Raptures" realize like the rest of the world they would lose McGrady anyway? Maybe they already worked out a deal that would wait until after the playoffs, some sign and trade. Or they have their sights set on someone else (supposedly if they renounce their free agents they would have some cap room; I don't know the truth of it.) ------------------
Dear Mango, You obviously do not read well, or just have an very low IQ. Not once did I mention in my article that the Houston Rockets would make the trade known outright, when have they ever did that? And secondly anyone with some sort of knowledge of how the NBA offseason works would know that teams are probably in contact with Tracy McGradys agent as I speak. I did say that the Houston Rockets would contact his agent not him, and even if they did who would find out unless he told? Thirdly you must consider yourself some sort of Super human who does not make typing mistakes, because that's clearly what happened in my article. Tracy McGrady would be an awesom addition to an already young and improving team, and would do nothing less than add someone who can take over a game, at a weak position on our team. I mean Walt Williams was playing well late in the season, but we need someone who can do it on a nightly basis. ------------------
Play nice, Bear. There is no need to question posters' intelligence. On the McGrady trade, there is another reason it won't work. If McGrady is sign-&-traded to the Rockets, he will be a base-year-compensation player. It's been a while since we've discussed this rule around here, so I forget all the details. The most essential part, as I remember it, though, is that McGrady will only count for half his salary in an S&T. The most he can sign for is $9 million, so the most he can be traded for is $4.5 million (plus the 15% (?) and 100,000 to make salaries match). Walt Williams is worth as much as him in trade salary. K. Thomas and Drew will put our side of the trade too high. If Toronto is under the cap, it won't matter, but I think (don't know) they are not. As I understand things, a more likely scenario would be Williams and any number of draft picks for McGrady. I don't think that is likely to go down either, though. ------------------
