Who TMac will exceed expecatations? I don't think he will be back to playing next year. It will take him most of next season to even get back on the court to practice let alone play in a NBA game.
Hughes & Mobley for T-Mac. The Rockets take back slightly more salary in this deal as is. If they packaged Cook in the above deal they make room to re-sign Artest but that's it as they don't create extra salary space for three All Star level players which is what Morey has said is needed to win. Also Mobley's contract would be a deadweight until the trade deadline. What I think the Rockets will try to do, if they deal McGrady. Is to trade for smaller usuable contracts, less short term salary, and involve a third team. IMO Hughes or Mobley isn't going to attract interest from a third party even if packaged with a young asset/s. On another note, Patty Mills outplayed Stephen Curry in this NIT game: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=UKU048O9 Rockets should try to get Mills.
You either let him expire or you trade him to a team that's willing to give you a decent player (who's contract they want to dump) in return. Either way, the longer the Rockets hold on to his contract - the more value it will have. This, of course, means that T Mac will be the story (and distraction) that defines the first half of the 2009/2010 season, and who wants to see the new season start with that kind of drama? Not me. It's a dilemma.
The Knicks are known to be one of those teams who lant stories... So maybe their franchise has interest in acquiring McGrady? If they're interested in an off-season deal maybe other franchises are as well?
The Knicks are desperate to clear as much cap space as possible for 2010. The two biggest impediments to that goal are Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries. While I am not necessarily advocating such a trade, if you were Daryl Morey, would you trade McGrady to the Knicks in exchange for Hughes (manageable $12M expiring contract that is easier to move than McGrady's $23M deal), Jeffries (long, defensive SF/PF who makes way too much money through 2011 but who could actually contribute off the bench on an Adelman team), and the #8 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft? The Rockets would still have plenty of expiring contracts to work with (Hughes, Cook, Barry). They also have several players with team options (Landry, Hayes, Dorsey [partial guarantee]) and restricted free agent rights to Luis Scola and Kyle Lowry. Plus, the team would still have Yao, Artest (if re-signed), Battier, Brooks and a lottery pick. Not saying that I'd do it. Not even saying the Knicks would do it. Just saying . . .
Lee is a PF/C and plays the majority of his minutes at centre. http://www.nba.com/statistics/playe...ype=9&splitScope=GAME&qualified=Y&yearsExp=-1
