DD, if it is clear after the trade deadline that T-Mac cannot come back from his injury, then the Rockets would probably get much more cap relief by letting an independent, league-appointed physician say so. If that happens, then the Rockets will get approximately $11.5M in luxury tax relief, plus a Medical Player Exception that amounts to a second MLE to use in the summer of 2010. That would be SIGNIFICANTLY better than a buyout. However, if the physician doesn't agree that T-Mac's injury is career-ending (or career-threatening? I'm not sure of the exact standard), then a buyout could save Les several millions of dollars. Even then, though, the Rockets would lose out on retaining T-Mac's Bird Rights for purposes of any sign-and-trade possibilities that could be out there in the summer of 2010.
No. Id rather get better talent with more money and patience. What if tmac starts to play magical and we STILL have his 20 million expiring contract. No thank you.
why buy out an expiring now? there are options we can explore before we reach to that point, if we do.
Guess I'll elaborate a little why I feel so: Although it will cut McGrady free from Org, it will also cut org away from huge benefits they could have with having him in Org. Does no good to Rox org to cut him loose, when he's in fact a good player, just needs to get it together mentally.
I think that ex-Magic GM John Weisbrod has got to feel rather proud of his decision to trade T-Mac five years ago if he saw this thread or other threads of negativity concerning T-Mac. Read my sig.
a they couldn't find a trade partner and 2 they would not take back any contract longer than his TMac is not Starbury; TMac's situation for Rox is >, way > than Starbury's was with the Knixies.