From SI, Rockets get a steal ROCKETS GET: Tracy McGrady -- SG Juwan Howard -- PF Tyronn Lue -- PG Reece Gaines -- SG MAGIC GET: Steve Francis -- PG Cuttino Mobley -- SG Kelvin Cato -- C '03-04 G PPG RPG APG SPG FG% FT% McGrady 67 28.0 6.0 5.5 1.4 41.7 79.6 Howard 81 17.0 7.0 2.0 0.7 45.3 80.9 Lue 76 10.5 2.5 4.2 0.8 43.3 77.1 '03-04 G PPG RPG APG SPG FG% FT% Francis 79 16.6 5.5 6.2 1.8 40.3 77.5 Mobley 80 15.8 4.5 3.2 1.3 42.6 81.1 Cato 69 6.1 6.8 1.0 0.8 44.7 67.6 WHY THE ROCKETS MADE THE DEAL WHY THE MAGIC MADE THE DEAL Tracy McGrady is a top-five player. He can score, pass, rebound, block shots and, yes, defend (when he puts his mind to it). Last season was an aberration. Frustrated by the losing and bothered by a bad back, he simply put it in cruise control. With a chance to play for a good team and a demanding coach in Jeff Van Gundy, McGrady should bounce back strong if he stays healthy. Throw in the addition of Juwan Howard, a solid power forward, and Lue, a ball-pressure point guard with NBA Finals experience, and this trade is a no-brainer for Houston. Rockets fans will miss the always-entertaining Francis-Mobley tag team, but Francis was not a true point guard anyway and the duo was not a good fit alongside Yao Ming. Now Houston can go out and find a true quarterback to set up T-Mac and Yao, and the team will be better off as a result. McGrady was unhappy about Orlando's losing situation, and the Magic were afraid he might leave next summer when he can become a free agent. Orlando got burned in 1996 when Shaq bolted without compensation. In order to prevent a repeat of that disaster -- as well as a season-long distraction -- GM John Weisbrod decided to deal T-Mac now and get what he could. While he's no McGrady, Francis is a three-time All-Star. He can score, rebound, defend and produce highlight-reel dunks. Freed from having to set up Yao Ming, he can thrive and even become a fan favorite in O-town. Unfortunately, he might have to be a one-man show since the Magic gave up Howard, their only proven low-post threat, in the trade. Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato are solid support players, but they couldn't join with Francis to do much in Houston before Yao arrived. There's no reason to think it's going to be any different in Orlando. THE BOTTOM LINE by SI.com's Marty Burns With McGrady and Yao joining forces, the Rockets are instant title contenders. It might take a year or two for Van Gundy to add a few more pieces and get his system in place, but Houston can expect to vault into the NBA's elite. Van Gundy knows how to construct stifling defensive units. Now, for the first time, he's got a superstar scorer to go with it. As long as T-Mac agrees to do his part on D -- and his balky back cooperates -- the Rockets should be terrific. As for the Magic, they better hope Dwight Howard blossoms quickly. NBA champions generally are built around superstars, and while Francis is an All-Star, he is not of McGrady's caliber. Never mind that the Magic were afraid of losing McGrady to free agency next season. If T-Mac goes on to win an NBA title in Houston, it will rank with losing Shaq on the list of all-time Magic blunders.
finally i can get some sleep........... and not have to stay up till 6 am everymorning waiting for the trade to happen!
I have such mixed emotions right now.. so happy that we got TMAC cause he is incredible, with some great players.. however, I really hope he doesnt continue to get hurt, etc.. hopefully this does not turn out to be a bust like the grant hill deal for the magic.. but hopefully it won't and we will have an INCREDIBLE season next year! Now let's hope that Shaq does not go to Dallas!!
why? shaq to dallas would be good for the NBA. that would make for an interesting inter-state rivalry. we can't hope to win by default, rather we should try to beat the best, and right now we're getting the peices to do that. btw... harold and kumar go to whitecastle... is that you?
Exactly. The Rockets gain a premiere player in Tracy McGrady, no doubt, but they gain nothing more than a taller Steve Francis. McGrady averaged about 9 more points per game than Francis and about a turnover less than Francis but McGrady, like Francis, wants the ball and wants to shoot and I'm willing to bet won't fit in to JVG's scheme. The Rockets gave up a veteran, all-star point gaurd, the hardest position to play in the game, and gained two benchwarmers at the same spot. We have no depth now, especially the up front depth that is definitely needed in the Western Conference. We are basically in the same spot as when we traded for Barkley. Don't get me wrong, I hope the Rockets do well this year I just don't see it happening but if it does then I will be very glad.
This is exactly the type of deal the Rockets used to make in the mid-90s when they were trying to win titles. Thorpe for Drexler. Cassell and Horry for Barkley. Trade good players for great players.
Thank God. Driving down to Miami to catch a flight to Buenos Aires. Didn't want to stop in Orlando and walk in the Orlando Magic Building to B*tch slap Wiseass for pallyng tricks. Keep the info coming little NBA news in Argentina.
You are wrong on so many points. 1. McGrady is much smoother than Francis. Francis is best off the dribble creating his shots in one one situations. McGrady can, but does not have to, beat people off the dribble because he can shoot right over them. That's what makes him dangerous. 5 inches of height advantage is a huge difference. If Steve Francis was 6'8", hed be a much more effective player at the 2. Imagine how effective Yao would be at 7'0 instead of 7'5". 2. I will bet you anything that Francis will never be able to score over 26 ppg. There are very few natural scorers who can put in over 30ppg. That is rare even on bad teams. You make it sound as though 9 ppg with a higher fg% is nothing. That's a considerable feat considering Francis had many more wide open looks playing with Yao than McGrady with Andrew DeClerq. 3. Yes PG is the hardest position to play which is exactly why Francis struggled. He had one of the worst assist to turnover ratios in the league. Francis could not quite figure out how to incorporate Yao into the offense without sacrificing his own game. The fact he wasn't able to do this is one of the main reasons he was traded. 4. When the Rockets traded for Barkely, they were trading younger talent (Casell and Horry) for an aging veteran. Francis is 27. McGrady just turned 25. Think about it this way. With Francis and Yao, it was generally understood that Yao had to eventually be a franchise player in order for the Rockets to win a championship. That is no longer true because McGrady is already one of the top 5 players in the league. They (Yao and MacGrady) can both improve. Scary.
Lil Pun - I had those same thoughts at the begining of the trade talks, but after awhile, these boards convinced me that T-Mac might fit under JVG's system better. Fewer turnovers are critical. T-Mac also makes it easier to draw in good players. People have seen Francis and Yao, and havent been really impressed by it. T-Mac and Yao is something new and will draw free agents to houston. I hate losing Steve, who I honestly believe is one of the best PGs out there and can get better. I honestly hope that he opts out of his contract with the Magic later and jumps back to the Rockets for a cheaper price. Nobody can question his drive to win it all. I only wish him the best, that is until we meet him in the playoffs
Thank you for your positive comments anon. I'm really just sick of all the Francis bashing and people thinking that McGrady will solve all the Rockets' problems.
I just saw Fox 26's coverage. They claim to have "broke the story at 3:30". Hmmmm, it seems Jeff's first post here was at 3:05 reporting that 610 just broke it. Seems to me 610 gets the props this time. Of course it probably helps that they are the flagship station of the Rockets.
im sad to see francis go, but i cant help but be happy. yaaay for the rockets, finally catch a break : )
I actually had this post all loaded up and ready to go when we were ahead in OT of Game 4 against the Fakers. But then Kobe ripped our hearts out of our chests mid-post, so I never submitted it. But this moment is definitely worthy, so... F*** YEAH!! F*** YEAH!!..........F*** YEAH!!
TMAC interview on Sportscenter!!! "Gonna work my butt off" On Van Gundy and Defense: "Ask Glen Rob if I can play defense...I don't mean to point him out, but..." "Whatever it takes to get it done, i'm willing to do" On the Orlando situation... "Not a great relationship with management"..."Wasn't no communication"..."Magic is a great organization"..."They helped me grow...Orlando will always be home" First thing he will say to Yao..."Bring me a championship big man"..."Lets light the city of Houston up" Oh man I am so excited. He's well spoken, doesn't make himself out to be a great player. The bottom line is what is most important...he wants to win!
and on the other side of the deal....Berman has interviews with SF,Cat, and Cato from the news tonight. http://bbs.smeggysmeg.com/videos/Berman_talks_Francis_TM_0629.mpg
