Done deal: Francis heads to Orlando; McGrady comes to Rockets By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle RESOURCES THE TRADE: The Rockets will acquire Tracy McGrady, veteran power forward Juwan Howard and guards Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines with the Rockets sending their starting backcourt of the past four seasons, Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley, and center/forward Kelvin Cato to the Magic. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- • ROCKETS/NBA: Full Chronicle coverage -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Finally, the deal moved past "close" to done. The Rockets’ long pursuit of NBA scoring champion Tracy McGrady was completed today with a seven-player trade that will send McGrady to the Rockets and Steve Francis to the Magic, sources close to the talks said this afternoon. The NBA had received the contracts of the players involved and the conference call approving the deal was complete, sources said. Official announcement of the trade is not expected until Wednesday. Officials from both teams declined comment. The Rockets will acquire McGrady, veteran power forward Juwan Howard and guards Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines with the Rockets sending their starting backcourt of the past four seasons, Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley, and center/forward Kelvin Cato to the Magic. Francis, Mobley and Cato were in Orlando on Tuesday to visit with team officials, more than a week after Francis’ agent, Jeff Fried, told his client that the deal was ‘close.” After Francis initial trepidation about going to the Magic, 21-61 last season, several conversations between his representative and Magic officials and himself with Magic general manager John Weisbrod had made him much more open to the idea of the trade and apparently moved the Magic to complete the deal. McGrady led the NBA in scoring the past two seasons, averaging 28 points last season and 32.1 in the 2002-2003 season. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Super Mario gives the High Five to Everyone!
Press conference either late tonight or tomorrow. Just the formal announcement at 4pm. No word as to whether or not players or management from either team will be available to the media.
Next season's motto should be changed from that "Be a Part of Something BIG" stuff to... "The Takeover!"
not going to get into a big debate, but Fisher watch is correct. Fisher WANTS to be a Rocket and he's the best 'role' player available. He's played with Shaq and Kobe and will SOLIDIFY Yao and TMac. DF, JJ, YM, TM, [INSERT INITIALS HERE]
dude i am in powell library right now and I had to just let out a great big WOOHOO inside of here. 5 people ran over to where I was to see what happened and I just was like its official McGrady is a rocket and they just gave me all funny looks and left, luckily they didnt kick me out of the library but oh man will I ever be happy for the rest of the week
Now where the f*#$ is Daryll Hannah when you need her..... splash!!! (okay that was really lame, but whatever.....i'm just extatic that its done ). Can you imagine all of the ppl that will flock to play for us now. I mean if they are smart they'd see the possiblities. If you get HIM they will come.... CHEERS!!! Doesn't it feel good to say "T-mac passes to Yao, he slashes, Yao throws up the Lob, and TMAC with the MONSTER JAM??
