Interesting article, thought I would post it here. I think the McGrady situation is an interesting one to follow because McGrady is continually getting aggrevated by his current situation and the Magic are going to have to address this sooner or later. http://chicagosports.chicagotribune...4smith,1,1657086.column?coll=cs-bulls-utility Bulls possess T-Mac bait Sam Smith March 14, 2004 The loser from the Great Free-Agent Summer of 2000, Jerry Krause, lost his job last spring. The winner, John Gabriel, lost his job last week. That might provide an opportunity for the Bulls to rectify the mistakes of the recruiting season that produced the mess that still haunts the franchise. The rebuilding plan instituted when the 1998 championship team was dismantled wasn't a bad one: Get draft picks and salary-cap room and pounce on the big free-agent class that was to include Tim Duncan, Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady, Eddie Jones, Tim Thomas and, oh, yeah, Ron Mercer. To Krause's credit—and we in Chicago don't often like to offer that—he focused on McGrady. But then-Bulls coach Tim Floyd persuaded Krause to pursue Hill and Duncan, represented by the same agent. Whether the time delay was significant is debatable. But when Duncan said he'd stay in San Antonio, the Magic had time to recoup with the Bulls still chasing Hill. Orlando persuaded McGrady to sign with the Magic. It was a coup for Gabriel, who also was instrumental in the signing of Horace Grant and rebuilding the team when ownership foolishly let Shaquille O'Neal go. But Gabriel also was a victim of Hill's injury, though the Bulls would have signed Hill then in a second. The Bulls even flew to his home the night before he signed with Orlando for a last-ditch plea. Gabriel, one of the league's best executives, was replaced by financial expert and chief operating officer John Weisbrod. Weisbrod, 35, has run Orlando's minor-league hockey team and is a former professional hockey player. His opening news conference included several motivational quotes from Herb Brooks and discussion of the latest serious hockey violence. "This is why it's really a sad day because Gabe was the one who believed in me and brought me in here," McGrady said. "I don't know if [Weisbrod] recognizes talent. But he's going to be the GM, so I'm going to have confidence in him." That was the sound of the Magic's ice cracking. You can take that as the valedictory address for McGrady, who is a free agent after next season. With the franchise in disarray, count on McGrady leaving. Which means the Magic almost certainly will try to trade him after this season. Enter the Bulls. The Bulls are going nowhere, but as ridiculous as it seems, they are not that far away in the Eastern Conference. They face the same problem they did before the trade for Jalen Rose: No star to finish the game and hit the big shot, to take the pressure off the kids who are not star material. New management didn't like Rose. OK, but they still need a star, and with the upcoming drafts looking weak and no salary-cap room, there are few ways to get one. Given Orlando's situation, could the Magic turn down this deal: Eddy Curry, Jamal Crawford, one of the big contracts, like Eddie Robinson or Jerome Williams, and the Bulls' first-round pick, which could be tops overall, for McGrady? That would give the Magic two of the top picks plus a young center. Faced with perhaps getting nothing for McGrady in a year, would they do it? McGrady, averaging 32.5 points for the last 10 games, should win the scoring title. But Orlando did lose 19 straight with him. "He's good," Seattle's Brent Barry said last week after the SuperSonics beat Orlando. "[But he's] just a scorer." It would be a risk because the Bulls, too, would be faced with re-signing McGrady. But Curry will be a restricted free agent after next season. McGrady doesn't defend well and tends to float through games at times. But he could be re-energized in a new environment with a city ready to embrace a basketball star. And perhaps teamed with Tyson Chandler, Kirk Hinrich and Antonio Davis (the Bulls could expand the deal and take Juwan Howard and something for Davis if the Magic wants to get out from under Howard's long contract), McGrady could return the team to respectability in the city his advisers urged him to sign with instead of Orlando.
Sam Smith does very little other than put his wet-dream trade fantasies to print. Must be nice to be a fictional writer for a major newspaper. That said, the prospect of McGrady being traded is something to watch. I have a feeling they'd be talking with the Lakers first, though.... Evan
Why is Barry hatin' on T-Mac? Yeah, he is a scorer, but check out his 6 rebs and 5.4 assts per game. True, he is on a terrible team where he controls the offense and he is not known to play lock-down defense. His team did lose 19 games in a row. Yet he has led the Magic to the playoffs (even if it was in the East.) He has averaged over 25ppg, 6 rebs, 5 assts for almost 3 years running. He will not be considered a complete player until his defense can catch up with his offense, but I do not agree with Barry's assessment of McGrady being "just a scorer."
After the season ends, how about something like this?: SF3 goes to Orlando; McGrady goes to Chicago; Curry and Hinrich go to Houston; Orlando keeps the higher #1 pick of those going to Chicago or Orlando; Houston gets the lower #1 pick of those going to Chicago or Orlando. Here's how it look on Real GM Chicago trades: PG Kirk Hinrich (11.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 6.5 apg in 35.2 minutes) C Eddy Curry (14.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 0.9 apg in 28.8 minutes) SF Eddie Robinson (6.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.2 apg in 20.5 minutes) Chicago receives: SG Tracy McGrady (28.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 5.4 apg in 39.8 minutes) Change in team outlook: -4.6 ppg, -5.7 rpg, and -3.2 apg. Houston trades: PG Steve Francis (16.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 6.0 apg in 40.4 minutes) Houston receives: PG Kirk Hinrich (11.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 6.5 apg in 61 games) C Eddy Curry (14.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 0.9 apg in 58 games) SF Eddie Robinson (6.9 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.2 apg in 49 games) Change in team outlook: +16.2 ppg, +6.2 rpg, and +2.6 apg. Orlando trades: SG Tracy McGrady (28.2 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 5.4 apg in 39.8 minutes) Orlando receives: PG Steve Francis (16.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 6.0 apg in 64 games) Change in team outlook: -11.6 ppg, -0.5 rpg, and +0.6 apg. TRADE ACCEPTED Chicago gets a superstar; Orlando gets a signed near superstar and a very high pick; and Houston gets two future stars and a very high pick. Curry is really a PF and Hinrich is a true PG, so that leaves the Rockets drafting a SF. Also, the Rocks have virtually the same team as the one it will have in winning the 2004 championship.
If you change that trade into a SF for T-Mac one(bypassing the Bulls), and the Rockets manage to pull that off, I'd probably cream in my pants.
Trading SF3 for T-Mac leaves us with no PG and lots of SGs. Also, T-Mac is a scorer but not much of a defender. If we even consider trading Stevie, we should get depth, skill and potential (with the high #1 from Chicago or Orlando, we could get Josh Smith -- the best of the small forwards in the draft). Could you envision a lineup of: Hinrich; MJax Mobley; JJax Smith; Nachbar/Pike Curry; Taylor; Spoon Yao; Cato (And, yes, we trade Robinson for chopped liver)
Hinrich ain't being traded. TMac hasn't played for a team with a 2nd option. The man can Ball. The Bull I want is Chandler. He is one I believe in.
If the Bulls thought they could get McGrady, anyone, including Hinrich, is expendable. I do agree they would cry A LOT. McGrady is a great player -- of that there is no doubt. However, he is a mediocre defender and, again, we would have no PG to feed Yao and McGrady the ball. Lastly, Chandler would be my choice too if it weren't for his bad back. Back injuries never get better. They only get worse. Besides, the Bulls need SOMEBODY to play with McGrady.
We wouldn't bring Curry to Houston. He's inconsistent but no way would he stick around as a backup. If you could acquire him and trade him for a real small or power forward, yep, I'd do such a deal. Sam Smith usually pulls these ideas out of his A (just like we do, here) but what a job; to make stuff up and get paid for it. He did get the Jalen Rose trade correct, however. So 1 out of 60 ain't bad? Better than my average! I would think Orlando would first see what Hill can do with the time he's back (I think he's threatening to take the court again). Unfortunately, he won't just retire, so the team has that situation to drag out. Then they would try to trade Howard and or Gooden, see what that market is. Trading Tracy McGrady would be a last resort unless they know they can get a proven All Star in return. Although lack of attendance in Orlando can be attributed to the woeful team, it might not be a great idea to go from Shaq/Penny to Penny to McGrady/Hill...whoops!, just McGrady, to....solid players with potential.
* Not Curry, but Chandler. * Rose deal correct? Like you said, 1 out of 60. Law of averages (and Smith is not up to average!). * Didn't Magic see what the market was for HoHumHoward and (not so)Good(en) and find it 'disappointing'?
Dammit, you can't have Hinrich. And Paxson, at this point, would even have a hard time trading one of the two bigs for TMac. It doesn't make sense. Scorers grow on trees, but 7-footers with skills are a little tougher to harvest (hear that, Stevie?)
Come on, Kel, this is a ROCKET board, and we WANT Hinrich -- so he kinda sorta BELONGS to us -- or SHOULD.
Yeah, he had the Jalen Rose trade nailed. I lived in Iowa City so my major newspaper at the time was the Chicago Tribune, and I got my weekly Sam-Smith-trade-rants. He got the Jalen trade correct. But, yes, that's 1 out of who knows how many trades he pulled out of his A. And, like I say, that's more than I've got right. (I did predict that Baron Davis would call Steve from the International competition that summer and say that Yao Ming is a good player. That's the sort of stuff I can guess. But Steve for Iverson, Iverson for Brand? Nope. I do wish I could get paid for that crap, like ole Sam.)
If we could get T-Mac on this team, why would we even need a talented PG? Other than the Spurs with Tony Parker, just look at this amazing crop of PG for championship teams in recent memory: John Paxson, Steve Kerr, Ron Harper, Kenny Smith, and Derek Fisher. Basically, 3-pt shooters and NOTHING else. Sure, we'd get an extra SG/SF with the trade, but does it really matter? Mobley is certainly a tradable commodity, or you can just move him to the bench as the 6th man. Then just sign a PG with the exception during the offseason. Problem solved.
Thumbs, let me get this straight. You would rather have Hinrich and Curry instead of T-Mac because we would have too many SGs and T-Mac is just a scorer and not much else? I think if we made that move we would be able to move other players to fill our roles. In the NBA the goal is to get the superstars (if you can) and then just fill in around them. T-Mac for Hinrich, Curry and a #1? I would still take T-Mac for this team. T-Mac IS a star whereas you dont know if any of the other players will EVERY be a star. Let me put it this way..... T-Mac + Yao = Championships.
Why would TMac want to play in Chicago - surely he is tired of the constant losing by now. He may not have an immediate say in the matter, but why would he stick around after next year in Orlando, Chicago, or any crappy team? Won't San Antonio have a lot of cap space - again?
Deuce, the truth is, I would be thrilled to get McGrady. I just don't believe the Rockets have a chance in Hades to land him. So, if we are going to trade SF3, then I'd want to use him to fill all the holes. However, if McGrady did decide on the Rockets, point guards who are good, let alone serviceable, are not easy to find. Our only chance in that situation would be to move Jim Jackson to PG and go with a very tall backcourt.
