No were not a better team with out Mclady.... how can anyone say that... but if we can get guys back in a trade for Tmac at the higher end like 3 starters and picks... then what I think we will get in return for him 1 starter and picks ... the true measure... of what he is worth will come out...
Tracy is one of the few athletic players we have so we need multiple quality players with ATHLETICISM back. If we're talking about the Bulls...Deng and Thomas (and I don't think Chicago would go for that)need to be in the deal....That's who it would take for me. If Tracy didn't have all the injury problems then he'd be driving to the rack and not missing games.....We wouldn't be having this discussion. But under the circumstances we need to deal him as our window will only last so long.The Rockets can get plenty of talent back in a 2,3,or 4 team deal. OMT......When you consider what we gave up to get him,we'll still come out smelling good in the long term.
In 02-03, T-Mac's best year, 74% of his shots attempted were jumpers as opposed to 78% this year. He only took 2 more FTA's per game. T-Mac has played in 70 games all but 2 years since the year 2000. Since last December his chronic back injury has been A-ok, and he lost 15lbs in the offseason so he is as explosive as he ever has been since arriving in Houston. These past few injuries are contact injuries that are uncommon throughout his career.
Agreed. I'm not a fan of the guy but I disagree with people who believe that Tmac is a shadow of what he was a few years ago. The biggest difference in his game is that his jumper and free throws don't go down as well as they used to. It really has little to due with explosiveness or athleticism.
In order for salaries to match, it would have to be Tracy McGrady for Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordan, and Joe Smith. http://realgm.com/src_checktrade.php?tradeid=4379980 I'd assume that Houston would dress this line-up of 12: C. Yao Ming / Dikembe Mutumbo PF. Luis Scola / Chuck Hayes / Joe Smith SF. Shane Battier / Bonzi Wells SG. Ben Gordan / Luther Head PG. Kirk Hinrich / Rafer Alston/ Aaron Brooks With 3 spots available on injury reserve, going to either: Steve Francis, Mike James, Kirk Snyder, Carl Landry, or Steve Novak. Now, why Chicago would trade a good and young up & coming back-court, and the only semi-capable low-post scorer they have for McGrady's giant contract (to go along with Wallace's) doesn't make sense. It would leave them depleted at the 2/3 spots with Thomas/Deng/Nocioni/Griffin. Nocioni plays the 3, which Houston already has depth at. And Chicago isn't giving up Deng and Hinrich for McGrady, because that would be stupid. If the Rockets were given the oppurtunity to take Gordan, Hinrich, and Smith for McGrady though they should take it. The Rockets are obviously going nowhere with McGrady, just like the Nets are going nowhere with Carter.
1) Cassell was never an All-star until that season with Garnett. 2) Sprewell was on the tail-end of his career. In fact, so was Cassell for that matter (as evidenced by his back giving out against L.A.) 3) Garnett never played next to Yao Ming or Vince Carter. 4) Garnett has revolutionized Boston playing the exact same way he's been playing in Minnesota. McGrady has failed to get a talented Rockets team into a Top 2 seed or past the 1st round. Please don't ever insult Kevin Garnett with a Tracy McGrady comparison again.
This alone should silence the Tmac/KG comparisons. As a matter of fact, it should silence all of the criticism KG gets. The guy showed up in Boston and is threatening to make the Celtics "go from worst to first." That doesn't happen in the NBA.
All Souled Out- Cassell had arguably 5 better seaons than what he had with Minny, and 4 of them were the 4 previous years leading up to his time with Minny. All the better...veteran leadership (which is usually what a KG or T-Mac led team lacks) along with all star production. T-Mac never played with Chauncey Billups, Stephon Marbury, Tom Gugliotta (21PPG in his last year with Minny), Wally Sczerbiak (around 19PPG in the heat of their playoff stints), (17/8/4 in his 3 seasons with Minny), etc... Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and the VERY solid supporting cast (Rondo, Posey, Perkins, House, Davis, Pollard, etc...) have as much to do with the change of culture in Boston as KG does. KG is the best player of the bunch, but it has been a team wide transformation.
Boston add both Ray Allen and KG. Ray Allen is awesome and an all-star. He never won anything before either. Neither did Paul Pierce. KG only made it out of the first round once. Yet together they are kicking butt. Historm means nothing. It's all about the present.
wait, aside from the point that you're making, i thought t-mac played with Chauncey briefly in toronto in his rookie season?
I'm not sold on trading Tracie yet. The main problem is Rick Adelman. Our #1 player Yao and our #2 player Tracie are both half court offense powerhouse players. Rick Adelman's Idleman style just doesn't work for our two best players. Firing Adelman and replacing him with someone like Rick Carlisle or Phil Jackson is the best option.
It was less then half a season, and that team won only 16 games and T-Mac got very little playing time at age 18. But yes, he did play with him for a few games.
Gotta disagree. Tracy used to be able to lock up Kobe on defense pre back injury....and when he decided to go to the hoop he got there easier flushing it.Defensive players had to respect the drive..... and he hasn't gotten consistent elevation and form on his shot due to the back injury.There was a time when he was a better player than Kobe,but that is long past.
Exactly. You can't build a team around Allen, Piece or KG without right players surrounding them. Just like you can't build a Champioinship team without right players surrounding Yao. Did Yao ever got consistent outside shooting from other Rox players when he's the main man? I don't think so. Most of the players don't even know how to pass him the ball, or make damn free throws.
Just trade him!!!!!!! He has been whining about his broke down body for two years now. The guy makes what 20 mil per year and has absolutely zero guts! And to shoot free throws like he does....he has lost a few games all by himself this year with his free throw shooting....Don't get me wrong I used to be a fan of TMac but I have lost respect for the guy and I will always be a Rocket fan but if we can get a pick and a couple dudes that have some guts and grit to them then make it happen. This team is soft and it hurts to watch!!
He NEVER used to lock down Kobe...in fact he was unable to guard him (see Magic @ Lakers in March 2004...whenever T-Mac guarded Kobe it was a foul or easy 2). Players STILL respect his drive, and he is shooting as well at the rim as he did back in 02-03.
