This is what I've been scared about all along. When we traded Steve, Cat, and Cato for T-Mac. I voiced my concerns: "We're trading five years of Steve and one, maybe two years of Mobley and Cato for only one year of T-Mac!" And from all around, all I heard was, "T-Mac will re-sign. He won't opt out after next season. He wants to play here." ... Well, let's take a lesson from Carlos Boozer. I don't need to tell you what he did do the Cavs. But Boozer has taught us some very valuable lessons: When a player says he "wants to play here", it doesn't mean squat. Players can and will lie and devieve ball clubs (and vice versa) for money. The mighty dollar almost always rules all. Teams (like the Cavs) MUST protect themselves from such deceit. Verbal contracts don't mean squat. GET IT IN WRITING! The scary thing is... All of those lessons apply to our situation with T-Mac. I'm very glad he's here, but WE MUST - WE MUST get T-mac committed IN WRITING to more than one season with the Rockets. The fact that we did not get that commitment as part of the trade, in my opinion, is a failure on the part of Carroll Dawson. Imagine this SCARY scenario: What if CD asked to have an extension signed as part of the deal? Let's pretend he did ask for that. Well, then, why wasn't it signed? The answer: because T-Mac isn't willing to do so. T-Mac wants the option to opt out of his contract after next season. That means that he's very open to the possibility of playing for the Rox for one season and then moving to another team, be it for more money or because of unhappiness in Houston. Doesn't that sound scary to you? We are in a prime situation to end next season with no T-Mac, and this scares the hell outa me! -- droxford
all Cleveland could offer Boozer was their mid level exception if they resigned him. TMac is already making the maximum and when he is resigned it'll be even more. Boozer and his agent obviously were looking for a bigger pay day, no team can offer McGrady more than us
If he didn't care where which team he blew off after one year, why specify the Rockets and none 3 or 4 other teams? Indiana and probably Phoenix could have offered more. If he left it to Orlando, they would have found great deals.
I am not worried in the least. Boozer did it for the MONEY. Cleveland couldnt pay him the money he was looking for. With Tmac, we can offer him the MOST money, so MONEY wont be an issue with Tmac. As soon as August 4th rolls around TMac and the Rockets will sign the extension. By all accounts Tmac wants the extension, as do the Rockets and he wants to get on with playing with Yao.
Don't worry. Mac is staying we can extend his contract in August.. what can go wrong till then?? *knock on wood*
A remander that long term contract works both ways...( Cough...Cough...Jeff Bagwell...). What if TMaC doesn't perform the level of any signed long term contract ? CD is playing it right, even if it may cost the Rockets more to resign him next year.
well TMac won't be 36, instead 32 when the contract expires and i don't expect him to have an arthritic shouldder
Money isnt the issue here at all, the rockets can and WILL offer him the most $$, so we dont have anything to worry about. Plus why the hell would he want to go any where else , last time i checked he WANTED to come to houston. He coulda demanded a trade to lets say the Wizards but he didn't, he picked the rockets!
I just wondered if TMac will be a RFA or UFA assuming he wants to opt out next year. As far as I know, Kobe is unrestricted FA after he opted out.
A few big differences: 1. T-Mac wants to play with Yao in Houston. That's why he demanded to be traded here in the first place. 2. T-Mac is getting paid his market value, the MAX contract allowed in CBA. Boozer was going to get paid < 1 million from his rookie contract. Baxson offered him MLE (~ $5 million). But his market value is $10 million per. That's a huge difference. 3. What do you think CD and T-Mac are going to do after August 4th, when negotiaon for T-Mac contract extension can begin? They will sign a contract extension before doing anything else. 4. Houston has T-Mac's full Bird's right, so Houston can offer T-Mac more money than any other team can.
Boozer left for more money. T-Mac can't get more money from anyone else but us. I think we'll be okay.
I thought a read somewhere that an extension can not be either announced or negotiated until July 17th, or somewhere around there. I'm sure there is a foundation in place for an extension, otherwise I don't think the Rockets would have gone through with the trade. Both sides probably have already discussed and agreed on the parameters of a deal, but can't sign n the dotted line till a certain date.
Agree. If, a bad if, things didnt work here for T-Mac, he wants out after next year, we then again have huge salary room. It's not that bad for the contracts we had to give up, except fot Cat's, but he is going to be a FA next year anyway. I do think T-Mac is going to perform and he would want to stay. What's it going to do his reputation if he only play one year here with Yao. The whole world knows he wanted to be here with Yao and forced it. I am not too worried about it.
--------------------------------------------------- Owner Les Alexander said the team plans to negotiate a long-term extension for McGrady on August 4, the date the NBA allows players like McGrady to extend their contracts. --------------------------------------------------- This on the homepage of Clutchfans.net and was taken from the press conference for McGrady. Like I said, there is probably something already agreed on by both sides which can't be finalized or signed on till that date. I really dont think the Rockets make that trade without some sort of confirmation that he is going to sign an extension.
Wouldn't we be putting ourselves in position to lose 4 or 5 first rounders (ala Minnesota) had we done that?
I'll add something I haven't seen posted yet. Even if TMac did decide to go somewhere else - which seems extremely unlikely for the reasons others have mentioned - a lot of posters would still be happy just to have gotten the Francis and Cato contracts off the books. I don't know the cap specifics, then the Rox could use the money to get players more compatible with Yao.
