If there's another thread like this, please lock it up. Nevertheless, I'd like to express my extensive desire to keep T-Mac a Houston Rocket. I'll start with the pros: - He's unselfish - Makes his teammates better - He doesn't have an overinflated ego - T-Mac wanted to play with a dominant big man; one of T-Mac's most competive rivals, Kobe Bryant, i believe should be held personally responsible for sending one of the six greatest centers out of town. - T-Mac is a sensational jump shooter/slasher - He has great heart and holds responsibility high on his shoulders - T-Mac and Yao have great synergy - His abilities and likeability are great for Rocket business - Two superstars are better than one - He's the closest we've had in many years to having Clyde Drexler - If the Rockets keep T-Mac, it could be a T-Mac Franchise Dynasty
omg!!! a Tmac supporter on this board? I can't believe my eyes.. thing is, Tmac bashing is the new trend on this board these days. since all the homers don't have a Vspan, a Dan Langhi, or a Boki to pull for this year, they decided to shift their focus to the "trade Tmac for a bag of chips" movement.. this sh!!t is so unbearable that it makes the pointforward guy seem rather acceptable compared to them.. what all these weirdos fail to see is the fact that Mac is the anchor of this team.. without him on the floor, the team looks completely lost.. they have made good runs without him, I agree, but when it comes down to crunch time and playing against real defense, Luther Head moving around like a chicken won't cut it.. I understand all the frustration with Tmac, I am really frustrated with his mind games and the weird agenda he is trying to implement right now, I hate the fact that he keeps getting injured and is soft/doesn't drive to the hoop. I understand that if he stays like this, we will never win big.. HOWEVER, I think trading him is a huge step backwards, simply because any we get in return (even Kobe or LeBron) would require at least a couple of seasons to get used to the system/get the right guys to play with him.. so as of right now, I like our chances going with a semi-injured Tmac as opposed to trading him and jeopardizing our chances if winning NOW with Yao right at his prime..
I'm all for keeping Tmac. I want to give him and Yao one more chance in the playoffs together under a new coach. When and if that fails, a trade will be necessary. It's very similar to when management broke up Cuttino and Steve, and brought in Tmac.You only get so many chances in this league to attain results. This will probably be the last for the Tmac-Yao duo. Cod
I do not see any similarities. Cat and SF3 got traded only because TMac was available. Actually, that YAO-SF3-Cat team was like under the right track (made to the play off the first time).
thank you for showing support because tmac can not go and shoot the shots for the brick layers once he draws the double team damn lay off the man people.
If there's reason to believe the club has plateaued with McGrady and it won't get much better, a move should definitely be considered. The belief is that McGrady himself is resistant to the changes. That's NOT acceptable regardless of his talent. If he doesn't want to do it the way the system needs him to here, gotta find that much for him and get players who WILL fit the team's concept. That said, Rockets have a HORRENDOUS record without McGrady since he's been with the club. There's also no guarantee bringing in Kobe or other good players will turn the fortunes of this particular club around....
Just look at his stats in the playoffs, or how he leads the team in points AND assists, or how we have no one else who can consistently be depended upon at end of game situations...or the Rockets' record without him since 2004.
I dont mind keeping McGrady as long as we get a playmaker to push the tempo and a consistent 3rd option at the 3 spot who can attack with a nice mid range game. If Houston fails those 2 moves, then this season will be ended quickly. Adelman need players with a offensive mindset. If we trade McGrady then we trade him To Miami for Williams, Davis, Mourning, Wright who are all expiring and have alot of flexibility to sign 2 All-Stars to play with Yao next season.
I think these points can be debated. I'm not so sure he makes his teammates better. He is the best passer on our team and racks up a lot of assists, but he also stagnates our offense. Bull touched on it the other night after Tracy went out (again) with an injury. He said hopefully our role guys can bring us back into the game, because they seem to play better without Tracy. He is a great jumper shooter and used to be a great slasher, but lately all I see is the opposing team racking up blocks, or TMac hitting 1/2 free-throws as a result. Tracy and Yao played okay together under JVG, but they don't seem to anymore. Maybe this point can be blamed on the new system, but I don't think they have 'great synergy'. Great heart? Hell no. It's been beat into the ground a million times but really, this dude is weak mentally and emotionally. "It's on me" doesn't change that. I'm not saying trade him, ONLY because I don't see a trade we could make that would make us better. But that's the only reason.
Keep him or not, i´m all at calling him TinMac until he goes to OZ and gets a heart. I heard the joke on the radio and could not agree more.
He lacks leadership. Kenny Smith said there is 3 keys you look for in a team. Tempo, Defense, Leadership. He slowes the tempo down and people question his leadership. I think Tracy is just a really great role player kinda like Pedja in his King days or Marion exept they was All-Star role players. Webber was the undisputed leader of those Kings team and when he was traded it all went south. Yao showes more leadership to me than Tracy does. Tracy claims this is his team well, i cant tell ..
These are good points, that's what really bothers me with Tmac, despite all his great dribbling skills and good athleticism he never pushes the ball when he's got the chance. He's got the 'walk it up syndrome'(hell, the dude looks plain bored out there sometimes) and settles too much for the offense to setup, while letting the opposing defense to setup too. He knows he can always get an easy (lower percentage) jumper over a defender instead of driving it into an off-balanced defense for a layup or freethrows...of course, he probably doesn't want to get hurt, again, or maybe he knows his freethrows are bordering on pathetic for someone of his caliber.
Dont think the Rockets will trade T-mac as of right bow because his trade value is all time low now after: (1) SI writer Jack Maccullum's Control Issues article (2) Magic called out on the national TV (3) Once again show that he is injury prone! If you traded him now, you just cant get back same value!
That is kind of STUPID to do as what you say!! 1.Tracy worth about $20,000,000 Dollar, maybe not so much, but he is the biggest bill except Yao. But he keeps in injury from all parts of his body, like Grant Hill when in Magics, also a injury guy and worthes so much money, and the result is, no money to get better guys in roster. The same as Rockets now Mike James always throw balls but like 10+% FG . . . Tracy always injury . . . 2.Tracy is old NOW! When the bill is over, he is 32 Years Old ! and Will he be in the court or as a bench or what? He has so much injurys now, who can say he will be so healthy when 2011? Who wants to keep him a big bill? 3.Yao and Tracy are not young, they are 28 & 29 now! If they still can't get a NBA Champion, they will retire, and the team will have no STARs then, and Rockets will be suck as Now the Sonics! To get the champion, we should have the best people possible. But Compare a injury guy will hugh bill--Tracy and a healthier and lower salary Yao, who is better to leave in Rockets? Sure, Yao is better, and Tracy should GO!
I think he would make Miami a killer team with Wade and Shaq they would be elite in the east again. A team where he wont be the best player or have to try and be a leader. I really want to trade Tracy before the free agent market heats up that way when we go into next season there will be no more excuses when we have enough cap flexibility to sign 2 really good All-Star type players. Artest, Brand. This team dont need no more softies and Artest and Brand are about as tough as they can come. Hell, we could easily be able to sign Brand he wont get no more than what he is making now i dont think. Artest has really improved his all around game with his outside shot. Chris Paul would be the perfect fit for Houston. The guy can run a offense and attack and push the tempo. Other names Marion, Arenas, Igoudala are just some of the other big names out there. I personally would like to sign Chris Paul if we sign Brand because that would give us a Elite PG and Elite PF to team with Yao. We would be unstoppable. Artest, Brand, Paul are the three biggest names i want on this team next season. Just trade Tracy for all of Miami's expiring contracts.
The best possible scenario is that T-Mac settles down and plays Adelman's system. Right now the problem is that T-Mac kills the team when he takes quick, contested jump shots instead of passing the ball around and involving his teammates. The best games the Rockets have played this year, against the Nuggets at home and on the road against the Bulls, showcased a T-Mac who played the system and consequently the Rockets looked like winners. I can't emphasize this enough--four guys on the court playing Adelman's game means nothing. Five guys can look scary good. It's absolutely essential that T-Mac play the system, move without the ball, make the extra pass and involve his teammates. If he refuses to then the Rockets aren't going anywhere.
IMO, T-Mac is not the same player he was prior to his long spate of back problems two seasons ago. That being said, the Rockets probably don't get as much in return for him if they traded him away now as opposed to the seasons prior to 2005-06. Could part of the problem be that he's playing out of position? RA should make a lineup change that would enable him to play at his more natural position at SF IMO.
