Here's the difference: Francis signed a contract and isn't facing free agency anytime soon. With that long extended contract came great riches. You can't have it both ways. You know when you sign a deal like that, that you're locked in...that if they trade you, you're stuck. That's it. But you're willing to do it because the money is so good. McGrady on the other hand was approached by his own management pursuant to the upcoming end of his contract term. He told management he'd like to play elsewhere. That's it. He specifically named Houston. If this thing implodes I will absolutely hate the freaking Magic. And I will despise Steve Francis. Taking this deal to the media...flapping lips ahead of time...and then not consumating the deal, thus driving up the value of the player they intend to trade. Didn't the T-Wolves lose draft picks for a similar move a couple of years back??
I dont know why everyone is so shocked. The only reason we even have Francis is because he pouted when he got drafted by Vancouver. That report by Deuce regarding the league is looking at the deal as "done" is giving me a little comfort but I'll be happy when I see T Mac holding up a #1 jersey posing for pictures with JVG. IMO, Steve's reluctance to go to Orlando is the ONLY thing that could hold this up. Odds are they are looking for an alternate destination for Steve (via Orlando). I can't see Orlando pulling out the rug after having a deal in place...its just bad business, especially for a team on the rebuilding path who is going to have to make more deals over the next year or so. Also, what effect is this going to have on Cato or Cat if the deal dies? Its not like Cato has been the most motivated guy in the past....and now he may be playing with a team (us) who considered him a throw-in/spare part of a deal. Lastly...I thought I remembered in one of Doc's posts shortly after the season ended, that francis commented on going to Charlotte by saying that it wouldn't be bad...or would be cool....something to that extent. Why on earth (if i am remembering this correctly) would he be ok with going to Charlotte but not Orlando?
Jeez! Did you ever hit the point! T-Mac and SF are essentially doing and saying the same thing. Both do not want to play on a last place team so both are trying to force Orlando's hand to move them to a contender (although it's open to debate whether this deal makes the Rockets a contender - that's another topic). T-Mac's position is obvious in that he has more leverage with the Magic than does SF. However, SF & his boyz know that the Magic are taking serious heat from their fans for this deal because it is not the best deal FOR THE MAGIC. So, SF publicly states that he does not want to play for Orlando thereby creating a public relations problem for Orlando: They will be trading a guy who doesn't want to be there for a guy who doesn't want to be there. Try selling that to your season ticket holders. Now to make this deal work out for THEM, the Magic will now have to have a second deal in the works to move SF once the Houston trade goes through. That's a lot more work than simply taking the Indy or Phoenix or whatever other deals that are out there. Things are getting strange now and that's why I have consistently posted that anything can happen.
Wrong. TMac is telling the Magic that he will exercise the opt-out clause that the Magic put into his contract. Thus he gives them these options: a. Keep him and hope they can rebuild around him enough to change his mind before he opts out, but risk losing him for nothing. b. Try to get something of value (which they are) in trading for him. Steve, on the other hand, is under contract for years. If Steve wanted to do the same thing as McGrady, he'd tell the Magic: "Hey, I am not going to re-sign here after my contract is up, FYI." That would be the same. Instead, he and his agents have planted the seeds of doubt, and are basically trying to kill the deal. If the deal doesn't go through, the Rockets get Francis back, and have the following options: a. Keep Steve and have a terrible relationship with a disgruntled player, who has stated (through his demon agents) that he doubts he could return to Houston, and that he would be "scarred" by the trade attempt. b. trade Steve and get screwed because he's devalued himself so much.
MadMax calm down. You are belaboring the obvious: Yes Francis is contractually bound to go to Orlando but that doesn't mean that he can't be PUBLICLY unhappy about playing there. After all, didn't T-Mac himself pull the same whine job to force this trade? (Buzzer Sounds!) Sorry, that is incorrect. T-Mac started this train wreck by publicly threatening to opt out NEXT year then retracting those threats (I really want to stay in Orlandooo) and finally making said threats again. The Magic ownership then held their meeting last week with T-Mac and his boyz where T-Mac made it official that he wants out of the Magic Kingdom. Try the decaf and calm down. This deal can still go through - it's just that Orlando will now have to make 2 deals to move McGrady instead of one. After trading with Houston, they'll need to make another trade to move an unhappy Stevie Franchise. More work perhaps on their part but not an impossible task.
Again...Steve has guaranteed money....he negotiated for it, and part of getting it means you can't dictate where you play. T-Mac has no guaranteed money after this year. The team approached him because the contract was ending. BTW...Steve will be the most hated player on a team EVER if this deal doesn't go down and he's still wearing Rocket Red next season. Even if you personally don't agree...even if you're defending him....i'm telling you, this guy will get booed mercilessly. Think he had it rough last season? Think the fans were all over him last season??? Will pale in comparison to what he receives next season.
Hillboy -- I'm stating the obvious because it is so obvious and people aren't getting it. Sometimes the obvious has to be stated. You're equating a player under contract with a player approaching free agency. It's not the same thing. I agree...if the deal goes down, then this is all about nothing. We're speculating on the opposite happening because right now we're being held in limbo.
I agree Max...I have always loved this guy...being a Maryland fan I was so pumped he came to the Rockets....but if it turns out he sabotaged this deal I'll be pretty pissed at him. (Even though its hypocritical since I was happy when Vancouver got railroaded into trading him to us)
I already talked about the differences between what Steve is doing and what McGrady is doing. About being publicly unhappy about playing for Orlando: the difference is that Steve could have waited so as not to screw the Rockets. Getting traded from Orlando vs. coming back here after singlehandedly screwing up the Rockets deal then getting traded by the Rockets to someone, what's the difference to Steve? Nothing. The difference is that the Rockets get totally douched. Which he and his agents must have known. Yes, it's their prerogative to try and screw the Rockets if they want, but it's my prerogative to be pissed at them about it. Whether McGrady started it or not is irrelevant. What is relevant is that he gave the Magic options, while all Francis has done is handcuffed the Rockets. And what the hell is their impetus to do this? Why not just say "f you, Stevie!" And take a different offer, especially now that bonehead Francis has opened the door and enticed teams to start upping their offers. Fewer headaches for the Magic, Rockets get screwed.
When a player says that he will only sign a long-term contract with a certain team, as it's reported that McGrady has done, then it's essentially the same thing.
Everything Jebus just said. It's a shame Steve is acting this way. He's worked fairly hard since the Vancouver thing to shed that image, though he's had some bumps along the way (Super Bowl) ... it would take leading a team to a championship or two now for him to shed this image. It's fairly cemented on him at this stage. Not the kind of reputation a point guard wants, either.
The ramifications are totally different though. By Tmac saying that he is going to opt out, he is allowing Orlando to deal him and get value in return. By Steve saying that he doesn't want to play for Orlando, he is essentially screwing the Rockets by lowering his trade value. TMac is not screwing Orlando. Steve IS screwing the Rockets.
Agreed! And it is sad because I WANT to cheer for him. If he left I would cheer wherever he goes. I would consider myself a defener of him (not a SOF though). My wife rails on him all the time and I defend him. But it is breaking my heart the way he is acting and how this could be messing up the deal. I am a Francis fan, but I believe he needs to be moved on. And it is killing me that it appears that his actions are hurting this team, the team that I love!
Exactly! T-Mac is pretty much gone either way. Teams are lining up to throw talent at the Magic to get him. I dont see a lot of teams lining up after Francis. If that was the case then Orlando would be able to find a 3rd team to trade Francis to and this deal would be over with! The Rockets are getting screwed! The Rockets are the ones putting THEIR NECK out to trade players to get this guy. Everyone in Orlando knew that T-Mac was gone. It was a foregone conclusion. Here it was uncertain.
I think the deal is done - primarily because Jim Gray has put his stamp on it and because it makes sense - knowing that McGrady has all the leverage make it even more likely. Why is Steve so worried about rebuilding in Orlando? - He will have 3/5 of Rox starting five last year - the entire backcourt - one of the better duo's in the league - and the #1 draft pick and be playing in East - he should be in playoffs! Again why? It seems most likely to get back at the Rockets - he's pissed. He knows the deal is done. As for the NYT article - they are trying to sell copy - and get hits on their website - they have been shown to not be averse to that type of behavior in hard news - it's likely they have even less concern about sport - esp. when it's about regions out of their domain - Houston & Orlando. So I'm not going to sweat this deal - chances are good it's done.
Exactly. His reasoning does not make sense - unless he himself admits that his only hope of making it to the playoffs in Houston is to get carried by Yao Ming, and that Okafor is MUCH worse than Yao Ming, and that the East is as strong as the West...
