Pat Williams on TMac

I say be patient. We don't need to add many pieces and have
at most two free agents of interest(Fisher/Barry). Whether the trade goes through or not,
Rox will try to sign one of them.
(Backup center is a concern but not very important. There're plenty of them). So the trade won't affect our free agent signing.

 

Patience is a virtue...

We do what it takes, guys.

I know everyone is frustrated by how Wiseacre keeps pulling his showboat antics. But, whatever it takes to get McGrady here, if it takes ALL summer, we do it. As so many have more elquently stated, you almost never get a chance to bring in a top 5 superstar at the age of 25.

We have the advantage of TMac sticking to his guns, saying he only wants to come to Houston. That keeps anyone else from giving as good a deal as we do. If someone ups the deal, so do we. But, I doubt anyone does. So, we wait patiently for the deal.

If we panic, we COULD kill the deal. If we don't, we might suffer the loss of some FAs we could pick up, such as Barry, but we play the hand that is dealt us, even if it means adding the pieces next summer, instead of this one, because this is a deal worth doing whatever it takes. If it goes later, rather than earlier, then we'll have more trading chits on the board. Our TE won't get used, Cato might not be in the deal, etc.

Wiseacre is looking better to the fans, because he's stretched this out, and given them a chance to buy into his rebuilding plan. But, that will turn a different direction if he keeps playing games. They need to make moves too. We aren't the only one who wants to make other trades and FA acquisitions.

 

I agree Jeff, you dudes need to chill.....

Two things that set good businessmen, lawyers or soldiers apart from the average are #1 information and #2 contingency plans.

Our only strength in this deal is the reported fact that T-Mac wants to come to Houston and will not sign a contract extension with anyone else. Our management team is probably talking to Tracy's agent every day to make sure that hasn't changed. If it hasn't, Orlando really has no acceptable option but to accept a fair trade offer from the Rockets. How they spin it with their fans to make them look like they are getting the best deal for their franchise or how they manipulate the timing and minor players in the deal they have to eventually deal with the Rockets.

But nothing is ever certain so I'd guess the 'what if' deals are being talked about at the highest levels. Same thing for the free agent deals. Our management and the agents should have a whole range of contingent deals set up long before July 15. The agents should know that if we do or don't get T-mac we will offer x amount to their player and he is #X on our priority list behind X.

You have to have the dominoes set up fall and be ready to tip a line in another direction is something happens.

Getting T-mac is like getting married. We've proffessed our love and if he loves us back his cranky daddy can't stop the wedding. If he decides he doesn't love us, we'll be hurt but we will move on.

 

I doubt Cato is an issue and, even if he were, I don't think Francis and Mobley for T-Mac is enough. They want to dump Howard's contract in this deal. At least Cato is a center, a position they desperately need.

As for hoping they'll get a better offer, I just don't see it. McGrady has let it be known that he ONLY wants to sign in Houston. He has no intention of signing anywhere else except maybe his second choice is Indiana if Bird is to be believed. No one is going to offer anything remotely decent if the guy isn't going to sign long-term. This isn't baseball where you rent a guy of his calliber for a year.

You might rent a QUALITY player, but you aren't going to risk losing one of the better players in the league.

 

This is what I'm thinking too. Cato, well Cato's contract is the hold up on this one.

But if they were going to wait until 7/15 and avoid taking Cato...wouldn't they have drafted Okafor to play the 5? That part doesn't add up to me. Their seems to be (public) disaray in their plan...but Franchise understands it.

If we take out Cato, what do they take out of the deal? Howard? or do we give up the TE to bridge it (and basically get Howard with the TE).

I would also venture that Gaines will not be in the deal (if he ever was). He's probably a bust, but he's a first round pick that we didn't have.

 

I think Weinwhatzit wants the Rockets to say screw it, and that way he can go to Tracy and say..."Well we tried" who else would you like to play for?????


That way he may have a different or better deal on the table he is manuevering for....however.....I honestly believe that the Rocks deal will happen, we just need some patience.

DD

 

Agreed. Cato's contract is NOT the issue here. If it was we would have known about it now. Sure Cato is overpaid, but it is for only TWO more seasons. That's not bad. AND he is a position of need for the Magic. I would think they would want him. Jeff is right, they are trying to divest themselves of Howard's contract which is MUCH LONGER than Cato's.

The hold up here isnt the players in the deal. The hold up is either 1) Weisbrod playing games with the media or 2) Weisbrod holding out for a better deal. I think it is #1. I think he wants everyone in the media to believe that HE is in control here. That this deal will go off on HIS timetable. That HE is making the best decision for the team. That HE is fielding all of these offers and the one they will settle on will be the best one. This is a landmark moment for the Magic franchise. The media and fans have to believe that while they are losing McGrady, that they are getting a good deal and haven't been bamboozled. That's why they are taking their time and doing it on THEIR schedule.

Personally, I think they have made their point. And you can tell they have via the Orlando Sentinel articles that have been written the last few days. They are on board with the deal. They seem to approve of this waiting period and seem to be buying into the Weisbrod BS.

I just wish Weisbrod would recognize it and now pull the trigger!

 

That's horrible business if he's doing that, and I think you're right he might be doing that. That's a quick way to tarnish your reputation around the league, to enter into an agreement in good faith and then stab that team you're dealing with in the back just to try to convince a player of something.

 

Its the Rockets who are holding out and not saying anything! They are awaiting till July 14th to make the deal work to their best advantage.

 

If the deal takes place after SF is no longer a BYC, that means from the original Francis, Mobley, Cato = Tmac, Howard, Lue and Gains deal, our side of the equation becomes heavier. So either Orlando has to add a player/salary or Houston takes one away.

Additionally Lue is expected to opt out, further lightening the Orlando side.

If we keep one of our players, I am happy with that - any of the three.

I think a more realistic expectation is that Orlando hopes to add a contract, bad contract, to the stack.

Any ideas?

 

I would think they would want to get this deal done by July 1st to get Cato. The deal certainly does not look so goo if Cato is not involved, bad contract or not. Cato is a quality center, especially in the East, who will help their team alot. I would be surprised if this is the hold up.

 

no they aren't

 

IMO - if the deal is to be done AFTER 'base year' ie 7/14, and it is agreed to tomorrow, for example, this deal will be announced as having been 'reached in principle'.

IMO - no one can 'afford' to drag this past 30 June. No one.