McGrady says he wants out! Breaking news out of Orlando within the last 30 minutes. I know it was expected but it now official. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=1824663 Orlando expected to explore trades The Orlando Magic lost one superstar eight years ago when Shaquille O'Neal left via free agency. Now they may trade away another one. Tracy McGrady, who can become a free agent next year, informed the Magic on Friday that he does not want to re-sign with the club, league sources told the Orlando Sentinel. In order to avoid losing McGrady without compensation, the Magic are expected to explore trade options. McGrady, who has led the NBA in scoring the past two seasons, should draw heavy interest. Although McGrady could not be reached for comment on Friday, he has said he would opt to leave if he didn't think the Magic could improve quickly. Orlando fell to a league-worst 21-61 record next season and has the No. 1 pick in the draft. McGrady had hoped the team would trade the pick for veteran help, but the club wants to keep the selection.
mogrod, the orlando sent art was put in clutch's thread a little while ago. saw no need in starting a new thread.
I disagree. I gauruntee there are a ton of people who won't even consider looking at a thread that's ten pages long. Count me among them.
Definitely agreed. This is newsworthy and deserves its own thread. I also won't look at a thread that already has tons of replies as most threads by then have degenerated into "Stevie sucks", "Yao sucks", "JVG sucks" or some combination thereof.
I dont have a link but this was posted from the Orlando Magic forum. T-Mac wants to leave Tracy McGrady is leaving the Orlando Magic. League sources told the Sentinel that McGrady informed the team Friday that he doesn't want to re-sign with it when he becomes a free agent next year. It means the Magic will trade him rather than let him walk away at the end of his contract with no compensation. General Manager John Weisbrod initiated this showdown with McGrady. He had pressured McGrady, privately and publicly, to make a decision about his future. From all indications, McGrady had begun expressing a desire to flee sometime before Weisbrod made his April proclamation that he would not go into next season with an "I don't know" from McGrady about his plans. The relationship between the franchise and its star player worsened over the course of a 21-61 season. The Magic grew frustrated with some of McGrady's traits, including his tendency to rip his teammates publicly, his so-so practice habits and his lack of desire to lead the team. Ultimately, however, this split may have come down to the team's direction. As a result of their horrible season, the Magic earned the No. 1 pick in Thursday night's draft. McGrady has said he wanted the team to trade the pick for veteran players, which might have helped the Magic turn around more quickly. The Magic want to keep the pick and rebuild slower and sturdier. Magic owner Rich DeVos met with McGrady on Friday to gauge the player's intentions. He learned what he has heard is true: McGrady would like to try his luck elsewhere. McGrady, who turned 25 last month, had said he felt he would have no choice but to leave if he didn't think the Magic could make a quick improvement. Various player agents say the Magic's asking price for T-Mac will be exceptionally high and will focus on two or three teams that could deliver a package of players. Candidates include the Indiana Pacers, Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns - all teams with one outstanding young big man. They reportedly have expressed interest in adding McGrady. According to one source, the Magic have asked the Pacers for as many as four players - Ron Artest, Al Harrington, Jamaal Tinsley and Jonathan Bender - in exchange for McGrady. To make it fit under salary-cap rules, the Magic would have to send at least one other player, likely Juwan Howard. Donnie Walsh, the Pacers' team president and chief executive officer, told the Indianapolis Star that only star forward Jermaine O'Neal was untouchable. McGrady signed with the Magic as a free agent in the summer of 2000. He received a seven-year, $93 million contact, with a clause that allowed him to opt out of the contract after the 2004-05 season. He was expected to be the secondary star on the team behind former All-Star Grant Hill, another free agent signed in 2000. Together they were supposed to be the tandem that would carry the Magic back to the top tier of NBA teams, a designation Orlando lost when Shaquille O'Neal departed as a free agent in the summer of 1996. Hill's troublesome ankle and inability to play more than a handful of games scuttled those plans but resulted in McGrady emerging as one of the top players in the league. McGrady won the NBA's scoring title the past two seasons, and was a first-team selection to the All-NBA team in 2002 and 2003.
Personally, I would like them to trade Steve & Cato, and maybe the TE for McGrady and a throw in. They get better, we get better. To the subject of whether to start new thread, this is breaking news that is the first big step leading to everything talked about in the other thread. If he doesn't say he wants out, every other thread about him is null and void.
On another note, I noticed on the ESPN site, they had an "Insider" article about his situation. I was wondering if someone that can acces it, can post it. I'm interested in what kind of rumors they would be writing about.
now things r getting interesting. i hope tmac goes out to media and the public that he only wants to go to houston (which i hope he does). He could have the rockets have some levarage in getting t-mac w/o giving up so much. maybe francis + cato for t-mac and howard or gooden. Then, i hope the rockets sign either barry or trade daniels with the exception. hopely and sorta realistic lineup barry or daniels/wilks mobley/pike (i think he's going to get drafted by bobcats) t-mac/boki taylor/howard or gooden/weatherspoon YAO/(either declareq or doleac)
Here is the link to the Orlando Sentinel story on this. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...61804,0,6014569.story?coll=orl-home-headlines Suns, Rockets, Pacers.....let the bidding war begin! In my opinion, here are probably the BEST offers Orlando could get. Although chances are what Orlando 'wants' and 'gets' will meet somewhere in the middle. Suns: Johnson, Marion, Voskul and thier #1 Pacers: Harrington,Artest,Tinsley, Bender Rockets: Francis, Mobley, Cato, future #1? Who would McGrady most like to play with? Yao, Stoudamire or J. O'neal?
This is great news, as bad as i want it to happen, i'd rather see no deal go down until right after the draft, so We can send them next years number 1 and keep Cato while sending Sf, Mobley, perhaps pike, Recieve Mcgrady, Lue, Pauchilla or howard This way, we keep another good energy center who can board which is necessary for Yao, and get rid of our backcourt while getting a decent pg in lue back. Our pick that we give up will suck (it sucks never having one but i'd rather watch more rockets in the playoffs than an early pick) And we get mcgrady lue/wilks/jackson? (try to sign any free agent pg) JJ/Mcgrady Mcgrady/boki/jj Cato/ MO/ (howard or pauchilla) Yao/Cato/ Spoon
I recall someone perhaps GATER mentioning earlier in another thread that McGrady has a choice where he wants to be traded. I would like to know if there is anything in his contract which could help us getting him if he chooses us.
The Rockets brass need to do some big time recruiting. Remember when the Knicks wanted Allan Houston? They went all out..they got all these celebrities on tape begging Houston to sign with the Knicks, they put his photo with a Knicks uniform on a skyscraper etc... Rocketeer's photo of McGrady in the ROckets uniform looks sweet and someone like Tim might be able to coordinate a marketing plan to lure Tmac. Convince him that only the Rox with Yao will win him fans, commercials, and championships.
two reasons McGrady's gonna don the red and silver uni: 1. Yao Ming. Comparisons between him, J.O'Neal and Amare are pretty close but there are 2 things working for Yao--7'5" and the most untapped potential And the most important factor 2. No state income tax 'nuff said.
but If mcgrady choose those 3 teams above, wouldnt orlando most likely trade him to Indiana? seems like the better deal to me.
i'm pretty sure he has SOME leverage to where he wants to go. and when you're talking money...especially an income tax..you would figure that in as well.
