I didn't see the Suns' offer as being better than ours until that #7 pick was out there. A team that is rebuilding considers a pick like that to be gold. If it's Marion, Joe Johnson, someone else and the #7, that will be tough to beat. The Suns would also have a lot of cap room to play with even still. It's in McGrady's hands now.
Actually, from a cap standpoint, the Suns' offer a much more enticing deal than us. Orlando will have a chance to land three marquee players from that deal. The key with Joe Johnson is his upside. Everyone knows what Cuttino's capable of. Johnson is 6'7 with handles, and a jumper -> something that's coveted around the NBA. When you factor in the #7 being offered -> Ben Gordon let's say, Orlando will have a nice starting lineup. But you're right about TMac's desire to be a Sun. They won like 35 games last year, and I think he wants to win NOW. So he'll likely narrow it down to Houston and Indiana.
AMEN. If we can make this deal without giving up 3 players, we come out on top. I tell Orlando to take Steve and anyone else but Yao.
I think Phoenix would also have to sign some big names (nash? dampier?) for McGrady to be interested. Because right now, I see no positives in playing alongside Amare Stoudemire. Some can enlighten me but I seriously don't think he's a better 1-2 punch option than Yao. Unless he develops a 15 foot jump shot or a hook shot over this offseason, all he has is his athleticism.... which could break him down like his fellow teammate McDyess for the past few years.
surely now he has confirmed he wants out the price just dropped remember nobody will trade for him unless he wants to go there and then give that team the assurance that he won't opt out if it is Marion, Johnson and #7 then that is a nice deal and the Magic can almost rebuild in one swoop however i thought the Suns had said they wanted #7, don't they have the Knicks pick.. my guess is more likely is that pick
So, if Phoenix does get McGrady, we're left with pissed off players who know we tried to deal them and a roster overburdened by the cap. Meanwhile, the Suns take on one of the most dominant player in the NBA who we have to play at least 4 times a year. Great.
The Arizona Republic reported recently that the Suns, after seeing some prospects up close, are pretty much convinced they won't move the #7 pick.
This from the GM board: Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2004 3:43 am Post subject: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Orlando board is reporting that a Houston TV station is reporting that the deal between Houston and Orlando is confirmed... ...or something like that. Francis/Mobley/Cato. If TMac joins Yao: like I've said before, watch out for Phil Jackson as he unretires by you at full speed.
They are reaaaally going on a rebuliding process. Sad. Yeaaa Phoenix, give up the whole team and we will start w/ McGrady and some other scrubs. Let's go pick up Jack Haley, Dennis Rodman, Matt Fish, God Shammond, Tree Rollins, and freaking Kurt Rambis!! The Suns are idiots in giving up all that crap. Now if the Rockets just give up SF, Mobes, and Cato for McG and Gooden, that would benefit both teams.
The thing about the Suns is, is that they are probably focusing on BOTH McGrady AND Kobe. They will probably make a run at either of them. From everything I have read the Suns are willing to give up Marion and someone like Voskuhl or Jacobson but are learly of giving up on Johnson or the #7 pick much less Marion AND Johnson AND the #7 pick. I am not sure the Suns are willing to "do whatever it takes" to make the pot sweet enough for Orlando. I mean if the Suns could offload White's contract to the Bobcats they could have enough to make a run at Kobe in FA and STILL keep Marison, Johnson and the #7 pick! So they have to decide how much they want to gamble. This indecisiveness might come into Houston's favor. Ditto for the Pacers who might be leary of gutting a team that won 60 games last season. I agree with those that say it is all up to McGrady. Houston, Phoenix and Indiana can all put up decent offers. If McGrady says any of those 3 will be fine then the Magic will look for the best deal of the 3. But if McGrady says "I want to be traded to Houston" then Orlando's hands are tied at that point. McGrady controlls his destiny here. We just have to hope that CD is calling McGrady's agent and SELLING HIM that Houston is the place to be!
Yeah, but I don't give a crap about Phoenix. By the way, the NY pick was Phonex' pick but it went to Utah as part of the Marbury deal.
mfclark: The only thing that matters is where T-Mac wants to play. Like Jeff said, the Suns are rebuilding, no matter how you spin it. There is no guarentee that other players will want to go there (assuming the deal with Phoenix goes down). Cap room is nice, but it doesn't always help a team (see Chicago Bulls). If I'm T-Mac, I would choose to play with the next big center, especially since there are no other centers in the league anyway. There is a proven coach in Houston, and no state tax (that is a biggie).
Does anyone have a link to the Magic website with a fan forum? Someone posted it in another thread but can't find it...
Someone really needs to confirm this post. For reference purposes here is the link http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?t=244826 Can anyone confirm that a Houston TV station said the above?
exactly. why go to the West and play with only a big man (amare) when you can go to the West and play with a big man that's going to dominate (yao)?
Icehouse - you are right, it is in McGrady's hands. I was evaluating it from a talent standpoint from the Magic's perspective. If McGrady says he is amenable to any of those three cities - and truth be told, no one knows where exactly he will say yes to and where he will say no to - then Orlando will look for that deal and I'm not sure the Rockets can put it up.
