The Magic didn't do anything with the pieces they got from the deal. Steve Francis was traded for Penny Hardaway & Trevor Ariza. Hardaway was waived two days later, and Ariza was traded for Brian Cook and Maurice Evans. Evans walked and the Magic got nothing in return. Cuttino Mobley was traded for Doug Christie, who promptly retired. Kelvin Cato was traded along with the #15 pick in the '07 draft for Darko and Carlos Arroyo. Darko did a lot of nothing and then signed with the Grizzlies. Arroyo served as a 2nd/3rd-string PG for 2 years before walking as well. While they were still with the Magic, Francis/Mobley/Cato got the team off to a 13-6 start before falling apart and eventually being broken up (Mobley for Christie) and finishing at 36-46. Francis and Cato were traded the next year before accomplishing anything. The Rockets, on the other hand, have been busy with their pieces gained in this swap. T-Mac has taken us to the playoffs 3 times, led the team in scoring 3 years, and captained a 22-game win streak for us. Juwan Howard was our (serviceable) starting power forward for a couple of years before being traded for Mike James, who was then traded (with Bonzi Wells - a cheap FA pickup) for Bobby Jackson - who was then traded (along with a Summer League-standout-bust) for Ron Artest. Now we have Ariza "because of" this. Tyronn Lue was the Rockets' starting point guard for a little while before being traded for Jon Barry, who was a floor leader for us and a big factor in our '05 "successes". None of this factors in what we will eventually do with McGrady or his contract.
Lol 4 or 5 years later and now you want to ask this question?? I love CLUTCHFANS!!!! It never ends. After every lost a crazy thread pops up.
my whole point to why this was a bad trade for Houston is we gave up to much for TMac. We would have come out better by trading Cat and Francis seperately even if we didn't get a player the level of McGrady.
If you go by this logic, then all the Rudy Gay lovers need to admit the Rox won the trade by getting Battier. Clearly the Rox have been better then the Grizzlies since the trade. Too many factors go into how the Magic became an elite team that has nothing to do with getting Francis, Cat and Cato.
One would also have to agree that Detroit made a better pick than Toronto, taking Milicic over Bosh. After all, they won a championship that year, while Bosh hasn't won squat.
Thats like saying the Rox should have drafted Jay Williams over Yao. At least Jay is out of the league and not taking up cap space whereas Yao is eating up 17 million dollars this year and not playing. The Magic are a great team because they won the lotto and drafted Howard. They were very close to drafting Okafor instead. Very similar to the Colts drafting Manning over Leaf although Okafor is not as bad as Leaf turned out to be.
Orlando traded a good Mobley to the Kings for a broken down Christie. They have been in the Finals. The Kings went downhill ever since. That must have been a great trade for the Magic... by the OP's logic.
thats not just about the trade though. Are we just judging the trade or are we judging teams success regardless of the trade? The Magic fired the GM that made that trade and the moves leading up to their current success had nothing to do with that trade.
EXACTLY!!!! but if you want to be technical both GM are gone from both teams. But you really can't be made at CD for making the trade. McGrady being able to carry a bunch of old has beens and making the team good except one year. Bring him here to the Rockets where they have the talent. No one knew the McGrady and Yao era would be this way.
If you could win the title by trading Kobe to get Luther Head, you are the winner. The trade is measured by whether the team could win the title or has the potential or better chance to win the title. Same thing happened to Magic. If they didn't make the trade, they won't be who they are today, might still be a first round team.
drafting D12 is the main reason they've been playing well, also getting lucky with nelson and also their role players stepping up. injuries to mac and yao, that's the reason we're at the position we're at.
I think the rockets won, Tmac had like two or three great years, while francis, mobley, cato, didnt play like tmac did it here, in the first years. and why people said that howard went to orlando because of the tmac trade, I dont get it. So the magic idea was to trade his superstar, then suck for 4-5 years then get another superstar?
Kinda off topic but 3 of the pieces in the Magic side of the deal have ended back up with the Rockets at one time or another. Virtually all traded for each other. The Magic didn't do anything with the pieces they got from the deal. Steve Francis was traded for Penny Hardaway & Trevor Ariza. Hardaway was waived two days later, and Ariza was traded for Brian Cook and Maurice Evans. Evans walked and the Magic got nothing in return. Cuttino Mobley was traded for Doug Christie, who promptly retired. Kelvin Cato was traded along with the #15 pick in the '07 draft for Darko and Carlos Arroyo. Darko did a lot of nothing and then signed with the Grizzlies. Arroyo served as a 2nd/3rd-string PG for 2 years before walking as well. While they were still with the Magic, Francis/Mobley/Cato got the team off to a 13-6 start before falling apart and eventually being broken up (Mobley for Christie) and finishing at 36-46. Francis and Cato were traded the next year before accomplishing anything
