I'd be happy with a low level deal, like this one. http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=yzn9y32
Sorry, no offense intended. It's just that you're asking me why the Rockets would make a trade with the Knicks, and I'm trying to tell you that, absent ANY other trades that would be worth making, a Knicks trade is better than doing nothing with McGrady simply from a financial standpoint. Responding to this fact with a question regarding why the Rockets aren't also getting young talent from New York is simply irrelevant to the issue of whether a trade AT ALL makes sense. Would I like the Rockets to get as much talent as possible in a trade? Yes. If nothing else was available, would I be okay with the Rockets trading McGrady to New York for their expiring crap and payroll/tax relief. Yes.
So, you're basically saying Rockets would be smart to trade McGrady rather than keep him and let him expire?
Harrington/Hughes for McGrady/Cook. Brian Cook's salary would need to be thrown in. THAT would be the key to getting the Rockets below the tax threshold. That, or the more preferable Harrington/Mobley for just McGrady. Mobley's contract is 80% covered by insurance, which would save Les an additional $2.7M. But if New York is able to get salary cap relief from Mobley's contract (they should hear any day now from the league on this), he's not getting traded.
Yes, unless Morey honestly believes that McGrady's "sign-and-trade value" is worth more than the tax savings they'd get from such a deal. That, or Les/Morey/Adelman just want to punish McGrady and Les is willing to pay in order to do so.
Right. Forgot to include Cook. (take him, please!!) That is better than just letting Tracy expire, folks.
Brian Cook is my favorite player. He brings an immeasurable amount of intangibles to the bench area. Leave Brian Cook alone, people! Just leave him alone!
Disagree. Harrington and Hughes are not good chemistry players, Hughes will ruin chemistry just by being on the team....but Tmac must be traded (logically) so it may be some crappy deal with the Knicks.
Yeah, I know. I mean, if Cook is traded, who else is going to be the lead-in for The Kiss Cam during games?!?! But seriously, if the Rockets choose not to trade McGrady at all, there is still another way to get below the tax. My "called shot": Brian Cook, the Rockets' 2011 second round pick (the higher of their own or the Clippers') and cash to Memphis for Lester Hudson. Get 'er done, Morey!!!
If He agrees to take less than his contract to get Les under the cap then maybe. still.. T-mac wins! Knicks Win! Rockets look like chumps.
The Knicks trade would save the Rockets more money than buying him out would. Tracy's not leaving $3M+ on the table, even if he does want to showcase his skills. And even if he's smart enough to realize that it would be worth it to give up that money, there's no guarantee that he will right now. Do the Rockets want to risk that?
