T-mac Wants Houston, If Magic Fail To Get Off-Season Help

I think he'll stay. With Okafur and Jaun Howard in the front court I think they could easily be a top five team in the east. I think they should go after a pg though. Frank Williams would be perfect for them, I could see him dishing the ball to T-mac and creating easy dunks for Okafur. This kid is ready to be a starter in the league but he needs a team.

Orlando trades:
PF Drew Gooden (11.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.1 apg in 27.0 minutes)
PF Pat Garrity (1.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg, 0.5 apg in 11.0 minutes)
PG Tyronn Lue (10.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 4.2 apg in 30.7 minutes)
Orlando receives:
C Kurt Thomas (11.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.9 apg in 31.9 minutes)
C Cezary Trybanski (0.1 ppg, 0.1 rpg, 0.0 apg in 2.1 minutes)
PG Frank Williams (3.9 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 2.2 apg in 12.8 minutes)

Orlando gets a young pg with great potential who can be there for years to come, and they get an upgrade at pf in Kurt Thomas. With Okafur, Kurt Thomas and Howard in the front court, they'll be able to comepte with most teams in the east.

NY does this because Frank Williams has value but isnt getting his fair shae in NY because he has to play behind Marbury. Also Kurt Thomas is good but we want to make room for Sweetney to get some pt, with Gooden we get younger and sweetney and Gooden could both share the minutes at pf and both can develop. Tyronn Lue, isnt all that good, but NY would only need him to play 1 -2 mintues a quarter while Stephon takes a quick breather.

At any rate Orlando should look to get a solid pg whomever it is because that the only peice that they are really missing now.

 

if Shaq does sign with Orlando and they draft Okafor hes staying for sure

 

I hope he stays with the Orlando Magic.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Tha Franksta:</div><div class="quote_post">if Shaq does sign with Orlando and they draft Okafor hes staying for sure</div>

I'm confused by this sentence... where does it show Shaq will want to sign with Orlando at all??

 

Moved to the Magic forum. Keep it to intelligent discussion, guys.

 

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/merc.../8788417.htm?1c

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Tracy McGrady would rather quickly relocate to another team this summer than slowly rebuild with the Orlando Magic.

If the Magic can't significantly improve next season by making deals - moving their No. 1 pick for veteran players, for example - McGrady told the Orlando Sentinel on Friday that he would "probably have no choice" but to push for a trade in mid-July to a Western Conference team.

And, contrary to reports and rumors, it's not the Los Angeles Lakers or the San Antonio Spurs that McGrady is eyeing.

McGrady said from his south Orlando home that the Houston Rockets likely would be his first choice should he and the Magic part.</div>

 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/bask...?coll=orl-magic

BY BRIAN SCHMITZ

The Orlando Sentinel

ORLANDO, Fla. - (KRT) - Tracy McGrady would rather quickly relocate to another team this summer than slowly rebuild with the Orlando Magic.

If the Magic can't significantly improve next season by making deals - moving their No. 1 pick for veteran players, for example - McGrady told the Orlando Sentinel on Friday that he would "probably have no choice" but to push for a trade in mid-July to a Western Conference team.

And, contrary to reports and rumors, it's not the Los Angeles Lakers or the San Antonio Spurs that McGrady is eyeing.

McGrady said from his south Orlando home that the Houston Rockets likely would be his first choice should he and the Magic part.

A league source told the Sentinel that T-Mac also would be receptive to the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons because they've had trouble scoring in the playoffs.

Magic General Manager John Weisbrod says the Magic will continue to do everything they can to keep McGrady in pinstripes.

Asked about a report listing the Lakers and Spurs as teams that interest him, McGrady said, "No, not San Antonio and L.A.

"I don't want to go there. I don't want to go somewhere where everything's already in place. That would be too easy. I want a challenge."

The Magic, as currently constructed, apparently present too much of a challenge for him.

Orlando won the NBA draft lottery and rights to the No. 1 pick Wednesday night, but McGrady's comments temper that coup.

He reiterated that he doesn't believe there is a player in the draft who can dramatically improve the team (most experts agree). The top overall draft choice represents the most leverage the Magic have in upgrading the team through trades, considering they have no salary-cap room and most of their players under contract have little market value.

McGrady would rather the Magic trade the pick - likely Connecticut center Emeka Okafor __ in return for some veteran players who might provide immediate help. "I don't want to be here rebuilding," McGrady said.

Weisbrod said teams started calling the Magic about the pick on Thursday. Pulling off such deals is easier said than done. The top pick has only been traded twice since the creation of the lottery in 1985.

"It all depends on who they can get," McGrady said.

McGrady rattled off some trade scenarios for the No. 1 pick, and most included shot-blocking defenders. Blocking shots and defending are Okafor's strengths, but McGrady wonders if Okafor can have a major impact, given he'll be a rookie and wants to play power forward.

McGrady, who turned 25 on Monday, is still torn. He talks about leaving, but in the next breath becomes emotional, and says he really doesn't want to go anywhere.

"I don't want to leave Orlando, not at all," he said. "Man, I'd love to win here more than anything."

But he also is determined not to go through another losing season, much less champion a rebuilding effort. "I can't do that again. I'm just sick sitting here having to watch guys in the playoffs," he said. "It just eats me up."

The Magic are trying to put together a franchise shattered by a league-worst 21-61 season.

McGrady was asked just what it would take for him to stay in Orlando.

"That would take, like, a big man who gets 15 (points) and 10 (rebounds) every night and blocks shots. . . .to have a defensive stopper on the wing, a solid point guard and a guy who can knock down open jump shots to prevent the double-teams," he said.

McGrady longs to play with a dominant big man such as 7 foot-6 Rockets center Yao Ming, and for a club that needs a superstar to climb into contention. Houston made the playoffs as an eighth seed last season. (uh-oh, writer is having trouble with facts)

"I really don't need much to work with; look at our team that got a 3-1 lead on Detroit ( in the playoffs last season). . . .Guys who know how to play the game and will play hard and guys who are coachable."

McGrady can opt out of his seven-year, $93-million contact after next season. Weisbrod wants T-Mac to make up his mind if he wants to stay and play before the start of training camp; if not, the club will try to accommodate his trade request.

McGrady said he'll have an answer around mid-July, after free agents are signed. The Magic have a $5 million middle-class exception to spend and a $1.5 veteran's exception.

If he's indeed serious about the deadline, McGrady will not have a chance to gauge Grant Hill's health. T-Mac said Hill, recovering from a fourth left ankle surgery, was "the key" to him making his decision.

Hill said Friday that he won't start serious training until late July or early August. Said Hill, "I'd really would like the chance to finally play a whole season with Tracy. I hope we both can."

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting SupraJames:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm confused by this sentence... where does it show Shaq will want to sign with Orlando at all??</div>i would like to know that too. I haven't heard anything about Shaq leaving LA.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting T_WOLF_DAWG:</div><div class="quote_post">i would like to know that too. I haven't heard anything about Shaq leaving LA.</div>

Without the contracts of Hill, Drew Gooden and Andrew DeClercq, who will be free agents after next season, the Magic would have enough room beneath the salary cap to offer O'Neal a sizable free-agent contract, perhaps paving the way for him and McGrady to link up. Though he left Orlando as a free agent in 1996, O'Neal remains fond of the area, where he owns a home. And in McGrady, O'Neal would have a teammate with the ability of Bryant but who would probably happily defer to him.

http://www.justbball.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18167

Anyways , wow what a long-shocking thread lol...

T-Mac doesn't really want to leave he just wants to win...here in his home..but he NEEDS to say all this things about leaving so Orlando does something.

If he does leave , I think he will end up with the Suns ..I would hate to see Yao and T-Mac...because I hate Yao...anyways isn't JVG saying he wants to trade Francis because he is more of a SG than a PG?? makes no sense to me.

I think T-Mac should relax.. and watch some Uconn's game lol , Orlando should make some really good trades...seriously...either Juwan or Gooden...and send DeClerq and Gaines and/or others in the package..

I really think Okafor will be a force..if not playing Center which a lot of people say..even tough I think his arm length will make up for his height..I think he will be that 15ppg , 10rpg 3bpg defensive player that T-Mac wants.

Grant Hill's comment also help , he wants to play with T-Mac , they are only missing a trade , sending Juwan or Gooden and DeClerq at least to another team or getting a pick to draft or get a PG.

 

Carlos Arroyo again would be a perfect PG fit for the Magic. He's young, he learned under John Stockton, he's local, his favorite player is Tmac. What better place?

Pg-Arroyo
SG-Tmac
SF-Hill
PF-Gooden
C-Okafor

That would be the best avalialbe lineup that we could possibly put out, IMO. If Hill is healthy, we should package Bogans or Stevenson and Juwan for a good backup sg/sf or c.

 

No , Okafur cant play center he should move to the PF. They should trade Drew Gooden for a 7-10 pick and get ANdre Igudala at SF. Move Juan Howard to the Bench and sign a decent center such as Marc Blount or Etan Thomas. I agree that they will pick Arroyo.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting YaoMing03-04:</div><div class="quote_post">No , Okafur cant play center he should move to the PF. They should trade Drew Gooden for a 7-10 pick and get ANdre Igudala at SF. Move Juan Howard to the Bench and sign a decent center such as Marc Blount or Etan Thomas. I agree that they will pick Arroyo.</div>

I don't think anyone will give up a lottery pick for gooden right now.Maybe gooden and 2nd rd picks or gooden and a future first.

 

McGrady may be just a flirtation
Joining Rockets is not as simple as it would seem
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

So now Tracy McGrady really and truly wants to play for the Rockets.

This is sort of like the prettiest girl in junior high telling her best friend to tell your best friend that she kind of likes you. NBA and junior high logic are not far apart, and tomorrow he could be batting his eyes at another.

But McGrady does turn heads.

McGrady, who led the league in scoring the past two seasons, can score with his eyes closed and often does. This is not just an automatic All-Star. McGrady impresses the other All-Stars.

Sounds pretty good. And he really and truly wants to play for the Rockets.

Sorry, but it's not that easy.

We start with the reason the Magic would ever consider trading him. McGrady, who Friday told the Orlando Sentinel that the Rockets are his first choice if he gets traded, can opt out of his seven-year, $93 million contract after next season.

For some reason, Magic general manager John Weisbrod has insisted on a decision from McGrady about his plans before next season and has not backed down on the ultimatum. McGrady said Thursday he was 90 percent sure of his decision and would share it in July (that was back when his first choices were the Lakers and Spurs).

The Magic did land the first pick of the draft, but McGrady said he doesn't want to wait for a draft pick to develop (McGrady being unwilling to wait for a draft pick to develop is sort of like Larry Brown complaining about coaching changes in the NBA).

There is no such thing as a sign-an-extension-and-trade deal, but McGrady can void his opt-out option to make a deal work. No one could consider giving up all it would take to trade for McGrady to go through it all again next summer.

But that's the easy part. As great a scorer as McGrady is, maybe the league's best, he does not defend, does not lead and is an arrive-late, leave-early sort of worker. That does not quite sound like a Jeff Van Gundy guy, and that's before considering he is a high-volume shooter far removed from Van Gundy's inside-out style.

The biggest concern of all might be that he is 25 years old and has back problems and does not seem to work hard enough to prevent them.

To get McGrady, the Rockets would have to offer Steve Francis (Yao Ming is untouchable). The Rockets are not looking to deal Francis. He and Van Gundy do not have the problems with one another that many believe. But after five seasons with Francis, the Rockets can understandably wonder if they can do better with an MVP candidate.

Funny thing is, Francis seems to have become much more of a Van Gundy kind of guy. His strong playoff showing was encouraging, but his shortcomings remain. He is turnover-prone and had his worst shooting season from the perimeter and as a finisher. But he does get teammates open outside shots every night, and he is willing to defer to Yao.

If the Rockets had McGrady, they would have to make major changes around him. But free agents that like the idea of playing with Yao would rush to join McGrady and Yao.

Still, there is a feeling that if not another Grant Hill, McGrady could be the next Penny Hardaway. Twice an All-NBA first-team pick, Hardaway went to Phoenix and only showed glimpses of what he was. All of which makes the choice tough, but the decision easy. Keep Francis and load up enough to trade for the first pick, take Emeka Okafor and don't look back.

 

McGrady may be just a flirtation
Joining Rockets is not as simple as it would seem
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

So now Tracy McGrady really and truly wants to play for the Rockets.

This is sort of like the prettiest girl in junior high telling her best friend to tell your best friend that she kind of likes you. NBA and junior high logic are not far apart, and tomorrow he could be batting his eyes at another.

But McGrady does turn heads.

McGrady, who led the league in scoring the past two seasons, can score with his eyes closed and often does. This is not just an automatic All-Star. McGrady impresses the other All-Stars.

Sounds pretty good. And he really and truly wants to play for the Rockets.

Sorry, but it's not that easy.

We start with the reason the Magic would ever consider trading him. McGrady, who Friday told the Orlando Sentinel that the Rockets are his first choice if he gets traded, can opt out of his seven-year, $93 million contract after next season.

For some reason, Magic general manager John Weisbrod has insisted on a decision from McGrady about his plans before next season and has not backed down on the ultimatum. McGrady said Thursday he was 90 percent sure of his decision and would share it in July (that was back when his first choices were the Lakers and Spurs).

The Magic did land the first pick of the draft, but McGrady said he doesn't want to wait for a draft pick to develop (McGrady being unwilling to wait for a draft pick to develop is sort of like Larry Brown complaining about coaching changes in the NBA).

There is no such thing as a sign-an-extension-and-trade deal, but McGrady can void his opt-out option to make a deal work. No one could consider giving up all it would take to trade for McGrady to go through it all again next summer.

But that's the easy part. As great a scorer as McGrady is, maybe the league's best, he does not defend, does not lead and is an arrive-late, leave-early sort of worker. That does not quite sound like a Jeff Van Gundy guy, and that's before considering he is a high-volume shooter far removed from Van Gundy's inside-out style.

The biggest concern of all might be that he is 25 years old and has back problems and does not seem to work hard enough to prevent them.

To get McGrady, the Rockets would have to offer Steve Francis (Yao Ming is untouchable). The Rockets are not looking to deal Francis. He and Van Gundy do not have the problems with one another that many believe. But after five seasons with Francis, the Rockets can understandably wonder if they can do better with an MVP candidate.

Funny thing is, Francis seems to have become much more of a Van Gundy kind of guy. His strong playoff showing was encouraging, but his shortcomings remain. He is turnover-prone and had his worst shooting season from the perimeter and as a finisher. But he does get teammates open outside shots every night, and he is willing to defer to Yao.

If the Rockets had McGrady, they would have to make major changes around him. But free agents that like the idea of playing with Yao would rush to join McGrady and Yao.

Still, there is a feeling that if not another Grant Hill, McGrady could be the next Penny Hardaway. Twice an All-NBA first-team pick, Hardaway went to Phoenix and only showed glimpses of what he was. All of which makes the choice tough, but the decision easy. Keep Francis and load up enough to trade for the first pick, take Emeka Okafor and don't look back.

 

I read in the paper that the Mavs are intrested in Orlando's number one pick, also read they are willing to give up Antoine Walker and other players for the pick.Would you want the Magic to trade the number one pick for immediate help for T-Mac, or keep the pick draft Okafor and then T-Mac opt out in 05?

 

i dont think walker going to orlando would make tmac stay. he said he wants an inside presence, and i dont think walker is gonna get 2-3 blocks a game. i personally wanna see tmac leave and go to houston so the shaq vs yao showdown can now be shaq/kobe vs yao/tmac, assuming shaq and kobe stay in place.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting jiggax23:</div><div class="quote_post">i dont think walker going to orlando would make tmac stay. he said he wants an inside presence, and i dont think walker is gonna get 2-3 blocks a game. i personally wanna see tmac leave and go to houston so the shaq vs yao showdown can now be shaq/kobe vs yao/tmac, assuming shaq and kobe stay in place.</div>

Stop saying that , it makes me sick .. I hate to think about T-Mac opting out but specially him playing with Yao Ming...I hate Yao...like as a basketball player and as a person lol is my personal opinion , I just don't like him..if he does opt out , which I doubt I wouldn't mind him with the Suns with Amare and Matrix.

T-Mac won't leave , he is doing all this so Orlando's staff does something besides sit and watch. He just HAS to put some pressure on their shoulder so they make a good deal , I think they should keep their draft , and bring the vets T-Mac wants through a trade...a big Trade..Keep , Bogans , Stevenson , Garrity , T-Lue and Gooden...trade everybody else for the missing people...maybe a starting PG and/or Starting Center..if you think Okafor should be a back up on his rookie year this guy is Ben Wallace .. btw Im so scare , I just watched some clips of Dwight Howard...this kid is going to be as good or better than KG..he has more muscles than KG on his high school days and does just about the same thing.

We won't lose T-Mac and we won't pass the 2nd round of the playoffs but that will be good enough and then we'll sign Shaq and trade Gooden and keep Okafor as a PF ...Shaq , Okafor , T-Mac and Defensive player of the year Keith Bogans :mrgreen: .

Anyways , Anybody else concerned with Drafting Okafor or Dwight? who would you rather have KG or Ben Wallace? lol obviously KG...but we don't need KG's points...we need Ben Wallace's Rebs and Blocks and defensive presence..think about it..is interesting.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting KingSac:</div><div class="quote_post">lol that's a cool pic where did you get it at? or how did you made it. lol can you make one of KG with the kings or Jordan with the knicks that would be cool.</div>


I believe he got it from here: http://clutchfans.net/

Though, I dunno where the full scale pic is

 

Tmac OWnz, You said it best. We don't need a Kg, if we are going to have a T-mac. A Ben wallace type of players seems like a better fit for the team

 

How do you know we are going to have a Tmac though? I would prefer to just draft the "KG" just in case Tmac does leave. Unless Tmac says 100% he's staying, no matter what(which I could guarantee you he won't), in that case, I would draft Okafor, but Dwight CAN play the Center position, while Okafor still has some concerns about the Center spot. (always injury concerns too) I'll be happy with either.