Tuesday, June 16th, 2009 at 10:02 am  |  113 responses

Source: T-Mac Being Shopped

by Ryne Nelson

Will Rockets fans miss the most important trade of the decade? It could definitely go under the radar.

H-Town shipped both its 2009 draft picks (to bring in Luis Scola and Ron Artest), leaving most Rockets fans without incentive to follow the NBA’s annual rite of passage. It’s no small secret, though, that the team would like to get rid of Tracy McGrady, and June 25 could be as good of time as any to make it happen.

Could they dish him to another area code when supporters have their collective heads turned? Draft Express has heard murmurs:

Houston also seems to be very active in trade talk, particularly in trying to move Tracy McGrady we’re told. McGrady will be out for the first 20-30 games of the regular season, but there is some thought that he might be able to help a playoff team down the stretch, particularly since he’s in a contract year.

It’s tough to see how many teams would be able to absorb the $20+ million he’s owed next season. The New York Knicks might be one of them. Houston would be looking for a shooting guard in return.

Of course, the Rockets would like to get good value to McGrady. And the Knicks want better value for their $20+ million. Trading McGrady for a draft pick would seem like an option, but ultimately a step back in their title pursuit. For that reason, the Rockets should stay relatively quiet next week. GM Daryl Morey may make a shrewd deal to unload salary, possibly for a future pick, but the Rockets would be wise not to trade its established players for an inexperienced question mark.

But a rookie could just be the icing on the cake of a large trade. It’s purely speculation, but Rip Hamilton’s a name oft-mentioned as being on the block. Should the Pistons offer a package including Hamilton and its first round pick for Mac, the Rockets would be enticed to accept.

Chance are the Rockets will wait to do something during the free agency period if they’re going to make a move. But Rocket fans may not want to miss the Draft… just in case.

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  • http://Nicekicks.com Hollywud15

    @ Jukai: Better than VC??? i think not

  • http://www.nba.com JE

    Cosign Jukai and TADone (on both comments). As for the comments suggesting this will be a breakout year for him with it being a contract year, you all must be forgetting that he just had microfracture surgery a few months ago, and probably (and hopefully) won’t even play until January. However, I will go out on a limb and say that whoever picks him up in 2010 will be getting a steal — as long as he doesn’t try to come back too early.

  • http://www.nba.com JE

    @ Hollywood 15: Tracy in his prime > Vince in his prime. No question.

  • Quail

    if the rockets could get a backup C, and the Rip Hamilton deal goes through, they’ll be my new favorite team hands down. Yao, Scola, Artest, Hamilton, and Brooks as starters. then Lowry, Battier, Landry and another big off the bench… oh man, im gettin excited just thinkin about it.

  • http://dsjklff.com Jukai

    Hollywud15: Did injuries really dampen Vince Carter’s career? I mean… I don’t know, he doesn’t get as high, but that’s half cause of age, and the dude can STILL throw it down hard, he was dunking prime-level Vince even two years ago (remember his dunk on Alanzo? Wow!) and he hasn’t hurt his legs since then. Carter’s problems was more the drive, the talent around him, and his mentality. Carter had a real quitters mentality. Not saying he didn’t try his damndest in the BEGINNING… but if the season looked bleak, he’d tank. If the series looked too hard, he’d give up. That was Carter’s problem.

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    Putting up numbers in NYK don’t mean ish. Everybody and their moms can score 20 on a Mike D led team. It doesn’t mean they’re playing well and it doesn’t mean that the team is winning. They increase the number of possessions and do not care about getting scored on. The system is flawed and will lead you nowhere unless you have supreme talents at key positions (which PHX had in one of the best passers ever and a guy with glue hands who could finish anything). We all saw what system did last year amidst all the hooplas: a vast improvement of 9 wins from the previous year… for a total of 32. People were saying that Mike D could turn any pg into a star… yeah, right. G’head and watch T-Mac launch 15 contested fadeaway J’s a game if you want to.

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    Carter is a pariah in the NBA now and it’s really his fault. It’s a shame because he’s still a very productive player that’s nowhere near the end. Cleveland or SA could have REALLY used him last year and could still use him now but they likely won’t touch him. He did something that’s inexcusable: purposely play like ish. Iverson and Kobe NEVER did that when they were demanding trades. He went from 16 a game with the Raps to 27 a game with the Nets… IN THE SAME SEASON. I mean, wow. Would you want that guy on your team?

  • http://lastknickstanding.blogspot.com Bryan

    It means ish for his next contract z. And I’ll say if the knicks had just one guy who was a legit threat to score on every possesion like a healthy tmac they would have been closer to 40 wins. And what I’m saying is that it works for both parties, the knicks get a go to guy that can help them in the short term while still freeing up 20 mil and tmac gets to show out in a wide open system and show people he can still play. And he gets the ultimate green light in new york which actually matters to him. And also co sign jukai , vince wishes he was as good as a prime time tmac. Tmac was talked about as the best in the nba period no one ever said that about vince.

  • http://lastknickstanding.blogspot.com Bryan

    Even kobe couldn’t f*ck with his first 3 years in orlando. He scored like kobe ,rebounded like lebron and passed like a point guard all while getting nearly 2 blocks and steals per game.

  • Adam Sweeney

    Somebody may not want T-Mac but I guarantee you a team like New York likes that expiring contract of his in 2010. LeBron, anyone?

  • http://slamonline blaze

    He WAS one of the best players, but I think he lost his hunger.

  • http://www.manutd.com Z

    you could have said passed like lebron too. :-P

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    AI for T-Mac. Make it happen Rockets!

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    I mean, I love T-Mac, and would love to have him stay and be productive, but at the same time he is very injury prone (not his fault) and I’m not sure how he fairs in the locker room.
    I would also love to see AI get back into full form with a contender like Houston… Move him to the 2 spot in Houston? That would be tight.

  • yr momz

    i kind of feel sorry for this guy.

  • http://hibachi20.blogspot.com/ RV

    Bryan, at 80% tmac can’t get 25 in NY efficiently….he’s mostly athleticism and if he’s not 100% his shot won’t be as effective, you can’t play effectively in D’antoni’s style with a broke jumper. His FT% has also taken a dive lately into the 60s, not sure how much of it was injury related and how much was mental, but this past year i think he was around 75% healthy or so…

  • PHILLY BUSTA

    TMAC IS DAMAGED GOOD..WOULDN’T TOUCH THAT DUDE WITH A TEN FOOT POLE

  • http://www.hibachi20.blogspot.com Hursty

    Has anyone heard the trade rumours with Tmac, Battier, Brooks and Scola going to New Orleans for CP3, Peja, Chandler and another player ( I forget his name).
    It works $ wise, and over the long term saves NO a bucked load (which they really, really want right now.)
    Pretty sure its on the EPSN site right now, go have a look.
    Personally, as a Houstan fan, I like it, but I don’t like giving up Battier. Everyone else is tradeable.

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    Yes Hursty, I’ve heard.

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    I agree, Battier should stay. Yao and Artest, too. But if the Rockets can net CP3 for Battier…
    Also, Chandler gives Yao a legitimate back-up center. I’d say championship if this trade goes down.

  • jamesph

    tmac to phx, shaq to cavs and pavlovic+sexyback expiring contract to h-town

  • connorg3

    I think people are missing T-Macs “real” worth. He is a 20+ million expiring contract just in time for the 2010 free agent bonanza. People who are looking at him like a player need to look at thim as dollar signs to sign those big names.

  • http://www.nba.com JE

    @Hursty: I don’t see that anywhere on ESPN’s site, but I can’t imagine New Orleans trading Chris Paul for anyone — at all. If the trade you’re describing happened, the Hornets’ GM would have to be arrested or something.

  • http://crashwallace.org nate the great

    i agree with JE. no way NO is trading Cp3. he is New Orleans. I dont mind them letting peja, or chandler go. but im sure houston would give up everyone but yao, for that trade to go down.
    new orleans needs a scorer. thats all.
    and Houston doesnt need much, a back up center would help, lossing mutumbo really hurt, and maybe a better two guard.
    but other than that, they need a couple more years to become stronger.

  • http://slamonline blaze

    houston seems to be the only texas team headed in the right direction. especially if they trade tmac, even for a jr smith or deshawn stevenson type player.

  • Rusty

    Tmac is still the most talented and naturally gifted baller i’ve ever seen in the nba (besides mike whi i didnt see that much of). give tmac kobe’s heart and work ethic and you have one of the craziest baller ever…

  • Aussie Magic Fan

    I remember back when Orlando got the “raw end” of the deal that lost us T-Mac. Can you believe that was only 4 or 5 years ago?

  • http://nbainchina.com NBA China

    Umm will the Pistons really be interested in Tmac after the AI experiment?

  • Babygab

    @emphasis I got it !! Thanks for the help !!

  • Fauzi

    connorg3 is right..houston better keep tmac and his expiring contract.Down the strech when he is 100%.he should be able to help rockets in postseason.2010 they can get better player and let go tmac.Rockets should be patient.They are on the right track.

  • http://shawn-kemps-offspring.blogspot.com/ TADOne

    There is NO WAY the Hornets trade Paul.

  • http://www.slamonline.com wayno

    I think I might cry if Detroit gets T-mac… I’ve loved him throughout his career, but I’ve sensed at times that he, like Vince Carter but not to the same extent, tends to give up if his team is doing poorly or any kind of adversity strikes.

  • ron

    no sensible management would trade for T-mac until his contract is expiring within one year…

  • George B

    he should go to phoenix. for some reasons, injury prone players stay healthy in phoenix.

  • thegman8

    any gm that will trade for t-mac should be fired. the guy will be out for 20-30 games. there is no guarantee that he will even be any good when he does come back. he might even reinjure himself. why would anyone in his right mind pay $20-m dollar for that?

  • kipp

    T-Mac > Vince since his 2nd or 3yr

  • http://Nicekicks.com Hollywud15

    for those of u saying T-mac in his prime was better than vc in his prime i have to disagree. 2001: Vc was often compared to kobe and got the better of him on most occasions. VC WAS the most athletic player ever and could get to the rim whenever he wanted. not sayin T-mac wasn’t good, but VC was THE NEXT

  • niQ

    I think it would be a dumb move on ANY GM to trade for T-mac. dude is one of the most injury prone players I’ve seen next to Vince Carter. Yet, at least Carter has been holding up since he left Toronto. Which makes the suspision that he was faking it all that much more conVincing.

  • niQ

    and yes. he should go to PHX for their staff. they did miracles on amare and grant hill.

  • http://dsjklff.com Jukai

    Hollywud15: You can disagree, but in reality, Carter’s potential wasn’t anywhere near T-Mac’s.

  • $tev3

    T mac 2 NO?
    4 peja or mo pete*
    * does mo pete even play anymore?

  • Franko

    SCOLA to SAS. I gave you Tmac an Vc as a Christmas present!
    GO SPURS

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    @ Jukai: I’m not so sure about that. Both of those guys were my favorite players, especially Carter in the early 2000′s, but both had HUGE potential.
    Carter and McGrady both had the potential to be “the” next big star.

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    Co-sign TAD 1:32.

  • Teddy-the-Bear

    The main advantage Mac had over Carter was definitely height and length. Beyond that, though, they were both pretty similar in style of play, athleticism, quickness, and wicked perimeter shooting.

  • Hendog

    I see T Mac around here in Chicago everyday, why not stay? We could send Houston Deng or Gordon in a sin and trade.

  • Guam

    I use to be the biggest tmac fan, when he was in orlando he looked real good and his laid back style with effortless poster dunks….damn…he fell off hard….i was a rockets fan because they moved him there, but their best year was without him…and he even said lakers going to be champs..while his rockets was playing them…hope he gets better comes back strong in rockets..if he falls off this year again then its time to move on..

  • http://www.nba.com JE

    @Hollywud15: the only thing Vince had over Tracy was the first couple of years in the league, simply because Mac came directly out of highschool, and a great 2000 dunk contest that made him one of the most popular players in the league. Before the injuries, Tracy was far better than Vince and arguably anyone else in the league. BTW, am I the only one who remembers the 13 points in 35 seconds against San Antonio? Not to mention his something like 32 5 and 5 averages for the Magic. If Grant Hill had been consistently healthy during his days in Orlando, they would have at the very least been competing for the Eastern Conference title every year (except maybe 04). He may have scored a little less with a healthy Grant Hill, but he’d also have a couple more dimes a game if he had someone better than Drew Gooden to throw the ball to.

  • http://fjdkslf.com Jukai

    JE is correct

  • ck

    For everyone that said tmac gives up on games just remember these few words. 13 points in 35 seconds. I agree with you JE. The guy has the 5th highest ppg in the playoffs and you’re going to harp on him for not trying? The real problem in houston can be summed up in one word. YAO

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