by Stop Mike Lupica on January 16 at 5:56PM
A look at some of the trade rumors going around:
1. Tracy McGrady to the Chicago Bulls.
The Chicago Sun-Times put this in their newspaper today (via Ziller). Much like the Daily News last week, when they wrote "Isiah might be interested in Tracy McGrady", my thoughts are the same - namely, "Who would Houston get"? Because I don't see either team having something that makes this trade workable.
Chicago has no expiring contracts this year (Nocioni is supposedly signed to a long-term deal, though HoopsHype has yet to update their site with those details). The only contracts that match up are Ben Wallace and Kirk Hinrich, and Kirk's is not enough by itself. Why would Houston want Ben Wallace's nasty contract back? For Chicago to pull this off, they would have to offer Deng and Gordon (and this year's #1) to offset having to take Wallace back. And that seems pretty unlikely.
One option that might work is Kirk Hinrich (Houston needs a point badly), Joe Smith's expiring contract, and Ben Gordon. But we don't see how Chicago, with just T-Mac and Luol Deng, would be any better. The Bulls new motto: twice the bad backs, without the back court!
Nope, T-Mac isn't going to Chicago. In fact, if Houston was really serious about shopping McGrady (and they won't, not until the end of the season), they might be interested in this guy's idea: McGrady to the Pacers, Jason Kidd to the Rockets, and Jermaine O'Neal to the Nets. It might serve all three teams, particularly if both the Nets and Rockets continue to underachieve this season.
Outlook: Under 20% chance of happening.
2. Mike Bibby to the Knicks.
This one is from the Sac Bee, (via Shoals). As always, it has the Kings longing for David Lee. Let's set aside for a second that Isiah Thomas has made only one trade since Larry Brown left (the Steve Francis dump/Zach Randolph pickup). Despite the screams from the media for someone to be put in charge who will "patiently rebuild" the Knicks, and not make dumb trades, it appears that Isiah has, in fact, become that GM. Or been handcuffed by owner James Dolan. I don't know, and I don't think anyone really knows the Knicks' plan. But the assumption that Isiah's plan isn't "just stand pat and wait" seems misguided, especially given that, for the last two years essentially, all Isiah has done is stand pat.
So yeah... those "David Lee for Ron Artest" and now "David Lee for Mike Bibby" rumors seem less and less likely everyday.
More likely: Mike Bibby plus a bad contract (Brad Miller? Kenny Thomas) for Stephon Marbury. Or better yet, Mike Bibby to another team, like the Cavs.
Outlook: Less than 20%
Anybody got any other rumors out there? We're still a month away from the trade deadline, and newspaper people are already throwing out crazy ideas!
Leave a comment
1. Tracy McGrady to the Chicago Bulls.
The Chicago Sun-Times put this in their newspaper today (via Ziller). Much like the Daily News last week, when they wrote "Isiah might be interested in Tracy McGrady", my thoughts are the same - namely, "Who would Houston get"? Because I don't see either team having something that makes this trade workable.
Chicago has no expiring contracts this year (Nocioni is supposedly signed to a long-term deal, though HoopsHype has yet to update their site with those details). The only contracts that match up are Ben Wallace and Kirk Hinrich, and Kirk's is not enough by itself. Why would Houston want Ben Wallace's nasty contract back? For Chicago to pull this off, they would have to offer Deng and Gordon (and this year's #1) to offset having to take Wallace back. And that seems pretty unlikely.
One option that might work is Kirk Hinrich (Houston needs a point badly), Joe Smith's expiring contract, and Ben Gordon. But we don't see how Chicago, with just T-Mac and Luol Deng, would be any better. The Bulls new motto: twice the bad backs, without the back court!
Nope, T-Mac isn't going to Chicago. In fact, if Houston was really serious about shopping McGrady (and they won't, not until the end of the season), they might be interested in this guy's idea: McGrady to the Pacers, Jason Kidd to the Rockets, and Jermaine O'Neal to the Nets. It might serve all three teams, particularly if both the Nets and Rockets continue to underachieve this season.
Outlook: Under 20% chance of happening.
2. Mike Bibby to the Knicks.
This one is from the Sac Bee, (via Shoals). As always, it has the Kings longing for David Lee. Let's set aside for a second that Isiah Thomas has made only one trade since Larry Brown left (the Steve Francis dump/Zach Randolph pickup). Despite the screams from the media for someone to be put in charge who will "patiently rebuild" the Knicks, and not make dumb trades, it appears that Isiah has, in fact, become that GM. Or been handcuffed by owner James Dolan. I don't know, and I don't think anyone really knows the Knicks' plan. But the assumption that Isiah's plan isn't "just stand pat and wait" seems misguided, especially given that, for the last two years essentially, all Isiah has done is stand pat.
So yeah... those "David Lee for Ron Artest" and now "David Lee for Mike Bibby" rumors seem less and less likely everyday.
More likely: Mike Bibby plus a bad contract (Brad Miller? Kenny Thomas) for Stephon Marbury. Or better yet, Mike Bibby to another team, like the Cavs.
Outlook: Less than 20%
Anybody got any other rumors out there? We're still a month away from the trade deadline, and newspaper people are already throwing out crazy ideas!
Leave a comment
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I read yesterday that the Knicks tried to send Zach Randolph to the Bucks, here's the link...
If it's true, are you surprised they're actively shopping Randolph?