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NBA Offseason Thread! All offseason NBA talk in THIS thread!
- Thread starter DMczaf
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DMczaf said:
Look at the facts DM. Shaq wants out of LA, Tracy wants out or Orlando and wants to play with a star who can still walk. Shaq would love to return to Orlando and become the next Oliver Miller and McGrady is dying to play for a big market city.
It in inevitable.........
Ninja Scooter
Member
bionic77 said:
The Chosen One
Member
DMczaf said:
Yeah his stock dropped big-time after his catastrophic playoff performance. Granted, I never thought he fit well with the Laker triangle offense.
Anyway, I always get a smile on my face when I see T-Mac play. I'm happy to see not only T-Mac step out of Vince Carter's shadow, but FAR exceed him. What is Vince doing these days anyway...heh.
As for Shaq/Kobe, both of them are selfish pricks. Shaq makes some good points in that LA times article, but as others pointed out he takes up 2/3 of the salary cap! And he wants MORE money! You can't be such a greedy bastard and still expect to be surrounded by quality teammates. He's dominant, but he's not worth 30+ million a year, especially with his inconsistent work-rate and horrible free-throw shooting.
Whoever said it's like watching the Death Star implode was so right! :lol
DMczaf said:
I was watching ESPN yesterday and Stein said that from the two teams interested Phoenix and Houston, the Magic would want either both Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudamire or Francis, Mobley and Cato. Now T-Mac is one of the best players in the league right now, but the Magic have to be fucking crazy to think Phoenix would give up two guys that could legitamitely average 20 and 10 each and are quite young. Of these two scenarios the Houston scenario seems the most plausible. However by getting T-mac that would guarantee that the offense would never be run primarily through Yao.
dskillzhtown
keep your strippers out of my American football
Matrix said:Oh man if the Rockets make the Tmac trade I have a bad feeling Derek Fisher will be the Rockets new pg
I think so to. Not sure how it would work out though. As bad as that entire team looked in the Finals, I think the loker room games played a huge part of it. Atleast D Fish wouldn't repeatedly dribble the ball off his foot like Francis dis last year. Or repeatedly just fall down for no reason. That shit was bizarre.
Chesapeake Silt
Member
Matrix
LeBron loves his girlfriend. There is no other woman in the world hed rather have. The problem is, Dwyanes not a woman.
That Dallas shit is a pipe dream,thats all im going to say about that.Both Shaq and Tmac need to lay off the weed.Plus who the heck would they be left to play with?
Todays Houston Chronicle article.......
Here's what Jonathan Feigen wrote in his latest NBA article. The deal might be finalized by Wednesday. Now all we need are McDyess, Brent Berry, and Derek Fisher.
Rockets lead McGrady suitors
With the Tracy McGrady trading season officially under way, several league sources said the Rockets have emerged as the front-runner to land the NBA scoring champion and that a deal could be done by Wednesday.
Though players involved could change in a variety of ways before a deal is completed, any Rockets trade for McGrady, due $14.4 million next season, would have to include the Rockets' three-time All-Star and former co-rookie of the year Steve Francis.
Francis is considered a "base year" player until July 1, complicating deals involving him. But the teams could work around the difficulties of trading players in their "base year" by including other teams, or by reaching an agreement on a deal to be announced in July, a possibility that seemed to fit with Orlando Magic general manager John Weisbrod's plans.
"I expect to know (by Thursday)," Weisbrod said. "I can't say that I would expect that to be public information. I have every intention of knowing where that's going when we make these (draft) decisions."
McGrady's meeting with Magic owner and Amway founder Rich DeVos on Friday produced the expected results. McGrady told the Magic he still plans to opt out of his contract after next season, but he would like a large supply of household cleaning products.
Because Weisbrod had vowed to deal McGrady rather than go into next season with an "I don't know," Friday's meeting started the clock on McGrady's departure.
"From just the GMs who send unsolicited faxes and leave unsolicited messages, there are enough things out there that will be better than OK in a trade," Weisbrod said. "So I don't think us doing a bad deal is an option. We're not going to do a bad deal."
The Indiana Pacers and Phoenix Suns also have been considered top contenders to land McGrady. Dallas could work its way into the talks.
League sources said even with McGrady, a two-time scoring champion and twice an All-NBA first-team pick, holding an option to terminate his contract after the season, as many as 10 teams have made significant offers.
Todays Houston Chronicle article.......
Here's what Jonathan Feigen wrote in his latest NBA article. The deal might be finalized by Wednesday. Now all we need are McDyess, Brent Berry, and Derek Fisher.
Rockets lead McGrady suitors
With the Tracy McGrady trading season officially under way, several league sources said the Rockets have emerged as the front-runner to land the NBA scoring champion and that a deal could be done by Wednesday.
Though players involved could change in a variety of ways before a deal is completed, any Rockets trade for McGrady, due $14.4 million next season, would have to include the Rockets' three-time All-Star and former co-rookie of the year Steve Francis.
Francis is considered a "base year" player until July 1, complicating deals involving him. But the teams could work around the difficulties of trading players in their "base year" by including other teams, or by reaching an agreement on a deal to be announced in July, a possibility that seemed to fit with Orlando Magic general manager John Weisbrod's plans.
"I expect to know (by Thursday)," Weisbrod said. "I can't say that I would expect that to be public information. I have every intention of knowing where that's going when we make these (draft) decisions."
McGrady's meeting with Magic owner and Amway founder Rich DeVos on Friday produced the expected results. McGrady told the Magic he still plans to opt out of his contract after next season, but he would like a large supply of household cleaning products.
Because Weisbrod had vowed to deal McGrady rather than go into next season with an "I don't know," Friday's meeting started the clock on McGrady's departure.
"From just the GMs who send unsolicited faxes and leave unsolicited messages, there are enough things out there that will be better than OK in a trade," Weisbrod said. "So I don't think us doing a bad deal is an option. We're not going to do a bad deal."
The Indiana Pacers and Phoenix Suns also have been considered top contenders to land McGrady. Dallas could work its way into the talks.
League sources said even with McGrady, a two-time scoring champion and twice an All-NBA first-team pick, holding an option to terminate his contract after the season, as many as 10 teams have made significant offers.
Matrix
LeBron loves his girlfriend. There is no other woman in the world hed rather have. The problem is, Dwyanes not a woman.
The 2nd I know the trade goes down,I'm so buying one too
Also think about this Dallas shit for a second,taken from Clutchcity forum...
Shaq is set to make something like $28 million next season. McGrady will make nearly $14.5. Here is the Mavs' roster:
Michael Finley - appx $15 million
Antoine Walker - appx $15 million
Antawn Jamison- appx $14 million
Dirk Nowitzki - appx $14 million
Steve Nash ................. FA
They have other cap filler, but no one is going to take Wahad at $8 million/season or Fortson at nearly that much. So, assume these are the 4 1/2 bargaining chips if Nash is a sign-and-trade.
You would have to give up - most likely - Jamison and Nowitzki for Shaq. No doubt LA will want a big return for the big fella. They would then have to deal at least Finley an probably a re-signed Nash to Orlando to get McGrady.
It is POSSIBLE for them to get both players, but I would have to think highly unlikely. They would have to send most of their best players packing just to make that deal happen and we all saw what happened to a Laker team with no depth this year in the Finals.
Also think about this Dallas shit for a second,taken from Clutchcity forum...
Shaq is set to make something like $28 million next season. McGrady will make nearly $14.5. Here is the Mavs' roster:
Michael Finley - appx $15 million
Antoine Walker - appx $15 million
Antawn Jamison- appx $14 million
Dirk Nowitzki - appx $14 million
Steve Nash ................. FA
They have other cap filler, but no one is going to take Wahad at $8 million/season or Fortson at nearly that much. So, assume these are the 4 1/2 bargaining chips if Nash is a sign-and-trade.
You would have to give up - most likely - Jamison and Nowitzki for Shaq. No doubt LA will want a big return for the big fella. They would then have to deal at least Finley an probably a re-signed Nash to Orlando to get McGrady.
It is POSSIBLE for them to get both players, but I would have to think highly unlikely. They would have to send most of their best players packing just to make that deal happen and we all saw what happened to a Laker team with no depth this year in the Finals.
FrenchMovieTheme
Member
there's no way the mavs would give up nowitzki, even for shaq. nowitzki isn't even in his prime yet and he is one of the top 10 players in the NBA. they would be foolish to trade such a young talent for an aging shaq who is clearly past his prime.
Matrix
LeBron loves his girlfriend. There is no other woman in the world hed rather have. The problem is, Dwyanes not a woman.
Scratch the Pacers off the Tmac list...
http://www.indystar.com/articles/2/156291-9562-036.html
A trade involving Orlando guard Tracy McGrady appears imminent, but the Indiana Pacers don't appear to be his likeliest destination.
Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh said Saturday he has not talked with Magic general manager John Weisbrod since early last week, and that no formal offer has been made.
"If there's going to be interest in doing a deal with us, he's going to get back to me," Walsh said of Weisbrod. "He hasn't done that. I don't know where it stands."
McGrady, according to newspaper reports out of Orlando, told Magic owner Rich DeVos on Friday he wants to be traded. Weisbrod said he has been in constant communication with McGrady's agent, Arn Tellem, and indicated he expects to have a deal -- at least orally -- before Thursday's NBA draft.
Orlando, which finished with a league-worst 21-61 record last season, has the No. 1 pick.
McGrady has stated various preferences in recent weeks, but the current consensus within the league is that he's most likely to go to Houston.
Rockets point guard Steve Francis and coach Jeff Van Gundy were at odds last season, and McGrady has stated a desire to play with Houston's Yao Ming.
Any trade involving Francis would likely be made after July 1, when he loses his base-year compensation status that reduces his trade value to half of his $12.3 million salary for next season. The Magic and Rockets, however, could agree on a deal before then.
McGrady also has expressed a desire to play for San Antonio and the Los Angeles Lakers, and mentioned interest in the Pacers and Detroit when those two teams met in the Eastern Conference finals. Saturday, he told a Florida Today reporter he and Shaquille O'Neal are attempting to work trades that would unite them in Dallas.Nuts?
"The kid's been all over the board emotionally," Weisbrod told Orlando reporters Saturday. "He's a little inconsistent but that's pretty understandable. Arn's job is to sort of stay close to him and make sure he's representing however (McGrady) feels that day." WTF
McGrady has some control over his future because he can opt out of his contract after next season. The Magic want to trade him now so they don't risk losing him without getting anything in return, as happened with O'Neal in 1996. If the Magic offer a trade that doesn't appeal to him, he could opt out after next season and become a free agent. Any team that trades for him will want assurances that he will re-sign next year.
Tellem also represents the Pacers' Jermaine O'Neal and Reggie Miller.
Various trade packages between the Pacers and Magic have been rumored, although most of them could not be done within NBA rules that require all traded players' salaries to match within 15 percent plus $100,000.
McGrady will be paid $14.5 million next season. The Pacers mentioned most prominently in rumors are Al Harrington ($6.3 million), Jonathan Bender ($6.5 million) and Ron Artest ($6.2 million). Jeff Foster ($4.5 million) and Jamaal Tinsley ($1.5 million) also have been mentioned.
Walsh, however, moved to downplay the rumors.
"It isn't the players mentioned in these accounts," he said. "That's not the correct group of players."
Harrington appears to be the most likely Pacer to be included in a trade because of his desire for more playing time and a greater role in the offense. He said Saturday he has heard nothing about the possibility of being traded to Orlando, and has in fact cooled on the desire to be traded that he expressed to team president Larry Bird after the Pacers lost to Detroit in the conference finals.
http://www.indystar.com/articles/2/156291-9562-036.html
A trade involving Orlando guard Tracy McGrady appears imminent, but the Indiana Pacers don't appear to be his likeliest destination.
Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh said Saturday he has not talked with Magic general manager John Weisbrod since early last week, and that no formal offer has been made.
"If there's going to be interest in doing a deal with us, he's going to get back to me," Walsh said of Weisbrod. "He hasn't done that. I don't know where it stands."
McGrady, according to newspaper reports out of Orlando, told Magic owner Rich DeVos on Friday he wants to be traded. Weisbrod said he has been in constant communication with McGrady's agent, Arn Tellem, and indicated he expects to have a deal -- at least orally -- before Thursday's NBA draft.
Orlando, which finished with a league-worst 21-61 record last season, has the No. 1 pick.
McGrady has stated various preferences in recent weeks, but the current consensus within the league is that he's most likely to go to Houston.
Rockets point guard Steve Francis and coach Jeff Van Gundy were at odds last season, and McGrady has stated a desire to play with Houston's Yao Ming.
Any trade involving Francis would likely be made after July 1, when he loses his base-year compensation status that reduces his trade value to half of his $12.3 million salary for next season. The Magic and Rockets, however, could agree on a deal before then.
McGrady also has expressed a desire to play for San Antonio and the Los Angeles Lakers, and mentioned interest in the Pacers and Detroit when those two teams met in the Eastern Conference finals. Saturday, he told a Florida Today reporter he and Shaquille O'Neal are attempting to work trades that would unite them in Dallas.Nuts?
"The kid's been all over the board emotionally," Weisbrod told Orlando reporters Saturday. "He's a little inconsistent but that's pretty understandable. Arn's job is to sort of stay close to him and make sure he's representing however (McGrady) feels that day." WTF
McGrady has some control over his future because he can opt out of his contract after next season. The Magic want to trade him now so they don't risk losing him without getting anything in return, as happened with O'Neal in 1996. If the Magic offer a trade that doesn't appeal to him, he could opt out after next season and become a free agent. Any team that trades for him will want assurances that he will re-sign next year.
Tellem also represents the Pacers' Jermaine O'Neal and Reggie Miller.
Various trade packages between the Pacers and Magic have been rumored, although most of them could not be done within NBA rules that require all traded players' salaries to match within 15 percent plus $100,000.
McGrady will be paid $14.5 million next season. The Pacers mentioned most prominently in rumors are Al Harrington ($6.3 million), Jonathan Bender ($6.5 million) and Ron Artest ($6.2 million). Jeff Foster ($4.5 million) and Jamaal Tinsley ($1.5 million) also have been mentioned.
Walsh, however, moved to downplay the rumors.
"It isn't the players mentioned in these accounts," he said. "That's not the correct group of players."
Harrington appears to be the most likely Pacer to be included in a trade because of his desire for more playing time and a greater role in the offense. He said Saturday he has heard nothing about the possibility of being traded to Orlando, and has in fact cooled on the desire to be traded that he expressed to team president Larry Bird after the Pacers lost to Detroit in the conference finals.
Which is why he won the last two titles...
bionic77 said:
It's sad isn't it. Look at what happened with the Spurs...they drafted Duncan, and D-Rob who was only a few years removed from an MVP and scoring title agreed to let TD become the number one scoring option, while he would become the defensive general in the paint. As a result they took a team that individually weren't particularly talented, but geled to form an excellent team, and won two championships in five years. Funny thing is that I think they missed D-Rob a bit this year, more then I thought they would.
Shaq and Kobe don't hate each other either...to me they look more like two brothers that are ultra competitive, who both believe they should be the #1 guy. But I've heard them compliment each other enough off the court and encourage each other on the court to know that they don't dislike each other as much as some people believe. In fact, I think they do like each other on a certain level. I think both just get frustrated with each other in terms of the credit (or lack thereof) that both receive in relation to the other.
Miguel said:
Mig's right...before '94 nobodoy gave a shit about Dream. It was always D-Rob, Ewing and Shaq that were being mentioned as the three best centers ever. Of course after the Rockets went back to back, the typical revionist history that always goes on with the media and fans kicked into gear, and suddenly Dream was the second best player in the league behind MJ in the early 90's. Nothing changes.
And the superstar thing is a bit overblown...Sheed, Ben and to a lesser extent Rip are star players. That's good enough. D-Rob wasn't playing at a superstar level when the Spurs won their two titles, at least on the offensive end. Big Ben is a terrific defender and easily the best rebounder in the league post-Rodman, and I believe the Worm was considered a superstar merely for that reason (well that and being a fucking freak).
Ninja Scooter said:
You say that as if any player in the game can lock down Shaq one on one, which is how he was being played 80% of the time (a lot different to how most teams play him). And Ben Wallace is what, 6'9? Name another guy at that size who'd even have a hope of defending Shaq without picking up fouls every 30 seconds.
EekTheKat said:
I think he's right in a way...the front office has been fucking clueless in this regard. You think Jerry West would've allowed this shit to go on under his watch? Hell no...he would've smoothed the waters between Kobe and Shaq whenever possible, gotten them back on the same page. Since he's gone I think there's been a bigger shift in giving in more to Kobe, seemingly at the expense of Shaq and the team.
Having said that Shaq's contract demands are simply ridiculous, so he's not exactly rowing with both oars here.
Cloudy said:
And Prince shut down Kobe's ass for four of the five games in the finals... so I guess he's now the best defensive perimeter player in the league.
bionic77 said:
Don't be stupid...if Orlando's gonna trade for Shaq, it's gonna be with the idea of keeping T-Mac.
The Chosen One said:
Let's not get carried away...Vince not only won more games last year (well 12 more games, but they all count), but he even played in more games too. Not his fault he hasn't had a point guard or center that's been worth a shit in his career. Hopefully that'll be addressed with Babcock, so VC can go back to scoring 27 a game. Then again, he might ask for a trade as well if the whispers are to be believed, though the Raps might put him on the market anyway just to see what they could get.
Meanwhile T-Mac pretty much quit on the team with about a month to go, and saw some of his own lustre take a drop with that pathetic 1-19 stretch (not unlike Kobe's lustre dropping a bitin the finals). So it isn't all peaches and cream. I still love the guy though...hell, I even like Kobe.
Blackace said:
Doesn't matter if he plays or not...all they can think about is matching salary.
Anyone who thinks a team on the cusp of contending for a title (aka a team with more then two good players) is going to trade four or five players for Shaq is living in a glue factory. LA's gonna have to accept a horrible contract back as part of the package, in order to make the deal work. Grant Hill's contract, Zo's contract, something like that. Shaq for Indiana's top three players is NOT going to happen (for that matter, neither is T-Mac for their top three players). Shaq just makes far too much money. Frankly it'll be a miracle if they get anything of value back in return, unless the GM they trade with is a complete idiot.
The Dallas sceniro makes some sense...they're the one team in the league that has both a lot of talent, and an ability to not give a shit about the cap with moneybags Cuban running the ship. So I could certainly see them being involved in the Shaq sweepstakes, and maybe even be involved in a three way with the Magic as well. Though I think D-town getting both Shaq and T-Mac is a bit far fetched. The only other team that can just eat up Shaq's contract without giving a shit about the cap is the Knicks, but even they might be close to their limit with close to a 100 mill on the books (virtually all those players are ridiculously overpriced).
Fifty said:
Ninja Scooter
Member
there's a rumor of Shaq and GP to Dallas for Dirk, Walker, Josh Howard and a resigned Nash. Hell of a trade, except it'd leave us badly lacking in the frontcourt (we'd have to pray we could sign a vet center like Vlade for the vets minimum) and our defense would probably be horrible, but damn imagine our offense with those guys and Kobe.
Ninja Scooter
Member
I never said it was likely, hell, i never don't even like that lineup (we wouldn't have a lick of Defense, and no chance at a title), just reporting some of the rumors out there.
RobotChant
Member
Matrix said:
Indeed. Dallas would be stupid to make such a lopsided trade. An ideal trade would be to get a low post big to play along side Nowitzki. Nowitzki, is probably Dallas' untouchable. By himself, he's worth a hecka of a lot more than an aging Shaq and Payton.
Fifty said:If Tmac goes to Houston, I don't know what will happen with DM on the Houston fans' side here at GA
Pfth. I'm the head of the Rockets club here. DM is in by default. DM = TMac whore #1. 2) He's the head of the "Bucs Triforce" and would kick me out of I didn't add him. 3) He's a Jordan fan. I'm a Jordan fan. WIN WIN!
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