McGrady

[barrett]

McGrady scored 26 in his Knicks debut after scoring 19 for the Rockets on the SEASON.

Can someone tell me again the genius strategy that went into not playing him all season? I have never liked the guy, but if your plan was to trade him, wouldn't you want him on the court and showing he could play to maximize what you get in return. Instead they made him sit, kept him from increasing his trade value, and got nothing out of him while he was here. It seems that resident genius Daryl Morey may have outsmarted himself on this one.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by barrett

McGrady scored 26 in his Knicks debut after scoring 19 for the Rockets on the SEASON.

Can someone tell me again the genius strategy that went into not playing him all season? I have never liked the guy, but if your plan was to trade him, wouldn't you want him on the court and showing he could play to maximize what you get in return. Instead they made him sit, kept him from increasing his trade value, and got nothing out of him while he was here. It seems that resident genius Daryl Morey may have outsmarted himself on this one.

I would put the playing time thing more on the HC. Aldelman and McGrady where from different planets and McGrady never bother to fit into Aldeman's offensive style. Instead McGrady thought he was T-Mac and could do it his way.

4 guys playing one way and 1 playing to his own drum does not work in basketball.

Even Jordan had to learn to play team basketball in order to win, McGrady has never learned that concept.

IMO

[barrett]

It has nothing to do with learning to play together. This is a throw away year for the Rockets. This team can learn to play together and they are still going nowhere. All hope rests on Yao coming back, otherwise a roster overhaul will be needed to contend for a title.

So McGrady having a negative effect on team chemistry is not a huge deal. They obviously intended to move him all along, so why not play him for 2-3 weeks, let him have a few games like he did for the Knicks last night, and watch his value increase.

As for Morey's part in it, he could have said play him for two weeks so we can move him. But if you want to place the blame on Addelman, I am fine with that. Both of them should have viewed getting maximum value for McGrady as the priority of this season. Instead the franchise was more concerned with keeping him missing games so the insurance would pay out on his contract.

Or they could have kept him as an expiring contract and swung for the fences in free agency. Instead they now have a nucleus of above average guys and are no closer to winning anything relevant then they have been for the past 15 years.

Bottom line is they had a valuable trade piece in McGrady and they minimized his value by not putting him on the court when letting him play 10-20 games before the deadline wouldn't have hurt anyone.

[Keith]

Games played:

'05-'06 - 47
'06-'07 - 71
'07-'08 - 66
'08-'09 - 35

Back, knee, shoulder... no telling what next injury could have further lessened his trade value if you played him more this season. Teams already know about McGrady and what he can do. Plus it's better if they scout him using old tapes instead of new ones anyway.

Good riddance.

[painekiller]

Originally Posted by barrett

Instead they now have a nucleus of above average guys and are no closer to winning anything relevant then they have been for the past 15 years.

Oh but wait for the offseason and the look for the sign and trades to begin. Now we have bait.

Nothing says this is the team that starts together next season, we have some interesting guys with contracts expiring in 2011.

2010-11 is the swing for the fence with Yao season, we have cap space and trade fodder to work with. . If Yao doesn't produce he is probably moved and time to strip the roster for a rebuild.

[barrett]

Originally Posted by Keith

Games played:

'05-'06 - 47
'06-'07 - 71
'07-'08 - 66
'08-'09 - 35

Back, knee, shoulder... no telling what next injury could have further lessened his trade value if you played him more this season. Teams already know about McGrady and what he can do. Plus it's better if they scout him using old tapes instead of new ones anyway.

Good riddance.

The knicks didn't even trade for McGrady, they traded for Tracy McGrady's expiring contract. The Knicks have long since thrown away this year. The deal was all about clearing cap room for the Lebronstakes. McGrady could have dropped dead on the floor and the Knicks still would have traded for his contract.

But if McGrady had played well for 2 weeks there would have been other teams interested in using him for the stretch run AND for cap space. And more interested parties means that the Knicks probably offer up more.

They could not have been hurt and only could have been helped by putting him on the floor in late January to showcase what he had left. Instead they bungled the whole thing and got the lowest possible value for him.

[Nconroe]

I do think all NY Knicks wanted was the expiring contract so they could play for two big FA in offseason, so anything out of T-Mac is a bonus.

So far they are getting the bonus it appears, which may make it good for Tracy in the offseason as well.

But I think Rockets got something almost for nothing as well. They got under the cap this year, they have plenty flexibility for FA during the off-season.

They got taller, 4 athletic players, so we can see if they even make playoffs this year.

And they got two first round draft picks for 2011 and 2012.

I am on the side Tracy forced the trade by trying to outdo coach and GM in the media, but he has been injured to much to pull that off in Houston.