# Magic GM Wants McGrady to Make a Decision - Soon



## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

Magic GM Wants McGrady to Make a Decision - Soon
Apr 14, 5:01 PM (ET)

By MIKE BRANOM

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The Orlando Magic are willing to trade Tracy McGrady in the offseason unless the NBA's scoring champion tells them he wants to stick around after next year.

McGrady, who signed a seven-year, $93 million contract that runs through 2006-07 season, can opt out of the deal following the 2004-05 season.

Magic general manager John Weisbrod said Wednesday he wants McGrady to stay, but wants his star to make a decision by July 1 because "I have no intention of starting next season with an 'I don't know."'

Weisbrod, who took over as Orlando's GM last month, said if he knows McGrady won't be back after next season, trading him would be the best move for the team.

"I don't want that misinterpreted that I'm looking for a way to trade him or we're predisposed to trading him," Weisbrod said. "We're obviously not. We'd like to build the thing around him."

McGrady's deal gives him an opt-out clause after the fifth year of his deal, an attractive alternative if there's no turnaround in the NBA's worst team.

more...
http://sports.iwon.com/news/04142004/v7094.html


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## adhir (Apr 13, 2004)

*MCGRADY IS A BABY*

THE ONLY REASON MCGRADY WANTED TO GO TO THE MAGIC IS BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING TO GET TIM DUNCAN...A PLAYER HE THOUGHT WOULD BE BETTER THEN CARTER....THE JERK SHOUDLVE STAYED IN TORONTO...VC AND TMAC WOLDVE BEEN RULING THE WORLD.....


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

Seems like a bonehead move by Weisbrod. Good to see he is starting off on the right foot. You don't make a demand like that to your superstar, especially in a public display.

Makes me think that maybe Weisbrod is already set on trading Tmac and is announcing it publicly so he has justification for doing so in the future. Other than that, there is no reason for him to take something like this public.


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## MJG (Jun 29, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>JNice</b>!
> Makes me think that maybe Weisbrod is already set on trading Tmac and is announcing it publicly so he has justification for doing so in the future. Other than that, there is no reason for him to take something like this public.


That's what it sounds like to me. This gives him a built in excuse to trade him.


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>MJG</b>!
> 
> That's what it sounds like to me. This gives him a built in excuse to trade him.



That would be a pretty ballsy move. IMO stupid, but ballsy.

This team only needs a couple pieces around Tmac to be competitive in the East. He should be looking to find a way to dump Hill, not Tmac.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

Here is what I wrote on another board. Take it for what it's worth, but I think it can make Orlando a good team even in the event McGrady doesn't want to re-sign. If he doesn't, he will have to be traded. Can't let him walk for nothing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I think this is smart for Orlando. They might be able to get a Herschel Walker type deal from someone to get T-Mac. This is the chance to truly fleece someone out of their young players. 

What if Phoenix gave up Jahidi White, Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson and the No. 6 pick for Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard, Pat Garrity and a future first round pick? 

Do you think Orlando shouldn't do it?

They would have probably the No.1 pick, No. 6 pick, Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson and got rid of Juwan Howard. Then trade Drew Gooden to Utah and pick up the No. 16 pick. 

Orlando
C - David Harrison (16th pick)
PF - Emeka Okafor (1st pick)
SF - Shawn Marion 
SG - Deshawn Stevenson
PG - Joe Johnson (point forward type)

Bench
Devin Harris (6th pick), Keith Bogans, Reece Gaines, Zaza Pachulia, Steven Hunter, Andrew DeClerq, Tyronn Lue, Plus the MLE and LLE to hand out as well to add veterans to the squad. 

I think that improves Orlando in the long run way more than what they had. 


Phoenix
C - Jake Voshkuhl
PF - Amare Stoudemire
SF - Zarko Carbarpka
SG - Tracy McGrady
PG - LeAndro Barbosa

Bench
Howad Eisley, Milos Vujanic, Casey Jacobsen, Maciej Lampe, Juwan Howard, Keon Clark 

They would still have money to fill in the back-up PG and C spot. They are pretty set on the wings. I think this could improve both teams. Especially Orlando if Grant Hill can play. Hill would make Johnson and Marion even better players. Even T-Mac couldn't complain about these set of teammates. He would be the leader on this team with Amare being absolutely devastating playing with him.

I think this is one of those deals that benefits both teams.


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## The MAgiC (Aug 3, 2003)

If T-Mac is traded in THIS offseason, I swear to God I'll never watch another Magic game in my life. I can't bring myself to watch a franchise THAT stupidly run. It's already been horrendous with Gabriel.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>The MAgiC</b>!
> If T-Mac is traded in THIS offseason, I swear to God I'll never watch another Magic game in my life. I can't bring myself to watch a franchise THAT stupidly run. It's already been horrendous with Gabriel.


But what if the team improved and they started winning. You still wouldn't watch? They would have young guys who are locked into deals for at least 4 years and are all going to get better. 

What if the team was still bad with T-Mac and he just walked and Orlando got nothing? That would stink.


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## The MAgiC (Aug 3, 2003)

IF the team is still bad he can be traded before the deadline. Hopefully Okafor and Hill will keep that from happening.


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## Enigma (Jul 16, 2002)

*Re: MCGRADY IS A BABY*



> Originally posted by <b>adhir</b>!
> THE ONLY REASON MCGRADY WANTED TO GO TO THE MAGIC IS BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING TO GET TIM DUNCAN...A PLAYER HE THOUGHT WOULD BE BETTER THEN CARTER....THE JERK SHOUDLVE STAYED IN TORONTO...VC AND TMAC WOLDVE BEEN RULING THE WORLD.....


That's odd because Grant Hill was the first to "commit" to signing with the Magic that off-season. And since the Magic had room for only one more max contract, either Tracy McGrady or Tim Duncan was going to sign in Orlando. That fact kind of disputes what you said.


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## butr (Mar 23, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>The MAgiC</b>!
> If T-Mac is traded in THIS offseason, I swear to God I'll never watch another Magic game in my life. I can't bring myself to watch a franchise THAT stupidly run. It's already been horrendous with Gabriel.


Get ready to switch allegiances. T-Mac is slime. He will leverage this situation as best he can for his own gain. He is already talking double-speak. "I want to stay in Orlando, but not in the same bad situation." If they trust him to stay they will get burned. Get what you can this summer.

How does it feel Magic fans? He's a quitter. At least you have a precedent to go on, Toronto took him for his word about wanting to stay. Now you know that his word is worth about as much as used TP.

You can create a nice young group by trading him. With your pick and what you get for him you'll have the beginings of a team rather than one guy surrounded by scrubs.


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>blowuptheraptors</b>!
> 
> 
> Get ready to switch allegiances. T-Mac is slime. He will leverage this situation as best he can for his own gain. He is already talking double-speak. "I want to stay in Orlando, but not in the same bad situation." If they trust him to stay they will get burned. Get what you can this summer.
> ...


Talk about some sour grapes.

I see nothing wrong at all with Tmac's comments. Management has been saying they will improve the team since he got here and they havent. If they cant prove to him they can make the deals to make the team better, he has every right to leave.

Now the team trading him is a different story. You dont trade a player of his caliber. You take your chances. Rarely does a team in any sport trade a guy at the level Tmac is, and still very young, and get better because of it.


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Hong Kong Fooey</b>!
> Here is what I wrote on another board. Take it for what it's worth, but I think it can make Orlando a good team even in the event McGrady doesn't want to re-sign. If he doesn't, he will have to be traded. Can't let him walk for nothing.
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> ...


I dont like the deal and I dont think Orlando gets enough back. Johnson has been inconsistent since he came into the league and fades in and out of being a good player. I don't think he'll ever get much better than he was this season.

And I personally think Marion is a bit overrated. He is a nice player, but not good enough to build around. I think Marion is like Darius Miles, he's got certain talents, but one of them is not being the man and he can only excel with really good players around him. Just my opinion.

And the rest of this deal relies on getting the luck of the draft and that some of these guys will actually turn out to be very good. If they only turn out to be very average players, which in most cases they do, then Orlando's got themselves locked into mediocrity.

With Tmac, if you can put a solid team around him you've always got a chance to win.

Trading him would be a mistake. And basically threatening him, so early and in the public, was a dumb mistake in itself. Really doesnt make any sense to come out with that now.


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## Yyzlin (Feb 2, 2003)

Personally, I like this ultimatum set down by the front office. One, it forces McGrady's hand to make a decision. If he truly is committed to the organization, he should have no problem saying yes by July 1st, after the draft takes place. If not, then the Magic jump an extra year ahead in the post-McGrady rebuilding era. Like HKF was saying, we should be able to get great value in return for McGrady.


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>blowuptheraptors</b>!
> 
> 
> Get ready to switch allegiances. T-Mac is slime. He will leverage this situation as best he can for his own gain. He is already talking double-speak. "I want to stay in Orlando, but not in the same bad situation." If they trust him to stay they will get burned. Get what you can this summer.
> ...


"I don't want to leave. I'll be the first to tell you, I don't want to leave," McGrady said Wednesday, before Orlando's season finale. "But I'm a competitor and I want to win."

But, exposing a conflict that may never reach resolution, McGrady said he was willing to wait deep into the season -- perhaps as late as the February trading deadline -- to make up his mind.

"If I do decide to leave, I definitely don't want to play out the whole season so they don't get anything," said McGrady, adding he was grateful to the team and city in which he flourished.

He clearly states that he won't bolt like that on the Magic.. He's gonna ask a trade instead of just leave w/o magic gettign something back.


BTW, I think this whole situation is just drama.. McGrady and weisburg had a chat and they want to make magic fans feel greatful and take away the pressure of how bad the season was by making an issue with Tmac....and then everyone will be all happy when mcgrady is still w/ magic uniform next season..this is just a drama/soap opera thats already planned out.. dont worry about it


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## OZZY (Jun 14, 2002)

I really hope we don't lose TMac obviously.

But I must say getting Howard and Lue as free agents this year was about the dumbest thing they could do. 

Main reasons the Magic failed this year.

Obviously Grant Hill not playing again is the biggets problem

They you have Lue, a horrible PG and nothing better than a backup, and has never proven he could lead a team.

Howard, played well at the end of the year, but that was without TMac, he has to be the #1 option on offense to put up good numbers, that is not good.

Then you got the bust draft pick Reece Gaines, should have put up at least 8-10 a game but only played well the past week or two of the year. Before the last two weeks he averaged like 1 point a game.

Gooden and Gordon, they seemed wonderful when they got them, but Gordon did not produce as well afterwards and Gooden can not play PF starting because we do not have a center and Howard has to play as well.

And the most important reason, you lose the heart of your team, you lose the team. And that is what they lost with Darrell.


Maybe Okafor, Josh Smith, Dwight Howard or a foreign center will change the Magics fate. But they will have to make some major changes to do that, I say start out with getting rid of Lue and Howard somehow.


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## butr (Mar 23, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>JNice</b>!
> 
> 
> Talk about some sour grapes.
> ...


This year and next they have no money. His and Hill's deal take up 2/3 of the cap. Even if they don't qualify Gooden after next year they will have the balance of the cap to fill out the roster. This team is even worse off than the Raptors with VC and JR eating up the cap.

If they wait too deep into the season they risk getting almost nothing of value for him. What if he won't give a commitment to the team they trade him to? What are they gonna give up to get him?

I hope they don't trade him. Then you'll all see what a jerk he really is. He comes across really nice and smiley. Loves kids. Blah Blah Blah. Wait and you'll get burned.

As for sour grapes, you'd better believe it. You couldn't have much better seats than I have to jeer his butt. If he had just been honest and said "I'm from FLA, I'm going home", no one would have said boo. All our hockey players do the same thing to American teams to play at home as FAs, but they don't lie about it. But T-Mac stood in front of the brass and the cameras and said the Raptors were right at the top of his list. Liar.


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## The MAgiC (Aug 3, 2003)

I suggest you go find the Raptors board. Whining, immature, jealous Raptors fans with lame grudges are not welcome here. He thought Canada sucked. I sure as hell wouldn't wanna be forced to play there. Hell, I wouldn't live there if you payed me serious $$$. Mainly because your $$$ is worthless comapared to ours. But now i'm getting off topic....


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>The MAgiC</b>!
> I suggest you go find the Raptors board. Whining, immature, jealous Raptors fans with lame grudges are not welcome here. He thought Canada sucked. I sure as hell wouldn't wanna be forced to play there. Hell, I wouldn't live there if you payed me serious $$$. Mainly because your $$$ is worthless comapared to ours. But now i'm getting off topic....


Dont worry about him and quit flaming him man. He's just giving a warning on what he thinks will happen and how he felt when he lost Tmac as a raptor.


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## R-Star (Jun 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>The MAgiC</b>!
> IF the team is still bad he can be traded before the deadline. Hopefully Okafor and Hill will keep that from happening.


Hill? Its time to give up on him man. He will never make an impact in this game again, unless you consider his contract comming off the books an impact.


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## butr (Mar 23, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>The MAgiC</b>!
> I suggest you go find the Raptors board. Whining, immature, jealous Raptors fans with lame grudges are not welcome here. He thought Canada sucked. I sure as hell wouldn't wanna be forced to play there. Hell, I wouldn't live there if you payed me serious $$$. Mainly because your $$$ is worthless comapared to ours. But now i'm getting off topic....


It is your attitude that makes so many around the world hate Americans. Your knowledge of anything not American is zero.

And I'm sooo jealous of the Magic.


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## butr (Mar 23, 2004)

double p


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## hobojoe (Jun 20, 2003)

Call me crazy, but I like the idea of trading McGrady, especially if he doesn't want to be in Orlando, which I doubt he does at this point. The thing I like about trading T-Mac is that we could get so much in return for him. I mean, what team wouldn't want to have him? The franchise needs a turnaround, trading for multiple young talents is an intriguing idea. I think if we can get the right deal, by all means, trade the player that doesn't wanna be here and get some young talents that play with heart.


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## Sean (Jun 7, 2002)

*McGrady might leave Magic after next season*

McGrady might leave Magic after next season

MIKE BRANOM / Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The Orlando Magic want to keep Tracy McGrady, but are willing to trade him if he wants to go. The league scoring champion wants to stay, but is demanding some improvements to the NBA's worst team.

It's clear that the future of the Magic is cloudy and that the team faces one of the most crucial offseasons in the franchise's 15-year history.

"I don't want to leave. I'll be the first to tell you, I don't want to leave," McGrady said Wednesday, before Orlando's season finale. "But I'm a competitor and I want to win."

McGrady, whose seven-year, $93 million contract runs through the 2006-07 season, can opt out of the deal after next season.


Magic general manager John Weisbrod said he'd like McGrady to stay, but if he knows McGrady won't be back after next season, trading him would be the best move for the team.

"I don't want that misinterpreted that I'm looking for a way to trade him or we're predisposed to trading him," said Weisbrod, who took over as Orlando's GM last month. "We're obviously not. We'd like to build the thing around him."

"If I do decide to leave, I definitely don't want to play out the whole season so they don't get anything," said McGrady, adding he was grateful to the team and city in which he flourished.

"All things being equal, I think he'd like to stay in Orlando," Weisbrod said. "But there are a lot of factors that don't make all things equal - we're a bad team right now without any (salary) cap room."

"He's still in a position, if he wanted to get traded, to dictate where he got traded to," Weisbrod said.

"Ideally, I do want to remain a Magic," said McGrady, second in franchise history in points. "But (Weisbrod) also understands I don't want to be put in the situation I was this year." 

http://www.foxsports.com/content/view?contentId=2319994


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

I don't think all is lost for the Magic yet. All they need is a few solid pieces around TMac. They have a high lottery pick coming up, Okafor alongside Juwan Howard is a pretty dangerous combination in the East. If they don't get the top pick then they can always pick up Ben Gordon to help out Tracy McGrady. It's not like this team needs a legit PG. 

The Magic were pretty hapless without the perimeter presence of Pat Garrity, he averaged 400 3PT attempts in the last 2 seasons. He has an expiring contract this season, the Magic need to asses whether he will be able to contribute again and resign him based on that. 

Gooden is still valuable trade bait, he can fetch a decent veteran shooting guard or post presence if Garrity leaves Orlando. Not sure how the Magic feel about him right now, but I feel he has been a major dissapointment after a strong end of season showing in 02-03. 

The bottomline: If Orlando can get to the playoffs with McGrady, they have as good a chance as anyone in the East to make the Finals. They have alot of missing pieces right now and if McGrady leaves the Magic they won't be a serious threat for the next 5 years, whether they get Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson or nothing at all.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>The Franchise</b>!
> 
> The bottomline: If Orlando can get to the playoffs with McGrady, they have as good a chance as anyone in the East to make the Finals. They have alot of missing pieces right now and if McGrady leaves the Magic they won't be a serious threat for the next 5 years, whether they get Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson or nothing at all.


They aren't a serious threat with McGrady now. They should try to go out and fleece a team for all it's young talent. The odds of him staying are not good.


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

Again, the only reason Weisburg said this is to take the attention away from the 21 game winning season to get fans all talking etc. And when McGrady is back in uniform next season w/ a better team around him, Weisburg will look like he saved the Franchise... thats all it is.

You guys go ahead and talk all the trade proposals you want. Thats exactly what weisburg wants..

have fun


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## hobojoe (Jun 20, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>courtside</b>!
> Again, the only reason Weisburg said this is to take the attention away from the 21 game winning season to get fans all talking etc. And when McGrady is back in uniform next season w/ a better team around him, Weisburg will look like he saved the Franchise... thats all it is.
> 
> You guys go ahead and talk all the trade proposals you want. Thats exactly what weisburg wants..
> ...


Thank you Miss Cleo/John Weisbrod.


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>The Franchise</b>!
> I don't think all is lost for the Magic yet. All they need is a few solid pieces around TMac. They have a high lottery pick coming up, Okafor alongside Juwan Howard is a pretty dangerous combination in the East. If they don't get the top pick then they can always pick up Ben Gordon to help out Tracy McGrady. It's not like this team needs a legit PG.
> 
> The Magic were pretty hapless without the perimeter presence of Pat Garrity, he averaged 400 3PT attempts in the last 2 seasons. He has an expiring contract this season, the Magic need to asses whether he will be able to contribute again and resign him based on that.
> ...



I agree, like I said before, rarely has a team ever quickly profited from trading a guy at the top of his game like Tmac. And in many cases, the team has suffered for years afterward.

All Orlando needs is a little luck in the draft (Okafor), and decent free agent signing (Dampier), and the ability to trade either Howard/Gooden for a decent PG. Add to that the return of Garrity and possibly the return of Grant Hill.

That is optimistic, but not un-realistic and if Orlando can do those things or something similiar, they can be right back at the top of the East.

And the biggest hinderence to Orlando as a team has been Hill. And more than likely, before the 10th game of next season, some kind of conclusion is going to happen with Hill. Either he will be healthy making it through summer ball, training camp, and preseason and Orlando will have at least a somewhat healthy Hill, or the ankle will go bad again in which Orlando wont play him and his contract would be available to come off the books in 2005, making him very valuable trade bait for any team looking to blow things up.

I dont agree with trading an all-world talent for some above-average talents.

I dont think he will be traded anyway, although if he is, Phoenix is one of the few he could be traded to. Most other teams wouldnt have enough to give Orlando without murdering their own team. So even if they do decide they want to trade him, finding a good deal isnt going to be easy.


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>rukahS capuT</b>!
> 
> 
> Thank you Miss Cleo/John Weisbrod.



I don't take this personal attack very well.

I see you switched to being a bobcats fan


Orlando is where its at...I just know McGrady's not going anywhere this offseason at least...maybe by deadline but not this summer.

Weisburg isn't that dumb to make Tmac leave before summer...

He has to see what the new team can do before he does anything.

And if he does trade before summer..I'm never watching magic ball until there is a major change in this team's management.


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## hobojoe (Jun 20, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>courtside</b>!
> 
> 
> 
> I don't take this personal attack very well.


It most certainly wasn't a personal attack, just an attack on your post, stating what you believe will happen as a fact, rather than pure speculation, which it is.



> I see you switched to being a bobcats fan


Nope, always been a die hard Magic fan, I just don't do a lot of Orlando posting on this board due to the less than stellar amount of knowledgeable Magic fans on this site. The avatar is just temporary until my Supporting Membership is activated.



> Orlando is where its at...I just know McGrady's not going anywhere this offseason at least...maybe by deadline but not this summer.


No, you don't know that.



> Weisburg isn't that dumb to make Tmac leave before summer...


I don't know who Weisburg is, but you have no idea what Weisbrod will or will not do with McGrady this offseason.



> He has to see what the new team can do before he does anything.


No he doesn't, he can do what he wants.



> And if he does trade before summer..I'm never watching magic ball until there is a major change in this team's management.


More power to you.


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Hong Kong Fooey</b>!
> They aren't a serious threat with McGrady now. They should try to go out and fleece a team for all it's young talent. The odds of him staying are not good.


That's because the players around him are pretty terrible. *If* his supporting cast is good enough to help push the Magic into the playoffs, ONCE they are there, then they will be tough to knock out with T-Mac. 



> Originally posted by <b>JNice</b>!
> All Orlando needs is a little luck in the draft (Okafor), and decent free agent signing (Dampier), and the ability to trade either Howard/Gooden for a decent PG. Add to that the return of Garrity and possibly the return of Grant Hill.


I think Mark Blount would be a great FA addition to this team. Cheaper than Dampier, similar production.


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>rukahS capuT</b>!
> 
> 
> It most certainly wasn't a personal attack, just an attack on your post, stating what you believe will happen as a fact, rather than pure speculation, which it is.
> ...



You'll see:yes: 

I own the Magic................. baaaaa..... (rick james)


haha..your gonna hate me for saying that and say I'm stupid

haha..I'm just playing around in this post..

Sure there is a possibility..but it is very unlikely...

Magic fans would kill him if he did that..he just got his job and can't do stupid stuff like that even if he's blood related..


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## The MAgiC (Aug 3, 2003)

Someone has lost it.


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>The MAgiC</b>!
> Someone has lost it.


Who?


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## lw32 (May 24, 2003)

I, for one, would not kill Weisbrod if he were to trade McGrady this summer, and I might get a lot of flack for this but sometimes one step backwards can translate into two steps forward. Listen to my reasoning. Sure, McGrady is a top 5 talent and a definite franchise player, but seriously if Orlando is looking for a championship, or even the Eastern Conference Finals, lets all be realistic and admit it probably won't happen in the next 2-3 years. McGrady is young, yes, but Tracy alone cannot take this team to the top. Not even with Hill and the junk we have that currently wastes our cap space. A smart man would realize that possibly trading McGrady for 2 or 3 solid pieces could solidify the lack of depth we have. Look at Memphis, ok Davis is no Brown, they have no All-Star, or really near All-Star, talents but somehow manage the 6th spot in the West.

I might be the only Magic fan that realizes that the Phoenix deal floating around is not such a death-defying-end-of-the-world trade. Orlando can't progress through Free Agency, we just don't have the cap space nor the attraction that other markets do. Yes, we could keep McGrady around (or lose him to FA like Shaq) till we have Tracy and 4 lottery picks but even that is not a given. Orlando can't let McGrady go for nothing, and I'm sure management knows that if they do the franchise will probably be moving markets to Vegas or some exotic, more attractive and lucrative city.

If Phoenix offers Joe Johnson, Shawn Marion, #6 pick for McGrady and Howard I'd take it in a heart beat. Hong Kong Fooey explained it really well in a previous thread about why Orlando accepts this trade.

Can anyone honestly come up with a good argument on why Orlando does not cash out on McGrady and trade for a top 7 pick, an All-Star caliber SF and a quality SG while losing Howards awful contract. We would probably not be under the cap, but with a quality signing of Blount, Okur, Daniels, Sura or Swift who would could realistically aim at with the exception the team would be drastically improved. We would have:
PG - Grant Hill/#7 pick (Ben Gordon/Harris/Telfair/Nelson)
SG - Joe Johnson
SF - Shawn Marion
PF - Emeka Okafor/Drew Gooden
C - Blount/Okur/Swift (any of them) or #7 pick (Podkolzine/Biedrins)

If Hill doesn't return, we should still be a solid squad with more depth than we currently have with Garrity, Pachulia, Lue, Bogans all coming off the bench.

This is not too far from reality, only if we look at trading McGrady and honestly that team is better than any team we could put together with McGrady for next season with our cap space and draft pick.


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## butr (Mar 23, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>nba_playa</b>!
> I, for one, would not kill Weisbrod if he were to trade McGrady this summer, and I might get a lot of flack for this but sometimes one step backwards can translate into two steps forward. Listen to my reasoning. Sure, McGrady is a top 5 talent and a definite franchise player, but seriously if Orlando is looking for a championship, or even the Eastern Conference Finals, lets all be realistic and admit it probably won't happen in the next 2-3 years. McGrady is young, yes, but Tracy alone cannot take this team to the top. Not even with Hill and the junk we have that currently wastes our cap space. A smart man would realize that possibly trading McGrady for 2 or 3 solid pieces could solidify the lack of depth we have. Look at Memphis, ok Davis is no Brown, they have no All-Star, or really near All-Star, talents but somehow manage the 6th spot in the West.
> 
> I might be the only Magic fan that realizes that the Phoenix deal floating around is not such a death-defying-end-of-the-world trade. Orlando can't progress through Free Agency, we just don't have the cap space nor the attraction that other markets do. Yes, we could keep McGrady around (or lose him to FA like Shaq) till we have Tracy and 4 lottery picks but even that is not a given. Orlando can't let McGrady go for nothing, and I'm sure management knows that if they do the franchise will probably be moving markets to Vegas or some exotic, more attractive and lucrative city.
> ...


Future looks a lot brighter this way. But who wants to listen to logic when you're a T-Mac fan?


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>blowuptheraptors</b>!
> 
> 
> Future looks a lot brighter this way. But who wants to listen to logic when you're a T-Mac fan?


Future can be bright with Tmac. Either way, Orlando will need a little luck and they could be a very good team.

I for one dont believe you trade away one of the top 5 players in the league, especially when he is still as young as he is.


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>JNice</b>!
> 
> 
> Future can be bright with Tmac. Either way, Orlando will need a little luck and they could be a very good team.
> ...


Exactly..didn't Jordan not get his first ring until he was in his late 20's?


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## The MAgiC (Aug 3, 2003)

28


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

I just want to say that I don't want to see T-Mac traded. However, I also don't want to see T-Mac leave the Magic high and dry (which I think he would do if the team was bad next year). If T-Mac leaves, there is no doubt in my mind that the Magic will be sold and moved to either St. Louis or Las Vegas. I would love to see a team in either of those cities but it sure isn't Orlando (cough*LA Clippers* cough). 

I just hope it works out for Orlando. They have been burned way too often by FA's in the past.


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## The MAgiC (Aug 3, 2003)

There's a reason there's no team in Vegas. There never will be one for that reason. I also have had fears that the team would be moved considering other teams have been playing musical chairs, and the owner hates our arena. But hopefully it won't happen. And if they did move, there's a chance it would be to Tampa, which is only an hour and a half away. But if the very unforunate case arises, they better change the team's name.


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## lw32 (May 24, 2003)

And to back up my reasoning in my previous post above, here are two articles straight out of Phoenix. Take them for what they're worth, both published by Arizona papers, but I think it isn't just wasted ink and air. I can't publish the links, because when I open them they have no address bar on IE but check Hoopshype for details under April 20th rumors.


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

Yeah I saw that.. funny how McGrady just recently said that he wants to stay and play for Orlando.

I'm sure those close to him would go around telling the media that he wants to play w/ PHX...


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

The conversation probably went something like -

"Tmac, if you were traded, is Phoenix somewhere you wouldnt mind playing?"

"Sure, why not"


That becomes he is telling sources close to him he wants to play for Phoenix.


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

Oh well


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## butr (Mar 23, 2004)

> T-MAC IS AVAILABLE Magic fans won’t like this, but the fact remains if the right bidder comes along Tracy McGrady can be had, basically everyone in Orlando can be had if the price is right.


http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_8134.shtml

More plugged-in people for you t-mac fans to ignore.


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## JNice (Jul 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>blowuptheraptors</b>!
> 
> 
> http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_8134.shtml
> ...


Fantastic! Congrats to you!


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## butr (Mar 23, 2004)

:laugh: :laugh:


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)




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## Gambino (Feb 11, 2004)

^^ i knew a Houston fan would post that:laugh:


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## BallBiologist (Mar 29, 2003)

WOW...


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## The MAgiC (Aug 3, 2003)

In your dreams, Franchise.


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## cimalee (Apr 17, 2003)

somebody post a pic with him in a blazers uniform lol


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