Bucher: Minnesota a darkhorse for McGrady

[mrmossy84]

If McGrady is giving up on his Houston team already, do we really want him sitting around here and not giving 100% the rest of the season. I think it's safe to say that we won't be making the playoffs this year.

Plus, what if things start badly next year? If we start 5-10, 10-20, is T-Mac just going to give up and start with the injury bug?

I think it's a possibility...its going to be hard enough to get prize free agents to come to Minnesota...but I am just worried about his attitude...

[twolves4]

If it is our pick this year it is not worth it. Any other pick and it would a great deal.

Foye/Brewer/McGrady/Jefferson/Jordan

It would not allow us to resign anyone this summer (i think), but with that starting line up I think that Jaric, Walker, Buckner, and Madsen would be a good enough bench.

*If he didn't work out here we could always trade him..

isnt this bs tho? how can we trade a pick that potentially belongs to the clippers??

now i know its impossible for us to not end up in the lottery, but still, i would think there would be a rule against that, and im guessing all this mcgrady talk is being held for a deal to happen by the deadline

[revprodeji]

Good point^^^ more reason to suggest that it is not our pick this year...woot-woot

It is almost an idiot proof so mchale cannot trade it

[twolves4]

this is hilarious to me tho..the minnesota front office could be looking to this deal to bring jefferson help, but they never attempted to bring in somebody as good as mcgrady to help garnett? what a joke..that alone makes me think that this is horsepoop

[wolves_fan_82au]

i never thought i would see this ,cant be true can it?

Foye/Brewer/Mcgrady/Jefferson would be a good team too start with but we still need a centre but we would have no cap too work with

i dunno im very mixed with this deal

[MN Die Hard]

this is hilarious to me tho..the minnesota front office could be looking to this deal to bring jefferson help, but they never attempted to bring in somebody as good as mcgrady to help garnett? what a joke..that alone makes me think that this is horsepoop

They never had the assets to trade for someone like McGrady.

IF they could turn KG plus a few other assets into T Mac and Jefferson, that's not bad is it? Still I dont think I like this. As others have mentioned it seems T Mac has a tendancy to pout when things dont go well, and I dont think adding him makes the Wolves a contender.

I was surprised to see that he's actually averaged 70 games per year....seems like he's missed more than that due to injuries. Still, I'm not sure I like bringing him in. I'd rather see what the draft brings this year and go from there.

What I WOULD like to see though (I was mentioning this shortly after the KG trade) is for MN to flip Theo for someone like Raef or another two year contract. It accomplishes two things - 1) we probably get some goodies from the other team for taking on the extra year, and 2) we roll the big expiring contract over at least a year until we might be more ready to make a move like the T Mac move. If we're not ready next year maybe we do the same thing again.

[deeney0]

Theo for Raef and Portland's 1st (except what does Paul Allen care about money? They're targeting cap space 09 anyway) or something similar if we can move Marko for expirings (using two or three of Telfair, Smith, Gomes, and Green since we'd likely only be able to afford one of them in this scenario) isn't a horrible plan.

[wolves_fan_82au]

Theo for Raef and Portland's 1st (except what does Paul Allen care about money? They're targeting cap space 09 anyway) or something similar if we can move Marko for expirings (using two or three of Telfair, Smith, Gomes, and Green since we'd likely only be able to afford one of them in this scenario) isn't a horrible plan.

thats not a bad deal, though i think we want cap space next year and i think he cares about the money if we arent winning

[deeney0]

Glen Taylor cares about money, so keeping the Wolves under the lux is important. Paul Allen uses $100 bills as kleenex, so he's not likely to trade a 1st just to cut a year off Raef's deal for monitary reasons. It doesn't make much sense for Portland for cap reasons, either, since - like us - they're looking toward 2009.

[4ho5ive]

I dunno. Ric Bucher always seems to have some sort of truth in his reports. I dont really like this however. Seems like we go from re-building to trying to hit the home-run again. Along with his attitude and injury problems, im pretty sure i dont want him here.

Besides, he didnt say we are the front runner, he said we are the dark horse. Very small chance this happens.

[revprodeji]

probably just pulling it out of his butt because we have Ratliff's contract.

btw, rocket fans seem pissed at T-Mac

http://www.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic. ... sc&start=0

[4ho5ive]

Yea i went and read that after reading through this thread. I would prob be piss'd too, not the kinda guy i want here.

[revprodeji]

yea, I am agreeing with you. I need to get over the name hype and see the horrible contract and injury history.

[shrink]

They never had the assets to trade for someone like McGrady.

Nice post. First, I think this is exactly right. We regularly had picks in the 20's, or no picks, and limited room financially as well.

IF they could turn KG plus a few other assets into T Mac and Jefferson, that's not bad is it? Still I dont think I like this. As others have mentioned it seems T Mac has a tendancy to pout when things dont go well, and I dont think adding him makes the Wolves a contender.

I agree with this as well. I hope if T-Mac blows up for a while at his next location, a million people don't come out of the woodwork and then say, "Man, its just like Baron Davis in New Orleans and Vince Carter in Toronto ... why didn't McHale go for the oft-injured superstar with a history of pouting?" I agree -- I want to see the draft.

What I WOULD like to see though (I was mentioning this shortly after the KG trade) is for MN to flip Theo for someone like Raef or another two year contract. It accomplishes two things - 1) we probably get some goodies from the other team for taking on the extra year, and 2) we roll the big expiring contract over at least a year until we might be more ready to make a move like the T Mac move. If we're not ready next year maybe we do the same thing again.

From our side, I wouldn't mind this plan, but first we have to get some value out of Craig Smith and Ryan Gomes, because we couldn't afford to bring them back. If they can get us a future pick, or a prospect, or like deeney suggest, move Jaric, then this deal is a little easier to accept.

However, this deal gives us really tough cap issues. With Ratliff expiring, we have about $15 mil to pay for our draft picks (MIN 1, MIN 2, MIA 2), plus re-sign who we want. If we make the swap and pay LaFrentz $12/7 mil, simply paying out first rounder puts us over the lux. We need another deal to get a little more cap room, either through some expirings or a larger deal where we can clear more room under a favorable 125% + $100,000 salary gap.

That said, I think that POR would pay more than a first here. POR fans ignore finances as they expect a big push into free agency in the Summer of 2009, but next year, POR is paying double on $11.4 mil over the lux. If they could get MIN to agree. it would save them $23 million dollars. By comparison, late 1sts have been sold in the past for $3 mil.

Also, POR needs to move assets too. Even the POR posters admit that they need to get rid of their first, because if they keep Taurean Green and Josh McRoberts, they will have 16 players next season, one over the roster limit. Jarrett Jack's days seem numbered -- in fact, they have so many "good-but-not-great" players that have received playing time, that they should offer a few of them for the financial savings.

Its a good move - a great way for us to spend Glen's money and get assets from a team who really has incentive to make a deal, and plenty of assets to pay for it. We just need to do a deal or two first, fast, to be able to afford it ourselves.

[funkatron101]

This is from the same site that said it is likely that we will buyout Theo's contract by the end of the season.

I'm starting to think monkey's write for them.

[C.lupus]

This is from the same site that said it is likely that we will buyout Theo's contract by the end of the season.

I'm starting to think monkey's write for them.

What do you have against monkeys?

This rumor makes no sense for us. McGrady is not a building piece. I think ESPN just views Minnesota as a joke or a landfill for other people's garbage. They don't even think about what they are saying.

[Worm Guts]

Well, McGrady isn't garbage and we wouldn't be giving up much to get him. I wouldn't do it but I"d definitely think about it.

[funkatron101]

-= original quote snipped =-


What do you have against monkeys?

This rumor makes no sense for us. McGrady is not a building piece. I think ESPN just views Minnesota as a joke or a landfill for other people's garbage. They don't even think about what they are saying.

Sorry, I was giving monkeys a bad name.

What you say is true. ESPN is totally clueless when it comes to forecasting Minnesota's plans. They don't care enough to actually put thought behind it. That's sad when it's your job.

The truth is these sports writers really don't know any more than any one of us, and sometimes they know even less.

[the_bruce]

Minnesota Timberwolves
Incoming Players: Channing Frye, Raef LaFrentz, Tracy McGrady, Patrick O'Bryant, Steve Novak (buyout), Troy Hudson (buyout), Petteri Koponen (sign)
Outgoing Players: Sebastian Telfair, Craig Smith, Marko Jaric, Theo Ratliff, Rashad McCants, Antoine Walker

Portland Trail Blazers
Incoming Players: Theo Ratliff
Outgoing Players: Channing Frye, Raef LaFrentz, Petteri Koponen

Golden State Warriors
Incoming Players: Sebastian Telfair, Craig Smith
Outgoing Players: Patrick O'Bryant, Troy Hudson

Houston Rockets
Incoming Players: Marko Jaric, Rashad McCants, Antoine Walker
Outgoing Players: Tracy McGrady, Steve Novak

These picks to HOU:
GSW Top 20 protected pick
MN MIA Pick

[Klomp]

From our side, I wouldn't mind this plan, but first we have to get some value out of Craig Smith and Ryan Gomes, because we couldn't afford to bring them back. If they can get us a future pick, or a prospect, or like deeney suggest, move Jaric, then this deal is a little easier to accept.

What about a swap of Craig Smith and Channing Frye. Frye won't clog up the lane offensively, but he will on defense. I think his contract is cheaper than what it would take to sign Gomes. Smith would play well in Portland alongside Oden or the perimeter oriented Aldridge. I love Smith as much as everyone else on here, but I would do this trade.

Only question is: Would division rivals trade with each other?