Bill Simmons

[Bamboozled]

Bill Simmons wrote this about Tracy McGrady:

"And by the way, nobody loves basketball more than me. I mean, NOBODY. But when an NBA player with two years remaining on his contract for a total of $44 million shows up for the season out of shape, complains most of the year, lets down his teammates and fans again and again, lands in some trade rumors and decides, "Instead of getting traded to a team I don't like, I'm going to announce that I'm getting microfracture surgery four days before the trade deadline and kill any potential trade, and even better, I'll be healed by next spring, just in time to showcase myself for another contract," and successfully pulls this off -- with no repercussions from anybody -- then yes, the system is broken and needs to be fixed. Because that was disgusting. Tracy McGrady, you are officially indefensible for the rest of eternity. Even your cousin Vince wouldn't have done that. And that's saying something."

How much of this is true? Was T-Mac complaining a lot this year or was the fact that he's been injured sort of put his place among his teammates up in the air?

[Baller 24]

Sigh...what's new. He's pulled stuff like this in '04, but not necessarily the same (where he's still actually an elite player).

[BaYBaller]

That was certainly the first thought that came to my mind. I'm not really one to buy into conspiracy theories but this whole thing is fishy. T-Mac has never been a relations giant but there's no way he couldn't have forseen the implications of announcing microfracture surgery just days before the trading deadline (and before getting a second opinion from the doctor who would actually perform the surgery no less).

I don't think he's played his last game as a Rocket because frankly I doubt even Morey could trade him this offseason. HOU will undoubtably let him play for his contract next year because at the end of the day it helps the team too, both for next year's run and for whatever value they can salvage from T-Mac so the whole thing will be downplayed by management most likely. What this does however is kills any chance HOU will resign T-Mac if they had any inkling to do it previously.

[YoungMoney23]

Can we even trade him this off-season if he really is hurt and will he even be ready before the start of next season?

[moofs]

That was certainly the first thought that came to my mind. I'm not really one to buy into conspiracy theories but this whole thing is fishy. T-Mac has never been a relations giant but there's no way he couldn't have forseen the implications of announcing microfracture surgery just days before the trading deadline (and before getting a second opinion from the doctor who would actually perform the surgery no less).

I don't think he's played his last game as a Rocket because frankly I doubt even Morey could trade him this offseason. HOU will undoubtably let him play for his contract next year because at the end of the day it helps the team too, both for next year's run and for whatever value they can salvage from T-Mac so the whole thing will be downplayed by management most likely. What this does however is kills any chance HOU will resign T-Mac if they had any inkling to do it previously.

qft

[Iggyemu]

All of that true. And Bill Simmons is a T-Mac guy...or at least he was. I pretty much said the same thing...although I didn't think McGrady would have taken as far as he did. That in itself is probably the most disappointing thing about this.

[Bamboozled]

That's too bad about T-Mac. He was always one of my favorite players, moreso than Vince Carter and Kobe. And I'll never forget his 14 points in 35 seconds game. Definitely the best late game performance I've ever seen.

[tisbee]

There's only two little problems w/Simmon's piece.
1)Not a single trade mentioned included McGrady. All of the trades involved Ron. Just because a sportwriter in some town thinks his team ought to trade doesn't make it real. You'll notice Simmons couldn't even muster up one half-a**** trade that T-Mac killed.
2)The Rockets knew McGrady was prob going to need microfracture surgery back in April. You don't think another team upon finding that out raises hell w/the Commissioner? At a minimum the Rockets would be facing a huge fine and quite possibly losing a First.

Simmons is the guy who in hios trade value column suggested two trades of McGrady-one involving the 09 First. One would think an expert on the NBA would have known the Rockets already traded that pick away in the Artest deal.

Here's the thing that everybody is missing about McGrady. He and his contract are a total win/win for the Rockets. If he's healthy nest season the Rockets are a whole lot better. If he's not and can't play,insurance will cover most of his salary-and in a bad economic climate that's pretty huge. Plus the Rockets might get an injured Player exception of half his salary. The insurance money will cover the new player's salary and much of the Lux Tax hit.

[PocketRockets]

There's only two little problems w/Simmon's piece.
1)Not a single trade mentioned included McGrady. All of the trades involved Ron. Just because a sportwriter in some town thinks his team ought to trade doesn't make it real. You'll notice Simmons couldn't even muster up one half-a**** trade that T-Mac killed.
2)The Rockets knew McGrady was prob going to need microfracture surgery back in April. You don't think another team upon finding that out raises hell w/the Commissioner? At a minimum the Rockets would be facing a huge fine and quite possibly losing a First.

Simmons is the guy who in hios trade value column suggested two trades of McGrady-one involving the 09 First. One would think an expert on the NBA would have known the Rockets already traded that pick away in the Artest deal.

Here's the thing that everybody is missing about McGrady. He and his contract are a total win/win for the Rockets. If he's healthy nest season the Rockets are a whole lot better. If he's not and can't play,insurance will cover most of his salary-and in a bad economic climate that's pretty huge. Plus the Rockets might get an injured Player exception of half his salary. The insurance money will cover the new player's salary and much of the Lux Tax hit.

1) they were trying to trade him for VC
2) what do you mean they knew he needed microfracture surgery? I mean I'm sure they knew if his knee didn't heal right he might need it, but to say the GM or whoever knew he needed microfracture and still let him come back and run/jump on his knee until a couple of weeks ago is crazy talk.

I like what you said about his contract though. Good points. And it will be a good selling point to teams that want to get his contract for the summer of 2010.

[tisbee]

PocketRockets,

1)The deal for Vince was Artest,Landry and Brooks-not McGrady.
2)The Rockets team doctor stated that last April they had two options-microfracture and a "more conservative" approach. They went w/what they did because T-Mac wanted to play this season. The crazy talk is the team doctor's own words.
"Dr. Tom Clanton said Monday that McGrady has a tiny lesion on his knee joint under his kneecap that was first detected in an MRI exam taken after the Rockets were eliminated from the playoffs in April. McGrady and the Rockets discussed microfracture surgery then, but opted for arthroscopic surgery, a more “conservative” approach that got McGrady ready for the start of the season, Clanton said". From AP article,Feb 23,09.

[HTown_TMac]

tisbee one thing...

We offered T-Mac for Vince, but the Nets counter'd it with Battier, Artest, Landry.

[tisbee]

McGrady made too much money to be traded for Vince.
The offer was Artest,Landry,Head,Brooks. The Nets went so far as to inquire what interest there was around League for Brooks. They wanted Head as insurance at the PG.

[HTown_TMac]

McGrady made too much money to be traded for Vince.
The offer was Artest,Landry,Head,Brooks. The Nets went so far as to inquire what interest there was around League for Brooks. They wanted Head as insurance at the PG.

T-Mac and Vince arent that far off in terms of salary. (Nets were to add Hassell)

I have no idea where you got that deal from.