With the news that the Rockets and Tracy McGrady have decided to separate, the next step is finding the aging All-Star a new home for the season. It's a tricky situation, with Houston unlikely to take on much long-term salary without decent talent coming back, and with few teams willing to give up valuable assets for McGrady's slowing game and massive expiring contract.
But there are a few options out there. Keep in mind that these are ideas, not rumors.
Solving Problems in Chicago?
Chicago has been a frequent mention with regard to McGrady, and there are a couple deals which might make sense. One fairly simple idea would swap McGrady for three expiring-contract Bulls: Brad Miller, Tyrus Thomas and John Salmons. The trade keeps Chicago under the luxury tax threshold, while adding less than $1 million to Houston's payroll.
It seems like the Bulls are giving up too much talent for what is essentially an expiring contract, right? But losing Salmons and Thomas actually clears up a few things for Chicago. Salmons has an early termination option this summer many believe he will invoke, becoming an unrestricted free agent. Salmons is owed $5.8 million next season should he skip the termination option, and that's a vital $5.8 million for Chicago, who hopes to be far enough under the salary cap to offer a player like Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh a maximum contract. If Salmons, who has been awful this year, keeps the $5.8 million contract alive, the Bulls have little chance of freeing up enough cash for a max player. One assumes the team would like to go into late June without the Salmons question hanging over its head.
Thomas, while talented, is a similar problem for the Bulls. Even if Salmons opts out, Chicago would be faced with potentially being forced to renounce the team's rights to Thomas in order to sign a max player. Thomas would then become an unrestricted free agent (instead of a restricted free agent, in which case Chicago could match any offer sheet he signs). It's no secret Chicago and Thomas have issues, and few expect the team to pay much to keep the forward around beyond this season. Miller would also be a cap hold issue, though his Bird rights aren't nearly as valuable as those of Thomas.
Why does Houston take a small amount of additional payroll to swing this deal? Well, Thomas could be a valuable player going forward if he works out in the Rockets system. Salmons (if he gets right) adds scoring punch. If he continues to play poorly, he is (worst case) a $5.8 million back-up next season. Miller thrived under Adelman in Sacramento, and could augment the frontline attack nicely this spring.
I'm not sure a few months of McGrady and removing the Salmons risk is enough incentive for Chicago, but it's certainly a deal Houston could live with.
Temporary Boost for the Wolves?
Minnesota has no designs on a playoff run this season, but the team's backcourt scoring has been so atrocious that a midseason boost could actually add some respectability. It could send expiring contracts Mark Blount, Damien Wilkins and Brian Cardinal to the Rockets for McGrady. This deal gets Houston out from under the luxury tax without putting the Wolves over the threshold. That's a big win for Houston, roughly a $11-13 million swing when you account for tax savings plus the added pay-out non-tax teams receive.
Minnesota would trade two useless players (sorry, Mark and Brian) and one player who should have a bit part only for a famous name with a (formerly) jaw-dropping game. I'm not sure McGrady's Bird rights (which Minnesota would gain) are valuable. But they are certainly more valuable than those of Blount, Cardinal and Wilkins.
Uniting the Chinese Stars?
New Jersey's interest in McGrady comes in two threads: the Nets will do anything to sell a ticket, and an incarnation of this idea would actually clear even more summertime cap room for the franchise. In this instance, New Jersey would give up on Yi Jianlian, a once-promising import acquired for Richard Jefferson. Houston would acquire Yi, Bobby Simmons (an expiring contract) and Tony Battie (a useful defensive center with an expiring contract).
Yi has played only six games for the disastrous Nets this season. While interim coach Kiki Vandeweghe is a big Yi fan, McGrady might be a decent boost for the final few months of East Rutherford and the Chinese forward is on the books for $4 million next season. Houston, I imagine, would be happy to take on the project, especially with Yao Ming and a fantastic marketing relationship with the Middle Kingdom in place.
I'm no fan of Tmac, but I'd do that Cardinal, Wilkens, Blount for Tmac trade coz we don't have to give up Gomes
