Finally: Magic deal McGrady for Francis

[zanahale]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5320088/

Finally: Magic deal McGrady for Francis
Deal reportedly will be announced Wednesday

By Greg Sandoval
Updated: 11:34 p.m. ET June 28, 2004

The prospect of playing alongside high school star Dwight Howard and an easier road to the playoffs were enough to persuade Houston Rockets guard Steve Francis to drop his objections to a trade that would send him to the Orlando Magic for NBA leading scorer Tracy McGrady, according to his agent.

The Magic is expected to announce the trade, which was held up a week after Francis balked at playing for the last-place team, on Wednesday, according to a source with knowledge of the deal. Francis, a three-time all-star, is flying to Orlando today to meet with the Magic's management, including President John Weisbrod, the man who persuaded Francis to move to Orlando.

Under the terms of the trade, the Magic will send guard McGrady, forward Juwan Howard and guard Tyronn Lue to the Rockets for Francis, guard Cuttino Mobley and center Kelvin Cato, said the source.

Upon hearing news of the pending trade, Francis initially said he disliked the idea of playing for a team that was rebuilding. His representatives began making inquiries about which teams would be interested in swapping for Francis in the event he was traded to the Magic.

But in a Thursday-night phone conversation, Weisbrod sold Francis on the team's draft acquisitions, playoff chances and appreciation of his talents, according to Jeff Fried, Francis's agent.

"They could have got anyone for Tracy McGrady," Fried said. "That impressed Steve about how highly the Magic thought of him."

McGrady finished this past season with a 28-point scoring average, tops in the NBA, and Francis averaged 16.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists to join Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson and Grant Hill as the only players in NBA history to average at least 15 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in each of their first five seasons.

Francis, an all-American at the University of Maryland, also was impressed with the players Orlando has obtained since the end of last season.

The Magic chose Atlanta high school sensation Howard, a 6-11 power forward, with the first pick in the draft. Scouts say Howard, a skilled scorer, shot blocker and rebounder, has the talent to become an NBA star.

The Magic also obtained St Joseph's guard Jameer Nelson, the NCAA's player of the year last season, from the Denver Nuggets.

The addition of Francis, Howard and Nelson could help the team compete in the realigned NBA next season. The Magic will be in the same division, what many predict will be the league's weakest, with the Washington Wizards, Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks and expansion Charlotte Bobcats.

Of the five teams, only the Heat made the playoffs last season.
© 2004 The Washington Post Company

[jayC]

I thought Orlando could have recieved more. T-Mac and Yao could be scary for the rest of the west. It will be intersting to see if they keep him and if they do move him to two guard.

[dirno2000]

If they're smart, they'll move Francis to the two, Give Nelson the ball and make Mobley the gunner off of the bench.

[grndmstr_c]

If they're smart, they'll move Francis to the two, Give Nelson the ball and make Mobley the gunner off of the bench.

Yup. Francis ain't no kinda point guard. And Cat would be one hell of a nice offensive sparkplug off the bench.
As for Houston, TMac/Yao is indeed formidable, but I'm not convinced that they have enough around those two for them to be real contenders.

[Poindexter Einstein]

We've been misled by such reports before, saying this deal is done. I think the above deal doesnt fit the BY limits. Wait n see before believing this.

If you see other names added (eg Ryan Humphrey or Steven Hunter tossed into the ORL side) then it could be valid news.

[NYCdog]

Umm.........The Houston Rockets have scheduled a press conference for 5 p.m. EST. (4 CST)

I wonder what this could be about.......

I guess this means Orlando GM John Weisbrod will be accepting offers for T-Mac until 4:59 pm EST. (3:59 CST)

Dallas and others.......hurry, you still have 8 minutes to contact Wiesbrod to strike a deal.......

EDIT.....Actually Houston and Orlando will both have there press conferences tomorrow at the same time shown above.

[Jeremiah]

seems to be official... Text

Francis' meeting with Magic triggers trade

Associated Press
HOUSTON -- In a blockbuster deal that gives the Houston Rockets one of basketball's most intriguing tandems, Tracy McGrady was traded to Houston in a multiplayer deal that sent Steve Francis to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.



The long-anticipated deal also sent forward Juwan Howard, and guards Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines to the Rockets. The Magic also got guard Cuttino Mobley and forward Kelvin Cato.



"It's a done deal," Magic spokesman Joel Glass said.



The trade was finalized after Francis' meeting with Magic general manager John Weisbrod in Orlando on Tuesday.



McGrady, a two-time NBA scoring champion, now joins 7-foot-5 Yao Ming to form a duo that could potentially be as dominant as the Los Angeles Lakers' three-time championship twosome of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.



And with the Lakers splintering apart since coming up short in the NBA Finals, Houston immediately looks like a serious championship contender in the Western Conference next season.



McGrady signed with the Magic in 2000, thinking he and Grant Hill could push an up-and-coming squad over the top. But Hill's bad left ankle limited him to 37 games in four seasons, and McGrady's load grew heavier with each passing year.



Tired of carrying a mediocre franchise, McGrady vowed to exercise the opt-out clause in his contract that was to go into effect at the end of next season. But Orlando did not want him to leave without the team receiving compensation -- like O'Neal did eight years ago.



McGrady, 25, becomes the fourth defending scoring champion in NBA history to be dealt away, and the first since the Buffalo Braves sent Bob McAdoo to the New York Knicks in 1976.



Francis, a three-time All-Star, averaged 16.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.2 assists last season to join Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson and Hill as the only players in league history to average at least 15 points, five rebounds and five assists in each of their first five years.


Francis, Mobley and Yao led the Rockets to the playoffs last season for the first time in five years. Houston lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round.



But Francis, who flourished in an up-tempo offense for the previous four years, was put on the summer trading block after posting the worst numbers of his career in new coach Jeff Van Gundy's slower-paced scheme.



When reports of the deal first surfaced last week, Francis balked at leaving Houston for rebuilding Orlando. But Francis' agent, Jeff Fried, said a talk between the point guard and Weisbrod after Thursday's draft helped alleviate some of the All-Star guard's concerns about joining the Magic.



Fried said Weisbrod convinced Francis that the Magic could improve quickly with the additions of No. 1 draft pick Dwight Howard, a 6-foot-11 high school star from Atlanta, and point guard Jameer Nelson, the point guard from St. Joseph's who won virtually every college player of the year award last season.



Francis was also impressed that the Magic wanted to make him the centerpiece of the rebuilding franchise.



"I think that he certainly believes in what John is trying to build," Fried told The Associated Press Tuesday. The Magic "could well have gotten almost any player in the league for Tracy McGrady. Steve felt pretty pleased with their reasons for talking to him and what his role might be in the rebuilding process."

[EricaLubarsky]

Houston will be a contender with this charmer.



I guess its the price you pay for raping the entire Orlando team and only sending them overrated spares.

[Jeremiah]

[Simon2]

All they need to do is sign Derek Fisher and they will be set. He would be a great fit on that team. From Kobe to T-Mac. From Shaq to Yao.

[MavKikiNYC]

All I know is that if Shaq goes to Dallas, the Southern (or Southwestern) Division of the NBA is going to be compeititive like a beast.

SA-Dunc, Park, Manu

Hou--Yao, T-Mac

Dallas--Shaq, Dirk

[sturm und drang]

Orlando got fleeced. Highway robbery. The Rockets must be chortling in disbelief and delight.

Will Francis soon be exposed as the single most overrated player in the NBA? Stay tuned, boys and girls...

[kg_veteran]

Originally posted by: sturm und drang
Orlando got fleeced. Highway robbery. The Rockets must be chortling in disbelief and delight.

Will Francis soon be exposed as the single most overrated player in the NBA? Stay tuned, boys and girls...

One thing is certain: The Rockets are better simply because they disposed of Francis. They were going nowhere fast with him at PG.

Whether the Rockets end up being dominant with Yao and T-Mac remains to be seen.

[sturm und drang]

Exactly. The Rockets would've won just by dumping the misnomered Franchise. But better than that, they pick up T-Mac and Howard. So they win on both counts.

I'm not sold on the dominance of a T-Mac/Yao tandem, but if I'm the Rockets... just how bad do I want Steve Nash? I know it can't/won't happen, but how perfect would Nash be for that team as it's now constructed?

[mavsman55]

Originally posted by: sturm und drang
Exactly. The Rockets would've won just by dumping the misnomered Franchise. But better than that, they pick up T-Mac and Howard. So they win on both counts.

I'm not sold on the dominance of a T-Mac/Yao tandem, but if I'm the Rockets... just how bad do I want Steve Nash? I know it can't/won't happen, but how perfect would Nash be for that team as it's now constructed?

There's nobody that they could trade that would land them Nash while allowing them to hang on to Yao and T-Mac, as you've already pointed out. Thank God for that. Nash, TMac and Yao on the same team would give me nightmares.

[MavKikiNYC]

Wonder if JVG will go after his beloved Chollie Ward to run his patented "fast brake", so named for Ward's penchant for pulling the ball back out because of inability to get the ball into the paint on the rare occasion(s) when the NYKs were able to play a little transition ball.

Seriously, a half-way competent PG on that team heads them upward at a very steep angle.

Also, I hate Steve Francis, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him have a decent season (statistically anyway) next year in Orlando. He'll be the featured player--Mickey Mouse PG in Mickeyville.. Magic may even limp toward .500. But Franchise won't help the development of players like Gooden or Howard a bit. In the same way that he may've retarded Yao's development, he'll hold them back.

Prepare to suck, Orlando.

[mary]

Interesting snippet. McGrady didn't feel wanted.....hmmmmm I can't imagine why not. He trashed his entire team on television and told everyone he was going to opt out next year. After the interview he did during the Maverick game, I kinda felt like he was a sorry individual.

McGrady: Weisbrod forced me out; Francis excited to play for Orlando

BY JOHN DENTON
FLORIDA TODAY


ORLANDO -- Tracy McGrady's family was asking him to stay in Orlando and there was his new mansion under construction also to consider, but he just couldn't bring himself to stay in an organization where he thought he wasn't wanted. McGrady's personality differences with new Orlando Magic general manager John Weisbrod led to his asking to leave, and that wish was granted Tuesday when the blockbuster seven-player trade between the Magic and Houston Rockets finally came to fruition.

The Magic sent McGrady, Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines to the Rockets in exchange for Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato in a deal that has been in the works for more than a week.
Undoubtedly, McGrady is the centerpiece in the trade. He has led the NBA in scoring the past two seasons, averaging 32.1 points in 2003 and 28 points last season. He could have opted out of his seven-year, $93 million contract after next season and the Magic were fearful of losing the four-time All-Star without getting any compensation.

Such was the case when franchise center Shaquille O'Neal left the Magic in 1996 for the Los Angeles Lakers. The Magic suffered through a disastrous 21-61 season last year and much of the blame was put on McGrady, who was named team captain just prior to training camp opening. He tired of the Magic's inability to add significant pieces around him and grew frustrated with the franchise's inability to win a playoff series. Also, McGrady clashed regularly with Weisbrod, who took over as general manager in March, and ultimately he felt he was no longer wanted.

"I felt (Weisbrod) definitely wanted me out of here," McGrady told FLORIDA TODAY on Tuesday. "I kind of had my mind made up (to leave) when the season ended and I sort of felt like they wanted me to leave anyway.

"But if you're the GM and your star player is thinking about leaving you do everything from calling to visiting his house or even asking him to wait because you think Grant Hill is finally healthy. But none of that ever happened. I felt like they could care less if I stayed."

Rest of Article

[dude1394]

So if houston can trade a knucklehead like stevie frachise and get mcgrady what should we be able to get for walker? Shaq?