T-Mac to Houston

[dashthemavfan13]

Just reported on ESPN News, don't know details. Alls I know that it is a done deal, and it will be completeld following the expansion draft provided that no one in the deal gets taken in the expansion draft.

[SaltwaterChaffy]

Just heard Jim Gray on ESPN.

He says the deal is T-Mac and Juwan Howard to Houston for Francis, Mobley, and Cato.

They have to wait for the expansion draft to make sure that Howard isn't selected by the Bobcats, but that will not happen.

[dashthemavfan13]

Holy crap, are we screwed if the Rockets get a Yao/T-Mac combo? We would need to make a move counter acting that or something. They sign a few decent FA's for depth, that team could probably go far.

[Simon2]

Awesome! Now the Mavs can concentrate on getting Shaq. Shaq and Bradley in a the same time! I hope Nellie does it just to see what happens to Yao.

[aexchange]

well the rockets have now upgraded their roster by trading away the dumbest backcourt in the nba.

[Bayliss]

I agree the have upgraded their roster. But they will have weakened their "defensive" team quite a bit. Unless they sign someone in the offseason, their power forwards and backup centers are:

Maurice Taylor
Juwan Howard
Clearence Weatherspoon

Soes that strike fear into you? And Cato was the one guy that took a lot of pressure off of Yao. When LA played Houston, Cato took Shaq a lot of the time. Etc.

Their offense is perhaps better. But I think it doesn't improve their overall team that much.

[jayC]

June 21, 2004, 6:56PM

Rockets near deal to trade Francis
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
RESOURCES

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SPORTS POLL
What do you think of a Steve Francis for Tracy McGrady deal?


A win-win situation for Rockets
A bad deal. Francis is too valuable to Rockets
Rockets need more changes that just Francis







No longer "The Franchise," a clearly disappointed Steve Francis braced himself today to no longer be the Houston Rockets' point guard.

Francis' agent, Jeff Fried, said today that Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson had told him the trade to the Orlando Magic for Tracy McGrady was not complete but was close. The deal could also include Kelvin Cato and Cuttino Mobley and bring forward Juwan Howard, but other than Francis and McGrady, players involved could change depending on salary-cap requirements that were still uncertain.

"I spoke to Carroll and it was not a done deal," Fried said. "It's close. It's subject to a few contingencies."

Fried said some maneuvering involving Tuesday's expansion draft was necessary to make the deal work. Because Steve Francis is considered a "base-year" player, by using a team such as the Bobcats that are under the salary cap, the Rockets could deal him without waiting until July 1 when his "base-year" status expires.

Francis, however, left little doubt that he wanted to remain in Houston.

"I thought we were really building something, something very good in Houston," Francis said. "Obviously that's not the direction they want to go. I still think we could be a very good team.

"I'm not crying. Like I told you before, I know this is a business. Things like that happen. I'm not mad. I'm not upset. This is what they're trying to do. But like I said, I still think we could be something."

Francis would not comment about going to the Magic, but Fried said Francis was not happy about playing for the Magic in an obvious rebuilding situation.

"Steve's preference is to not go to Orlando," Fried said. "Steve's tasted the playoffs. (The Rockets) got a series under their belts. He was looking forward to going further with the same Rockets team but with another year of experience together. This is certainly not his preference. He loves Houston.

"Steve loved the fans and his teammates. He's very friendly with Cuttino, but also pretty friendly with Yao. Many of us thought the beginnings of something there big with a great center and great point guard."

McGrady, a two-time All-NBA first-team selection, led the NBA in scoring the past two seasons, averaging 28 points per game last season.

Francis has averaged 19.3 points, 6.4 assists and 6.1 rebounds in his five seasons with the Rockets. He averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 7.6 assists in the Rockets' first-round playoff loss to the Rockets.

Only Francis, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson and Grant Hill have averaged 15 points, five assists and five rebounds in each of their first five seasons.

Francis was acquired in a three-team, 11 player trade, then the largest in NBA history, in which the Rockets brought in Orlando to make the cap numbers work much as a third team might be needed now.

Francis said he would is better prepared to handle trade talk than he was several years ago. But when asked if Francis could return to Houston if the trade falls apart, Fried said that Francis would certainly be scarred.

"He's such a young man of conviction I'm sure it would have some effect on him," Fried said. "He also understands the NBA is a business. On balance, he would be able to be a professional and play for the team. We would be kidding ourselves to think it would not have some effect."

I'm suprised that he didn't go to indiana. A package of harrington croshere and Bender would have been better.

[Just211]

According to Hoopshype, and ESPN

The Rockets and Magic have finalized a deal that will send Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard and Tyronn Lue to Houston for Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, Kelvin Cato and Bostjan Nachbar

IMO Houston came out even better than thought, getting the Magic to add Lue. That gives them at least an option at PG. Also Fisher opted out today and is thought to be interested as well. Also i think the Magic did well talent wise, the attitude/smarts is questionable, but they can always deal some of these guys.

[bcrav4]

If they got T-Mac for Houston's trash...we should be able to get Shaq for Dallas' talent!!!!



The East has lost another All-star.

[NYCdog]

This deal is really getting bad for Orlando as the changes continue........

According to the Orlando Sentinel and Houston Chronicle this is the finalized trade......

<u>Houston gets:</u> T-MAC, Tyronne Lue, Juwon Howard, Reece Gaines, and Andrew Declerq

<u>Orlando gets:</u> Steve Francis, Kelvin Cato and Cuttino Mobley

In order for the Rockets to get Gaines, Charlotte either cannot take him in the expansion draft, since he was left unprotected.

Get this.......In order to prevent this scenario form happening, Orlando has committed that they will let Charlotte take whoever they want out of Okafor or Howard, and Orlando will get the other of the 2.

So now, not only does Orlando get rid of a two-time scoring champion, they also might get screwed out of the No 1 pick, even though they will still have it.

Dropped was Bostjan Nachbar and added was Declerq (whom there just trying to get rid of) and Gaines. For the life of me, I cant figure why Weisbrod threw in Gaines into the deal. Gaines is a solid shooting guard, and he can play a little point too. He is also a solid defender and penetrator. Add him to Kevin Olie, whom they will probably aquire today via trade and Derek Fisher, whom will sign with them, and the Rockets all of a sudden have an incredibly deep and smarter backcourt.

This has become an incredibly bad deal for Orlando......

[NYCdog]

The take on the deal from Houston..........

Rockets near deal for McGrady
Francis, Mobley going to Orlando
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
RESOURCES


In an exchange of one of the NBA's top point guards for perhaps its most dynamic scorer, the Rockets were close Monday to sending Steve Francis to the Orlando Magic for two-time scoring champion Tracy McGrady.

No longer "The Franchise," a clearly disappointed Francis braced himself to no longer be the Rockets' point guard after his agent, Jeff Fried, told him Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson had said the trade was close to complete.

The deal would also send forward Kelvin Cato and guard Cuttino Mobley to the Magic and bring the Rockets forward Juwan Howard, point guard Tyronn Lue and a player exposed in tonight's expansion draft, likely guard Reece Gaines, the Magic's first-round pick last season.

"I spoke to Carroll, and it was not a done deal," Fried said. "It's close. It's subject to a few contingencies."

The Magic are looking to trade McGrady, 25, because the guard has made it clear he does not want to be in Orlando. Francis, through Fried, has also made it clear he does not want to be in Orlando, potentially setting up a last consideration for the Magic before sealing the deal.

Fried said some maneuvering involving today's expansion draft was necessary to make the deal work. Bernie Bickerstaff, general manager of the expansion Charlotte Bobcats, said he has talked to Magic general manager John Weisbrod about a role in facilitating the trade, likely agreeing to another deal in which he would agree not to take Gaines.

Dawson would not comment on the trade, and Weisbrod was unavailable Monday.

Francis, however, left little doubt he wanted to remain in Houston.

"I thought we were really building something, something very good in Houston," Francis said. "Obviously, that's not the direction they want to go. I still think we could be a very good team.

"I'm not crying. Like I told you before, I know this is a business. Things like that happen. I'm not mad. I'm not upset. This is what they're trying to do. But like I said, I still think we could be something."

Francis would not comment about going to the Magic, who finished with an NBA-worst 21-61 record last season. But Fried said Francis was not happy about the possibility of playing in a rebuilding situation.

"Steve's preference is to not go to Orlando," Fried said. "Steve's tasted the playoffs. (The Rockets) got a series under their belts. He was looking forward to going further with the same Rockets team but with another year of experience together. This is certainly not his preference. He loves Houston.

"Steve loved the fans and his teammates. He's very friendly with Cuttino but also pretty friendly with Yao (Ming). Many of us thought there were the beginnings of something big there with a great center and great point guard."

McGrady, a two-time All-NBA first-team selection and four-time All-Star, led the NBA in scoring the past two seasons, averaging 28 points per game last season. He would become the first scoring champion ever to be traded before the next season.

The Magic began looking to trade McGrady when he indicated he would exercise his option to become a free agent after next season.

McGrady, who is from Auburndale, Fla., just outside Orlando, told Magic owner Rich DeVos last week he would opt out of his contract, accelerating trade talks around the NBA.

Francis averaged 19.3 points, 6.4 assists and 6.1 rebounds in his five seasons with the Rockets. He averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 7.6 assists in the Rockets' first-round playoff loss to the Lakers this year.

Only Francis, Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson and Grant Hill have averaged 15 points, five assists and five rebounds in each of their first five seasons.

Francis, drafted by the Vancouver Grizzlies with the second pick of the 1999 draft, was acquired in a three-team, 11-player trade, then the largest in NBA history, in which the Rockets brought in Orlando much as a third team is needed now.

"We have been in conversations with the Magic," Bickerstaff said. "We are good listeners, and we are good facilitators. I think we have to make a decision not to do anything that's vindictive but to do something that we can derive some benefit from. The conversations we've had with Orlando have been very cordial conversations -- not necessarily to hold up anything but just to benefit each other."

Francis said he is better prepared to handle trade talk now than he was several years ago. But when asked if his client could return to Houston if the trade falls apart, Fried said Francis would certainly be scarred.

"He's such a young man of conviction, I'm sure it would have some effect on him," Fried said. "He also understands the NBA is a business.

"On balance, he would be able to be a professional and play for the team. We would be kidding ourselves to think it would not have some effect."

story link.......

[NYCdog]

Orlando's take on the deal..........

story link....... you might have to register with the Orlando Sentinel to gain access for the story......damn I hate that.

T-Mac, Francis deal in works

A proposed trade for Houston's all-star guard would include up to 3 other Magic players.

By Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted June 22, 2004


The Orlando Magic were working on a blockbuster deal Monday to send all-star guard Tracy McGrady -- and perhaps as many as three other Magic players -- to the Houston Rockets.

According to several league sources and other reports, McGrady, forward Juwan Howard, point guard Tyronn Lue and perhaps point guard Reece Gaines will be traded to the Rockets for all-star guard Steve Francis, guard Cuttino Mobley and center Kelvin Cato and/or Bostjan Nachbar.

The salaries among the Magic and Rockets players involved match up, coming within 15 percent as required by the league.

The deal might not be finalized until July because of salary-cap complications. A league source said that for some of the Rockets involved, Orlando might not be their final destination and they could be dealt elsewhere.

The Sentinel first reported several weeks ago that McGrady preferred to play with the Rockets if he were traded. McGrady said he wanted to team with a big man such as Houston's 7-foot-6 Yao Ming.

Francis' agent, Jeff Fried, said in a story on the Houston Chronicle's Web site Monday that Rockets General Manager Carroll Dawson had told him the trade was not yet complete. The multiplayer deal had to clear some salary-cap hurdles and, according to Fried, some maneuvering in today's expansion draft.

"I spoke to Carroll and it was not a done deal," Fried said. "It's close. It's subject to a few contingencies."

Magic General Manager John Weisbrod did not return several calls.

Magic Senior Executive Vice President Pat Williams told The Associated Press that "Tracy has indicated he would like to play elsewhere, and we're trying to see what we can do. The issue is where he would sign [a contract extension]. Teams want to know what Tracy's plans are."

McGrady was not happy with the Magic's rebuilding plans and Francis isn't thrilled, either.

"Steve's preference is to not go to Orlando," Fried said. "Steve's tasted the playoffs. [The Rockets] got a series under their belts. He was looking forward to going further with the same Rockets team but with another year of experience together. This is certainly not his preference. He loves Houston."

Francis has averaged 19.3 points, 6.4 assists and 6.1 rebounds in five seasons in Houston. He averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 7.6 assists in the Rockets' first-round playoff loss to the Lakers.

The Magic are also bracing for the Charlotte Bobcats' advances on their No. 1 draft pick.

The expansion Bobcats might try to entice the Magic not to snare the player the Bobcats want, believed to be Connecticut center Emeka Okafor. That would mean the Magic would take Atlanta high school star Dwight Howard.

The Bobcats reached No. 2 in the draft order by swapping picks with the L.A. Clippers, who move to No. 4. L.A. also acquired Charlotte's No. 33 pick and the Bobcats agreed to select Clippers center Predrag Drobnjak in today's expansion draft.

Bobcats Coach and General Manager Bernie Bickerstaff said in a conference call that "we would consider" offering the Magic some sort of perk to either swap picks or persuade the Magic not to take the player the Bobcats covet.

Bickerstaff said he would be happy to start his team with either Okafor or Howard as the cornerstones. But he wants to build on defense and has raved about Okafor, the 6-10, 257-pound shot-blocking forward recognized as college basketball's best big man.

Weisbrod said he is inclined to keep the pick, but it was not known Monday if the Magic had decided to take Okafor or Howard. "All I know is that Dwight's prepared to go to Charlotte or Orlando," said Aaron Goodwin, Howard's agent.

Brian Schmitz can be reached at bschmitz@orlandosentinel.com.

[dalmations202]

McGrady-to-Rockets trade hits snag, report says

Magic balking because Francis has made
it clear he doesn't want to be dealt
Orlando Magic star Tracy McGrady has led the NBA in scoring twice.

NBCSports.com news services
Updated: 12:29 a.m. ET June 23, 2004

A proposed trade that would send Orlando Magic superstar Tracy McGrady to the Houston Rockets for Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato is treading water because Francis has made it clear he doesn't want to play in Orlando, the New York Times reported Tuesday night.

Francis has caused the Magic to reconsider the deal, even though he is under contract for several years and has no veto power over trades, The Times reported.

Magic general manager John Weisbrod has several league executives and player agents baffled because he seemingly is capitulating to Francis.

“John Weisbrod is setting a bad precedent by caving in to this guy," one agent, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Times.

The Magic moved into serious discussions with the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night but apparently are not interested in anything the Indiana Pacers have offered.

The Times reported that the Suns have offered All-Star small forward Shawn Marion, potential All-Star shooting guard Joe Johnson and their first-round pick Thursday (No. 7 overall) for McGrady. The Magic also have the No. 1 pick overall in the draft.

The Pacers apparently are willing to offer anyone but Jermaine O'Neal, but Pacers president Larry Bird said Tuesday the Magic wasn't interested, even though he believes his package of players is better than what the Rockets offered.

When it is all said and done, however, McGrady probably will end up with the Rockets because he said Houston is the only team he will stay with long-term, The Times reported. The Magic would send Tyronn Lue, Juwan Howard, Reece Gaines and possibly Andrew DeClerq to the Rockets.

McGrady, who is able to opt out of his contract after next season, has tremendous leverage because he can threaten to leave any team that trades for him after just one year. If the trade happens, it is believed the Magic might turn around and trade Francis, The Times reported.

Francis clearly is miffed about the possibility of being moved out of Houston.

"I thought we were really building something, something very good in Houston," Francis told the Houston Chronicle on Monday. "Obviously that's not the direction they want to go. I still think we could be a very good team.

"I'm not crying. Like I told you before, I know this is a business. Things like that happen. I'm not mad. I'm not upset. This is what they're trying to do. But like I said, I still think we could be something."

"Steve's preference is to not go to Orlando," Jeff Fried, Francis' agent, told the Chronicle. "Steve's tasted the playoffs. (The Rockets) got a series under their belts. He was looking forward to going further with the same Rockets team but with another year of experience together. This is certainly not his preference. He loves Houston.

"Steve loved the fans and his teammates. He's very friendly with Cuttino, but also pretty friendly with Yao. Many of us thought the beginnings of something there big with a great center and great point guard."

© 2004 NBC Sports.com

[NYCdog]

Its a deal again.........

Francis Looking for Options
Houston Guard Would Prefer Not to Play for Orlando in Likely Trade
By Greg Sandoval and Steve Wyche
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, June 23, 2004; Page D01


The representatives for Houston Rockets guard Steve Francis tried yesterday to prevent him from being traded to the Orlando Magic by seeking a third team willing to take part in a blockbuster NBA deal, a source close to the talks said.



The Rockets and Magic are close to an agreement to swap Francis and Tracy McGrady, the NBA's leading scorer, in a deal that involves four other players.

But Francis would prefer to play for a playoff contender and his District-based agents, Jeff Fried and Nate Peake, contacted more than five NBA teams yesterday about trading a player to Orlando for Francis should the Rockets and Magic complete their deal, the source said.

Each of the teams contacted by the agents expressed interest in Francis but had to address their own salary cap issues, said the source.

The source said the Rockets and Magic have decided to wait until after Thursday's NBA draft to finalize the trade.

Fried told reporters yesterday morning that Francis was unhappy with the proposed trade and that while the 6-foot-3 point guard and three-time all-star has nothing against the Magic organization, he wishes to continue to play for a playoff contender. The Rockets were 45-37 last season and made the playoffs for the first time in five years.

"[Francis] was in the playoffs and helped the Rockets make a run on the Los Angeles Lakers," Fried said. "He's already been through a rebuilding period."

Francis could not be reached to comment last night, but in an interview with the Houston Chronicle on Monday he said he would miss playing for Houston should he be traded.

"I thought we were really building something, something very good in Houston," Francis told the Chronicle.

"Obviously, that's not the direction they want to go. I still think we could be a very good team."

Should Francis's agents find a way to move him to a team more to his liking, it would be the second time in his career they had done so.

The Vancouver Grizzlies drafted Francis, then a junior from the University of Maryland who attended Allegany Community College before he played in College Park, with the No. 2 pick in the 1999 draft but traded him to the Rockets in an 11-player, three-team blockbuster deal after Francis balked at playing for the Grizzlies.

The prospect of the Francis-McGrady trade -- which would involve two of the NBA's brightest stars -- had officials around the league buzzing.

Under the terms of the proposed trade, the Magic would send McGrady and former Washington Wizards Juwan Howard and Tyronn Lue to the Rockets for Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato.

McGrady is approaching the final year of a seven-year, $93 million contract and in recent weeks he had warned Magic executives that unless they dramatically boosted the team's talent level he would test free agency.

McGrady, 25, won the NBA scoring title last season with a 28-point average but has a reputation for being selfish. The question for the Rockets is how McGrady would fare if he joined Houston center Yao Ming, another of the league's most popular players, in an offense that revolves around the 7-foot-6 Yao.

Should the deal go through, the Magic would get one of the NBA's most consistent guards. Francis joined Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson and Grant Hill this season as the only players in NBA history to average 15 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in each of their first five years.

But Francis clashed at times this season with first-year coach Jeff Van Gundy. The 6-3 guard reportedly was unhappy about the Yao-first offense.


© 2004 The Washington Post Company

story link.......

[kingrex]

Originally posted by: dashthemavfan13
Holy crap, are we screwed if the Rockets get a Yao/T-Mac combo? We would need to make a move counter acting that or something. They sign a few decent FA's for depth, that team could probably go far.

Like getting Shaq for example?

[NYCdog]

Like getting Shaq for example?

...but losing Dirk.

On an interesting side note, if that Shaq/Dirk deal happens, alot of people here might have to change there sign names.

[Max Power]

June 23, 2004, 12:32PM
Rockets experience a delay
Magic weighing other offers for McGrady against Francis' hesitancy to join them
By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

Perhaps Clutch the Bear should waddle back to the Toyota Center balcony where he waited for the Rockets to finally secure a playoff spot.

The Rockets' next milestone moment — the proposed acquisition of NBA scoring champion Tracy McGrady — was on hold Tuesday and teetering from at least as perilous a perch while the Orlando Magic simultaneously seemed to be trying to make the deal happen and to secure a better one.

There were signs the trade sending Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato to the Magic for McGrady, Juwan Howard, Reece Gaines and Tyronn Lue could get done. With Francis' stated opposition to the move the most obvious roadblock to completing the deal, Magic officials spent much of Tuesday afternoon and evening talking with his representatives, apparently hoping to win Francis' approval or at least indicating they were still interested in acquiring him.

But league sources said Magic general manager John Weisbrod was flooded with proposals Tuesday — with the Suns especially aggressive in improving their offer — and that Orlando considers the bidding open again.

Pacers president Larry Bird said he believed Indiana had offered a better package of players than the Rockets had. League sources said the Pacers offered forwards Ron Artest and Jonathan Bender and guard Fred Jones.

"My personal opinion is they might have got a better deal from us," Bird said. "Take nothing away from the guys that have been traded. I like our guys. I know our guys are talented and hard workers, but when you go after Tracy McGrady, you have to give up something, and the price was just too high for us.

"No question, when you have a player like Tracy McGrady out there, you try to pursue it and see what it was going to take to try to get involved in it. Obviously, they didn't like the players we put out there, and really, we didn't get down to details. We just asked them what they would like, and they threw some names out there, and the price was really too high for us.

"We hear that Tracy's probably going to Houston, but you never know — something might happen. If he's out there, we're going to go after him."

Neither Weisbrod nor Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson was available for comment. But the previous hurdle to completing a deal, Tuesday's expansion draft, was cleared when Gaines was not selected by the Charlotte Bobcats, making him available for the Magic to deal.

But with no announcement from the Rockets or Orlando after the expansion draft, the Magic were hoping to improve their take in the trade or Francis' impression of them.

Francis, who has five years and $75 million remaining on his contract, doesn't wield the same threat to opt out of his deal that McGrady does. But the Magic could be hesitant to trade one player who doesn't want to play in Orlando for another player who doesn't want to play in Orlando.

Francis' representatives — Jeff Fried, Nate Peake and Rock Newman — spent much of Tuesday on the phone with Magic officials, including Weisbrod, and the conversations seemed to thaw some of Francis' reluctance to make the move.

"If Houston is set on moving Steve, which is not Steve's preference, you have to deal with reality," Fried said. "There is nothing against the Orlando Magic. They are a fine organization. But they are also in a rebuilding stage. That's why it's important to have good communication.

"We're trying to deal with circumstances and be proactive. There is nothing but respect for the Orlando Magic. On Steve's behalf, it's appropriate for us to make sure it's the best fit for him and the organization."

Even if the deal comes together, the Rockets would have work to do.

The next step, should the deal go down, would likely be to lock up McGrady with a contract extension or at least get him to drop his option to terminate his deal after next season. McGrady has said that if he were to be traded, the Rockets are his first choice, indicating he would be amenable to a long-term deal.

Howard has a long-term deal with five more years remaining. And he could be the power forward the Rockets have sought, possessing more of a shooting touch than Cato, last season's starter, and more determination to rebound than backup Maurice Taylor.

With Francis no longer running the Rockets' offense, they will likely look for another point guard in free agency. Lue is the sort of on-the-ball defender Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy favors and has been a solid complement to stars (Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles and Michael Jordan in Washington). But he could opt out of his contract, worth $1.65 million next season.

Lue's agent, Andy Miller, said he had not spoken in detail about whether Lue would opt out if traded to the Rockets because the deal was not complete.

Miller, who also represents Gaines, said Gaines, the 15th player taken in last year's draft, would be thrilled with a chance to start over with the Rockets after seeing little meaningful playing time as a rookie.

"For him, it's a great opportunity," Miller said. "He's a young player that plays the one and two. He's very excited."

Free-agent point guards also could be excited about a chance to succeed Francis. Troy Hudson played with McGrady in Orlando and was used more as a passing point guard last season in Minnesota.

"Sure, he would be interested," said Hudson's agent, Bill Neff. "A lot depends on what happens with the trade, obviously. But Troy is a big fan of Jeff Van Gundy."

With Gary Payton returning to the Lakers, guard Derek Fisher is expected to opt out of his contract this week and would also seem a good fit.

"The Rockets are a great organization, and Van Gundy is a terrific coach," said Fisher's agent, Mark Bartlestein. "We have to get him opted out first. But it's certainly a place any player would look at."

With Cato gone, the Rockets will also likely need another backup center.

Free agent Brian Skinner, the former Baylor center who as a Milwaukee Buck just enjoyed his best NBA season, is an athletic power forward/center who can play in the middle and would bring the physical style the Rockets have hoped to add.

But before any move is made, the Rockets will wait and hope the big move comes together.

[kingrex]

Originally posted by: NYCdog

...but losing Dirk.

On an interesting side note, if that Shaq/Dirk deal happens, alot of people here might have to change there sign names.

Yet another reason not to trade Dirk. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img]

[NYCdog]

The deal is on again.......but now its fate lies solely in the hands of turnover-prone Steve Francis.

ESPN's Jim Gray is reporting that Rocket guard Steve Francis will visit Orlando and meet with Magic owner Rich DeVos this Saturday, according to his agent, and is more open to the deal.

Gray says the deal is very likely done, but both the Rockets and Magic want the focus to be on the draft and the trade will probably be completed in 2-3 days.

ESPN's David Aldridge added that Francis has talked to friends Sam Cassell and Nick Van Exel and is more comfortable with the deal and playing for Orlando.

According to Orlando GM John Wiesbrod, Francis never had a problem with the Magic, nor the city of Orlando. His problem was with Rockets management not letting him know about the impending deal....keeping him out of the loop.

If this last part about Francis's feelings about Orlando is true, all should go well and the deal should be completed after Francis meets with the Magic.

If it isnt true, I still feel the deal will be completed due to Francis's unhappiness with Rocket management, combined with the fact that Magic GM Weisbrod actually defended him in this situation. That should gain the Magic organization a little respect in Steve's eyes, which should still ultimately seal the deal.