T-Mac deal: Knicks clear much-desired cap space

By Jerald Hoover

The big deal is finally done and as it seems all parties got what they wanted out of the trade:  The Knicks created much-needed LeBron James cap space (for this summer’s free agency class) all the while bringing in a former All-star whom they hope can be lighting in a bottle and regain more than a glimpse of his former self.  McGrady alone can be enough to entice others to come along for the ride if he looks anything he used to.

Flashy point guard Sergio Rodriguez, aka “Spanish Chocolate,” was brought in as an apparent upgrade over Chris Duhon, who seems to be devoid of any type of penetrating move.  Rodriguez, while turnover-prone, is lightning quick at 6-foot-3 and has exceptional court vision.

Did the Knicks give up too much in the way of first round picks.  In a word, NO!  First off, first round picks are a crap-shoot at best, and yes, even those picked 1st or 2nd in the draft.  Please see the file on the Clippers Michael Olowokandi and Detroit’s Darko Milicic for top picks in their respective drafts.

The Knicks are just flip-flopping on the 2011 pick, and yes they’re giving up the 2012 pick, but it’s Lottery-protected.  Not only that, if one thinks about it the Knicks could always parley someone like Wilson Chandler to a team for a first round pick.

The Rockets not only rid themselves of McGrady and his high maintenance ways (according to them), but they bring in a young scoring stud in Kevin Martin to go along with Aaron Brooks in the backcourt.  They should be extremely explosive.  Swingman Trevor Ariza should have a field day.

The Sacramento Kings gained a young forward in Carl Landry who should help down low with Jason Thompson.

Jerald L Hoover is a producer and director of a Mount V, NY basketball documentary: Four Square Miles to Glory.

Deron Williams dislikes Ronnie Brewer trade

Tim Buckley of the Deseret News reports:

He doesn’t like it, but Deron Williams knows trades come with the territory.

“It stinks that these things happen in the NBA,” Williams said Friday, one day after the Jazz dealt close friend and starting shooting guard Ronnie Brewer to Memphis for a protected 2011 first-round draft choice.

This particular trade, however, left Williams particularly offended — so much so he questioned the team’s thinking and suggested it could influence the length of his future with the franchise.

The All-Star point prefaced Friday’s remarks by saying, “I haven’t really got nothing much good to say about the trade, so …”

Tracy McGrady ready to rock

Marc Berman of the New York Post reports:

Tracy McGrady ready to rock

“Just stay tuned,” Tracy McGrady said. “This is not the same Tracy from last season, when I was hobbling on one leg. That’s not going to be me. I’m a lot more explosive, a lot more confident in my leg. What I’ve been as far as rehabbing, I feel I can do everything I can do in the past.”

“I’m pretty close to being 100 percent. With surgery, I know Allan Houston had it, a lot of guys who had surgery ended their careers. I’ve worked extremely hard to not allow myself to be one of those players where I can’t prolong my career.”

It has been exactly a year since McGrady’s microfracture right-knee surgery derailed his career.

“Last couple of years, I’ve been injured,” McGrady said. “I recognize that. You got one of the best players in the league that’s going to be a free agent, Bosh, Dwayne, Stoudemire. Those guys are on top right now. I will do what I have to do for two months and I can get my name back in there.”

Pacers almost traded TJ Ford, Brandon Rush to Bobcats

Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star reports:

T.J. Ford didn’t expect there was a possibility that he would be traded. Brandon Rush said he was “shocked” four times during a 40-second interview.

The two Indiana Pacers were caught off guard when they heard the team was working on a deal to send them to the Charlotte Bobcats for Gerald Henderson, Nazr Mohammed and D.J. Augustin on Thursday.
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The deal fell through when the Bobcats pulled out about 10 minutes before the trade deadline.

“I was definitely more shocked than anything,” Rush said. “I didn’t see it coming. Nobody told me anything about being on the trade block. It was more of a shock.”

Tracy McGrady would take pay cut to play with stars in New York

The AP reports:

Tracy McGrady would take pay cut to play with stars in New York

“I’ve made a lot of money over my career and I could retire right now and I could be fine financially. My kids can be fine when they get older. Money is not an issue for me,” McGrady said.

“So if these guys were to bring in a LeBron, a D-Wade, along with a Chris Bosh or a (Amare) Stoudemire, I’d be a damn fool to not want to stay here. So I’m just telling you right now that I will definitely embrace the opportunity to be here. Money is not an issue.”

McGrady said the Knicks were his preference once Houston decided to try to trade him, adding he would have sought a buyout if he were sent elsewhere. He finally got his wish Thursday in a three-team deal that included Sacramento, saying he was disappointed this season by a lack of communication from Rockets management.

“I didn’t know. I really didn’t know,” McGrady said. “And that’s just the unfortunate situation, that I just like for management to be upfront and honest with me. That’s all I ask, honesty. And if we can’t sit and have a conversation eye to eye and be honest with me, then all the respect and trust goes out the window.”

Antawn Jamison shoots 0-for-12 in Cavaliers debut

Antawn Jamison shoots 0-for-12 in Cavaliers debut

Forward Antawn Jamison struggled mightily in his Cleveland Cavaliers debut, coming off the bench to shoot 0-for-12 as the team lost 110-93 to the Bobcats in Charlotte.

Playing 26 minutes, Jamison finished with two points, seven rebounds, an assist and a steal.

Stephen Jackson (9-of-17) played well for the Bobcats, finishing with 29 points, eight rebounds and four assists (though, five turnovers). Boris Diaw had 18 points and nine rebounds. And All-Star Gerald Wallace contributed 18 points, five rebounds and an impressive nine assists.

For the Cavs, LeBron James had an extremely quiet night with 22 points, three assists, nine rebounds and four steals.

As a team, the Cavs shot just 39.0%. They amazingly shot better from three-point range than overall, hitting 12-of-29 (41.4%) from outside the arc.

Charlotte had 10 more rebounds than Cleveland, and had 27 assists compared to just 15 for Cleveland.

Jamison is obviously a better player than he showed today, so this is a fluke, but it’s worth keeping an eye on Cavs team chemistry over the next 1-2 weeks.

Rockets re-assign Jermaine Taylor to D-League

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has re-assigned guard Jermaine Taylor to Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. In his first stint with Rio Grande Valley, Taylor averaged 21.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.25 steals in four games (one start). He also posted back-to-back 30-point outings with the Vipers at Albuquerque (30 points on 2/2/10 and 32 points on 2/3/10).

Taylor (6-4, 210, Central Florida) has averaged 2.6 points and 0.2 assists in 17 games with the Rockets. A rookie out of Central Florida, Taylor recorded a season-high seven points (2-2 FG, 3-3 FT), one rebound and one steal in just 2:17 of action vs. Atlanta (1/25/10). Taylor, who had his draft rights acquired by Houston from Washington on June 25, 2009, was selected by the Wizards in the second round (32nd overall) of the 2009 NBA Draft. He also averaged 11.0 points and 2.3 assists in four games (two starts) with Houston in the 2009 NBA Summer League.

Mehmet Okur father of new baby boy

Utah Jazz center Mehmet Okur and his wife, Yeliz, welcomed the couple’s second child, a baby boy – Yigit Mehmet Okur (21 inches; 8 lbs., 2 oz.) early this morning in Salt Lake City.  Memo, Yeliz, daughter Melisa, and new addition Yigit are all doing well.

Okur, who left the team in Oakland to be with his wife for the birth, will miss tonight’s Jazz game at Golden State.

Okur this season is averaging 12.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game, shooting 43.5% from the field.

The 34-19 Jazz are currently the no.3 seed in the Western conference.

Knicks waive Brian Cardinal

Knicks waive Brian Cardinal

New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh announced today that the team has waived forward Brian Cardinal.

Just a day ago, the team traded Darko Milicic for Cardinal. It was mainly a financial-related transaction.

The 6-8, 240-pound Cardinal has an NBA career average of 5.4 points and 2.7 rebounds on 41.2% shooting in 15.7 minutes per game. His best seasons came with the Warriors in 2003-04 (9.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and with the Grizzlies in 2004-05 (9.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg).

InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner says: Knicks fans will miss Brian Cardinal and his contributions, but the pain and loss they’re feeling will ease with time. The Cardinal era was a great one for the Knicks, but even legends must someday say farewell and move on. (Note to new basketball fans: I’m kidding. Cardinal just arrived a day ago and now he’s already gone.)

Josh Howard wants to stick it to Mavs

Eddie Sefko, special to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, reports:

Josh Howard’s exit from the Dallas Mavericks went from amicable to a bit testy after he made his debut in Washington on Wednesday night.

Howard said after his first game as a Wizard — he was 5-of-14 from the field with 14 points and one rebound in 27 minutes — that he looks forward to being able to “stick it to the Mavs” regarding the trade after six-plus seasons in Dallas.

The Mavericks took the high road, with owner Mark Cuban saying only, “I wish Josh nothing but the best.”

The juicy piece of irony is that Howard ended up in Washington, which may well have been the site where he had the beginning of the end, according to several Maverick sources.

They say Howard had a long night of partying on Jan. 19, the night after the Mavericks had won in Boston and less than 24 hours before playing the Wizards.