McGrady Is Available, and Knicks Take Note
By HOWARD BECK
Published: December 29, 2009 AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Since the moment he took charge of the Knicks in 2008, Donnie Walsh’s rebuilding plan has been methodical and predictable: shed big contracts, wait for 2010, pray for an All-Star.
The strategy so far has been successful, if necessarily dull. Walsh, the Knicks’ president, has avoided any splashy transactions that could jeopardize the plan. But the Knicks may finally have the perfect candidate to fill all their needs, present and future — splash included.
His name is Tracy McGrady, and he is very much available.
McGrady’s tenure with the Houston Rockets effectively ended Tuesday, when the team granted him an indefinite leave while it tries to trade him. McGrady, a seven-time All-Star, has been pining for more playing time as he attempts to come back from major knee surgery. But the Rockets have been successful without McGrady and no longer view him as a key player.
McGrady, 30, may still have enough talent to lead a team to the playoffs. With a $23 million contract that expires next summer, he would be a low-risk acquisition. He is seemingly a perfect target for the Knicks, who are openly intrigued.
“I think you always have to be intrigued with somebody the stature of Tracy McGrady,” Coach Mike D’Antoni said Tuesday.
There are countless barriers to a deal, and it is not yet clear how aggressive the Knicks intend to be. But they have been making inquiries about McGrady for several months. Their interest is based primarily on present needs.
The Knicks have not made the postseason since 2004. D’Antoni, who was hired last year, is determined to make the playoffs, to create a winning atmosphere and to lend credibility to the team’s pursuit of the top free agents next summer.
In McGrady, the Knicks would get an established star with enviable skills. He has been one of the game’s most dynamic players for the last decade, with career averages of 21.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists.
But he has also played only 101 games over the last two full seasons, mostly because of knee injuries. In February, McGrady had microfracture surgery, a procedure that has hastened the decline of several star players, including Chris Webber and Penny Hardaway.
There are also questions about McGrady’s ability to blend with his teammates, which is one reason the Rockets balked at his recent request for more playing time. More critically, McGrady has not shown that he can play anywhere near his former level since he returned in mid-December.
But Houston was limiting McGrady to 7.7 minutes a game; he contends that he could do more with more playing time. Coach Rick Adelman was unconvinced, which raises concerns for any team that may pursue a deal.
“Well, you know, that’s the question,” D’Antoni said of McGrady’s ability to regain his form. “If your answer to that is yes, then you go get him. If it’s no, then you probably stay away. I don’t think anybody knows for sure.”
Although the Rockets have been fielding inquiries, most teams are interested in McGrady solely for his expiring contract. Because of McGrady’s uncertain health, teams are reluctant to give up much talent in return.
The Rockets are also trying to clear cap room in 2010, and they could simply keep McGrady and let his deal expire next summer. But the belief among team executives is that the Rockets would prefer to trade McGrady and not risk the ire of his agent, Arn Tellem.
The Rockets are reluctant to acquire any long-term contracts unless they view the players as building blocks for the future. That rules out any deal the Knicks could construct around Eddy Curry or Jared Jeffries; each has a bloated contract that runs through 2011.
Complicating any deal is the need to match McGrady’s salary (give or take 25 percent) to comply with cap rules.
The Knicks could offer a package of expiring contracts, perhaps using Al Harrington as the centerpiece, and include the rookie Jordan Hill, a 2009 lottery pick, as enticement. Hill has only one guaranteed year after this one, at $2.7 million.
But the Rockets could find better offers, particularly from midlevel playoff teams looking to improve their lineups before the Feb. 18 trading deadline.
Nor is it a given that the Knicks will chase McGrady. They have played their best basketball over the past month, in part because of better chemistry. Injecting a 30-year-old former All-Star into the mix, especially one who is used to being the No. 1 option, is inherently risky.
Could McGrady lead the Knicks into the playoffs? Would his knees hold up? Could the Knicks re-sign him next summer as a lure to other star free agents?
“I think those are all questions that need to be asked and answered as best you can,” D’Antoni said. “You don’t have a crystal ball, so you don’t know all that. You just try to make the best decision you can make and hope it’s the right one and go with it.”
Sounds like MikeD has some interest...
12/30/2009 4:12 AM