SB Nation’s Rockets Blog Discusses Merits Of Trading McGrady To Knicks

Tracy McGrady is a player whose reputation exceeds his game at this point. Tracy McGrady is also a player who has an expiring contract (a very large one, in fact). Therefore, it was only a matter of time until someone like Newsday’s Alan Hahn would write about how the Knicks were interested in trading for Tracy McGrady.

Over at The Dream Shake, SB Nation’s Houston Rockets blog, Tom Martin discusses the rumor and eventually votes against trading McGrady to the Knicks right now.

Martin lists several reasons for not trading McGrady to the Knicks. Because McGrady is coming off microfracture surgery, the Rockets do not know what they have in him until he plays a few games. In addition, Martin is not enamored with the potential package the Knicks are offering, which is headlined by Eddy Curry and Wilson Chandler. Finally, if the Rockets really were worried about McGrady disrupting team chemistry, they could just bench him (which you could argue they’re already doing) and achieve the same results.

There is one caveat, however. Martin said he would consider a McGrady-to-Knicks trade if draft picks were involved.

One Knicks source that I talked to discussed the possibility that the Knicks throw in a protected 2012 first round pick as well as a 2010 second round pick, or something of that nature. If this were to ever be offered (D’Antoni has a long history of trading first rounders), then I think Daryl Morey would have to at least consider it. Any chance to find more talent for the long run needs to be looked at.

In the end, this is all speculation, which is why I think it’s kind of silly that I’m discussing it myself. However, I thought you’d like to see the possibilites of a deal with the Knicks. At least you’ve got a decent idea of what would be at stake. Personally, I’d like to hold onto McGrady for now, but like I said, if draft picks are in the equation, it becomes much more interesting.