It will take Iggy to get McGrady, says Houston

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http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/deep-sixer/Trading_Iguodala_.html

Thursday, December 31, 2009
Trading Iguodala ...

So what's it going to take to get the Houston Rockets' Tracy McGrady and his $23 million expiring contract?

It's going to take a deal involving, as its main piece, 76ers swingman Andre Iguodala.

According to a source close to the situation, the Houston Rockets have said they would only consider shipping McGrady to Philly if the Sixers "knocked the Rockets over" with the amount of talent they included in the deal.

This source said the Rockets have made it clear they will not -- in any way -- consider trading McGrady to the Sixers for power forward Elton Brand ($14-15 million this year, 3 years left after this one) and center Samuel Dalembert ($12 million, one year left after this one). According to this source, the Sixers are trying very hard to unload Dalembert (not a surprise) and Brand (not a huge surprise, either).

The problem is not many NBA teams are willing to take on money right now. This source named only three NBA teams possibly willing (Houston, Dallas, and Cleveland).

According to this source, the Rockets have expressed interest in a deal involving Iguodala, but he must be paired with better, younger talent than Dalembert. (Read: a deal involving possibly Lou Williams, Thaddeus Young, Marreese Speights, etc.).

Again, the Rockets are willing to take on money, but it'd have to be a special package and a 3rd team might even need to be involved. This source said this would be the kind of deal where both teams needed approval from ownership because of the amount of money and players involved.

The source also said that the Rockets and Sixers have not talked in "more than a week", making a deal unlikely, but said any deal involving Iguodala "has a chance."

So there's the latest on the NBA's most talked about trading chip: Tracy McGrady.

The problem with the Sixers making a deal involving Iguodala and young talent is that they'd be getting rid of some good young guys and remain with Brand and Dalembert, which is sort of the opposite of the point of making such a trade.

--Kate

[jemagee]

Dear

God

No

[rickortreat]

So Houston want's to unload McGrady and then they ask the moon for him.  They can go suck eggs! We don't even want McGrady. At this point in their careers, I'd rather have Iguodala anyway.

[Reality]

  nice crack smoking Houston. 
Please do not drive while doing so....

[westkoast]

Im confused.....

So Mcgrady goes to play along side...Allen Iverson?

And Igs would be with.....Ariza?

Seems like either Ariza or Igs would have their growth smacked down by the move....

TMac and AI?  This is not 2001 

[jemagee]

T-Mac is an expiring contract - he's 23 million dollars off the salary cap this year

And that's pretty much all he is

[Derek Bodner]

If a trade like this is made it's not for basketball reasons, but because the Sixers are already over the luxury tax threshold next year.

[westkoast]

If a trade like this is made it's not for basketball reasons, but because the Sixers are already over the luxury tax threshold next year.

Normally I would agree if the Sixers didn't go after an aging scorer to put butts in the seats.  Seemed like going after yet another aging scorer was doubling down 

[jemagee]

There's no 'nostalgia' factor in T-Mac as there was in Iverson...plus T-Mac would cost an awful lot more money.

Derek - what do you think of brians suggest Cleveland implosion trade?

[Derek Bodner]

There's no 'nostalgia' factor in T-Mac as there was in Iverson...plus T-Mac would cost an awful lot more money.

Derek - what do you think of brians suggest Cleveland implosion trade?

I would be more inclined to talk to Cleveland because I think you could entice them to actually take Brand.  Iguodala and Brand makes infinitely more sense to me than Iguodala and Dalembert.