While last night we came to learn that an agreement between the Rockets and Kings would send Kevin Martin to Houston in a deal involving Tracy McGrady. Less than a day later, the New York Knicks decided that they wanted in on the action, and added a significant dimension to this trade. The deal now looks like this:
Houston Receives:
Kevin Martin, Hilton Armstrong, Jordan Hill, Jared Jeffries, the right to swap first-round picks with New York in 2011, and New York’s 2012 first-round pick.
Sacramento Receives:
Carl Landry, Larry Hughes and Joey Dorsey
New York Receives:
Tracy McGrady and Sergio Rodriguez
This trade actually works out well for all parties involved. Aside from adding an explosive scorer in Kevin Martin, the Rockets get additional depth and much-needed help in the frontcourt. We might look back one day and find that Jordan Hill was a steal in this trade, as he was a heralded lottery pick that just didn’t seem to fit in the Knicks’ up-tempo system. While it will be tough to fill Carl Landry’s shoes, Hill will have a true shot at being a contributor on this small Yao-less squad. While they had to take on Jared Jeffries’ horrific contract, they did get two picks from the Knicks that could help them add young talent to the roster.This was a team that needed a boost, and this trade does that and more for them. I’m still concerned about Martin’s defense, but once Yao returns (next year) this team could be downright scary.
Sacramento fans get rid of Martin’s hefty contract (3 years/$36 mil), add toughness in Landry, and get a substantial expiring contract in Larry Hughes. This will free up some significant cap space for the Kings and allow them to add a solid veteran player to go alongside their young and talented core.
New York came away as a big winner in this trade as well. While they get Tracy McGrady, who in all likelihood won’t be the go-to player that we remember from way back when, they get to run him for a few months and see what he has left in the tank. But really, it’s less about T-Mac and more about his expiring contract and what that entails. When McGrady’s contract comes off of the books, the Knicks will be roughly $30 million under the salary cap. This means that they will be able to make a major push at LeBron James and potentially another big name free agent (aka, whoever LeBron wants to play with). This definitely adds some drama and intrigue to the anticipation of James’ big summer decision coming up. I think if the price is right, and the Knicks can get another legitimate star to commit to signing in New York as well, the bright lights of the Big Apple, the endorsement possibilities, and the allure of playing in Madison Square Garden could be too much to turn down.
Which re-vamped squad are you looking forward to watching the most?
