Brazil
02-18-2010, 03:44 PM
T-Mac to Knicks (UPDATE)
Recovering from an initial blow that saw Tracy McGrady (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/6691) heading to Sacramento overnight, the Knicks (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/page/NY) are close to expanding it into a three-team deal that sends the former All-Star to New York -- and clears Jared Jeffries (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/307839)' cap-clogging contract, a key person involved in the negotiations told CBSSports.com.
The Knicks will send Jeffries, Jordan Hill (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1685256), and draft-pick considerations to Houston, which gets Kevin Martin (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/498297) from Sacramento and sends McGrady and Sergio Rodriguez (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1113177) to the Knicks. The Kings (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/page/SAC) get Carl Landry (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1231881) and Joey Dorsey (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1622528) from Houston and Larry Hughes (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/20607) from New York.
The three-team blockbuster evolved from talks among the Rockets (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/page/HOU), Knicks and Bulls (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/page/CHI) involving McGrady's $23 million contract. The Bulls, unsuccessful in their attempt to recruit a third team to meet Houston's demands, pulled out of the discussions Wednesday and found other avenues to clear 2010 cap space -- sending John Salmons (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/307855) to the Bucks (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/page/MIL) and Tyrus Thomas (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1113185) to the Bobcats (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/page/CHA). The Knicks and Rockets hammered away over the issue of draft-pick protection for hours, until Sacremento emerged early Thursday as a facilitator by agreeing to send Martin -- long coveted by the Rockets -- to Houston.
The deal involving Houston and Sacremento could have stood alone, but was designed as an avenue to steer McGrady to New York in a three-team deal if all demands could be met. The sticking point was the level of protection New York required on their 2011 and 2012 first-round picks. The Knicks were discussing the right to swap 2011 first-rounders with Houston, which would get the Knicks' 2012 No. 1 pick depending on where it falls in the draft.
In the end, the Knicks paid a dear price. The Rockets will have the right to swap No. 1 picks in 2011 with the Knicks unless New York's pick is first overall. The 2012 firs-round pick going to Houston is top-5 protected.
It cost the Knicks a premium price to clear Jeffries' $6.9 million contract off the 2010-11 books. But doing so all but accomplished the goal team president Donnie Walsh set out to achieve when he came to New York -- become a major player in the 2010 free-agent class, recognized by all involved as potentially the best in NBA history. By shedding Jeffries, Walsh will have only four players under contract for '10-'11 -- Eddy Curry (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/240279), Danilo Gallinari (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1622533), Wilson Chandler (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1231860), and Toney Douglas (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1685206). The Knicks are a Curry buyout away from having the space to sign two max players. If those free agents prefer the sign-and-trade route -- which would get them more money and an extra year -- the Knicks are positioned to accommodate that as well.
Recovering from an initial blow that saw Tracy McGrady (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/6691) heading to Sacramento overnight, the Knicks (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/page/NY) are close to expanding it into a three-team deal that sends the former All-Star to New York -- and clears Jared Jeffries (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/307839)' cap-clogging contract, a key person involved in the negotiations told CBSSports.com.
The Knicks will send Jeffries, Jordan Hill (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1685256), and draft-pick considerations to Houston, which gets Kevin Martin (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/498297) from Sacramento and sends McGrady and Sergio Rodriguez (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1113177) to the Knicks. The Kings (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/page/SAC) get Carl Landry (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1231881) and Joey Dorsey (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1622528) from Houston and Larry Hughes (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/20607) from New York.
The three-team blockbuster evolved from talks among the Rockets (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/page/HOU), Knicks and Bulls (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/page/CHI) involving McGrady's $23 million contract. The Bulls, unsuccessful in their attempt to recruit a third team to meet Houston's demands, pulled out of the discussions Wednesday and found other avenues to clear 2010 cap space -- sending John Salmons (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/307855) to the Bucks (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/page/MIL) and Tyrus Thomas (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1113185) to the Bobcats (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/page/CHA). The Knicks and Rockets hammered away over the issue of draft-pick protection for hours, until Sacremento emerged early Thursday as a facilitator by agreeing to send Martin -- long coveted by the Rockets -- to Houston.
The deal involving Houston and Sacremento could have stood alone, but was designed as an avenue to steer McGrady to New York in a three-team deal if all demands could be met. The sticking point was the level of protection New York required on their 2011 and 2012 first-round picks. The Knicks were discussing the right to swap 2011 first-rounders with Houston, which would get the Knicks' 2012 No. 1 pick depending on where it falls in the draft.
In the end, the Knicks paid a dear price. The Rockets will have the right to swap No. 1 picks in 2011 with the Knicks unless New York's pick is first overall. The 2012 firs-round pick going to Houston is top-5 protected.
It cost the Knicks a premium price to clear Jeffries' $6.9 million contract off the 2010-11 books. But doing so all but accomplished the goal team president Donnie Walsh set out to achieve when he came to New York -- become a major player in the 2010 free-agent class, recognized by all involved as potentially the best in NBA history. By shedding Jeffries, Walsh will have only four players under contract for '10-'11 -- Eddy Curry (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/240279), Danilo Gallinari (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1622533), Wilson Chandler (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1231860), and Toney Douglas (http://www.cbssports.com/nba/players/playerpage/1685206). The Knicks are a Curry buyout away from having the space to sign two max players. If those free agents prefer the sign-and-trade route -- which would get them more money and an extra year -- the Knicks are positioned to accommodate that as well.