Tracy McGrady & Carl Landry Traded For Kevin Martin & Sergio Rodriguez
Moving Day
The Sacramento Kings have come out of no where to obtain the expiring $23 million contract of Houston Rockets Tracy McGrady. The Kings also receive Carl Landry, Joey Dorsey, and cash considerations for Kevin Martin, Kenny Thomas, Sergio Rodriguez, and Hilton Armstrong.
Kevin Martin is capable of being one of the league’s most efficient scorers, as his ability to hit shots and draw fouls make him valuable to any offense. He should fit in beautifully with a Rockets team that relies too heavily on Aaron Brooks and Trevor Ariza for shot creation, though the defensively-challenged Martin is a bit atypical on a roster of hard-working defenders.
Martin’s addition comes with a price: He will make $46 million over the next three seasons. Martin, 27, also has missed at least 20 games in each of the past three seasons, including 32 this season because of a broken wrist.
Houston didn’t have an easy time parting with Landry, a rugged, undersized forward who had come to personify the grit of these Rockets. Yet, the chance to secure a young, talented scorer for his offensively challenged roster was too much to pass up.
Sacramento will be reaping the benefits of having a big man rotation of Landry, Jason Thompson, and Spencer Hawes that gives the Kings a young, versatile bunch to build around, and each brings something unique to the table. Sacramento also clears out a significant long-term contract by trading away Martin, which opens the window for the Kings to be a major player in this summer’s free agent market.
McGrady has played in only six games, appearing for fewer than eight minutes in each, before the Rockets gave him a leave in December.
Rockets: Winners/Kings: Winners
Milwaukee Bucks Joe Alexander Wants To Be Traded
Fraud
Could a new city and team be what the former 2008 No. 8 overall draft pick Joe Alexander needs to jump start his career or could the former West Virginia standout be a player that could never play on highest level in the first place? I’m going with the latter and I consider myself an Alexander fan.
The Milwaukee Bucks decided two weeks ago not to pick up his third year option on his rookie contract, and that has lead Alexander to say he wants to be traded. Alexander’s 2010-11 option for $2.76 million was not picked up by the Nov. 2 deadline, making him an unrestricted free agent next summer.
It has lead Alexander to say if they don’t want him than they should trade him. But in fairness to the Bucks decision Alexander is hardly healthy and when so he isn’t making himself into a force during practice that he should command playing time.
The Bucks and I had high hopes for the 6-foot-8 Alexander when they selected him and they did so ahead of players such , selecting him ahead of players such as Brook Lopez, Jason Thompson, Anthony Randolph, and JaVale McGee. Instead, Alexander became the highest first-round pick ever to have his rookie contract option declined after his first season.
Such high demands for a player that hasn’t given anything back.
