Houston Gets Kevin Martin, T-Mac to Knicks in Three Team Deal
The Houston Rockets finally unloaded Tracy McGrady in what ended up being a three team trade including the New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings. The Knicks finally managed to land McGrady while the Rockets got some good young talent as well as a draft pick in return.
The Rockets landed Kevin Martin and Hilton Armstrong from the Kings as well as Jordan Hill, Jared Jeffries, the right to swap first round spots with the Knicks in the 2011 draft, and a lottery protected first round pick in 2012 from the Knicks.
The Kings get Larry Hughes’ expiring contract from the Knicks and Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey from the Rockets.
The Knicks get McGrady from the Rockets and Sergio Rodriguez from the Kings.
What is intriguing is the Rockets going out and getting Martin without giving up Trevor Ariza or Shane Battier in the process. Adding Martin gives the Rockets a bevy of wing players now and it should be interesting to see how Rick Adelman manages the minutes of Martin, Ariza, Battier, and Chase Budinger who has been a solid player off the bench this season for the Rockets. The addition of Hill apparently made Landry expendable to them.
The Kings willingness to unload Martin is an interesting one on the surface, but, when one considers the Kings were 4-18 with him in the lineup this season and 14-18 without him it seems readily apparent he was part of the problem and not seen as part of the long term solution in Sacramento. The addition of Landry to Sacramento is interesting though given the presence of Jason Thompson. With Spencer Hawes in the midst of another disappointing season one wonders if the Kings are toying with the idea of moving Thompson to center with Landry sliding into the power forward spot. If that is what the Kings have in mind then I like the addition of Landry, otherwise I am not sure where his minutes are going to come from.
As I had written previously the Knicks still believe in McGrady and think he can help get them to the playoffs and help attract big name talent to New York this summer. It seems like a bit of a pipe dream if you ask me.
