McGrady camp wants guard in N.Y
Unless the Sacramento Kings send Tracy McGrady(notes) to the New York Knicks before Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline, there could be an intriguing showdown with McGrady’s agent Arn Tellem.
“If they don’t trade Tracy, there’s going to be some fireworks,” one source with knowledge of the talks said Thursday morning.
Tellem is one of the NBA’s power agents and represents several Kings, including rookie star Tyreke Evans(notes). Tellem was involved with Houston and New York in discussions about a trade between them, and team sources say he was upset with the deal to Sacramento. Tellem’s hope had been to get McGrady to the Knicks, and remains so.
There was a great deal of acrimony between the Rockets’ front office and the McGrady camp prior to the late-night trade to Sacramento on Wednesday.
The Kings were willing to do a deal with the Knicks as trade partners to move McGrady Wednesday night, but league sources have suggested they’ve been less enthusiastic about it on Thursday morning. Of course, it could be posturing. Still, the Kings were able to get tremendous salary-cap relief and space with the deal and are trying to figure out their motivation for wanting to take anything back from New York.
Sacramento would likely be willing to do a buyout on McGrady’s contract, allowing him to re-sign with a team by March 1 and still be eligible for the playoffs. McGrady only played six games with Houston before being exiled prior to Christmas.
If the trade expands to three teams, one official involved in the talks predicted as many as 15 players could be moved. The official described the talks as “fluid and complicated.” Among the variations being proposed, Knicks guard Larry Hughes(notes) would likely be sent to Sacramento. Forward Al Harrington(notes) also could be moved. Forward Jared Jeffries(notes), whose contract the Knicks are trying to clear from their salary cap, could go to Houston.
