Mcgrady without the injuries?

[WiggyRuss]

Sure.

Might be semantics, but when we are talking about upside, I am going with the more talented player every single time. And the Westbrook comparison isn't quite right. Westbrook' issue is decision making and ability to read the game, but he works as hard as anybody. I don't know how much realistically Russ has to give.

McGrady had more in him. His issue was his motor.

agree

If McGray had Hill's work ethic and bball IQ he WOULD have been top 5 all time, but McGrady was a little lazy to say the least. He liked looking good. He was not a guy that HAD TO WIN AT ALL COSTS.

 

[Hook'Em0608]

As I remember it McGrady was with another team - my thought at the time Shaq was traded to Miami was to trade Shaq to the Rockets for Yao Ming and Grady - then the Lakers would have had Yao Ming, Kobe and McGrady. Then McGrady went for that surgery and was never the same after

You're lucky that didn't happen. Both of those guys fell apart pretty quickly while teammates.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

You're lucky that didn't happen. Both of those guys fell apart pretty quickly while teammates.

, No kidding, but without injuries - it would have been one hell of a team

 

[tlance]

, No kidding, but without injuries - it would have been one hell of a team

Yes. But again, it is a horribly ridiculous trade idea.

McGrady alone had at least as much, of not more trade value than Shaq at that time. Because he was younger, in shape, and not demanding to be traded. Thinking Shaq could be flipped for TMac and Yao is silly.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Yes. But again, it is a horribly ridiculous trade idea.

McGrady alone had at least as much, of not more trade value than Shaq at that time. Because he was younger, in shape, and not demanding to be traded. Thinking Shaq could be flipped for TMac and Yao is silly.

I never said it would work - What I said was - that was my preference. I have to say though - that Houston did not win any championships with Yao Ming and McGrady - Miami, however did win a championship with Shaq Oneal and Dwayne Wade - so I'm not so sure about thinking McGrady and Yao had better trade value. One could ask how did that work out for Houston? I would be willing to bet that Miami is happier with that one title that Houston never got. I don't think Houston would have ever traded away Yao Ming though - but I would have traded Shaq Oneal straight up for Yao Ming at the time. I believe that I had a different idea for how the Lakers could acquire McGrady - but I don't remember what that was. It was a fantasy team for sure though that was never going to happen. Kobe and Yao Ming, however would have been a pretty good team for the Lakers and better then the crap they got from Miami

 

[tlance]

I never said it would work - What I said was - that was my preference. I have to say though - that Houston did not win any championships with Yao Ming and McGrady - Miami, however did win a championship with Shaq Oneal and Dwayne Wade - so I'm not so sure about thinking McGrady and Yao had better trade value. One could ask how did that work out for Houston? I would be willing to bet that Miami is happier with that one title that Houston never got. I don't think Houston would have ever traded away Yao Ming though - but I would have traded Shaq Oneal straight up for Yao Ming at the time. I believe that I had a different idea for how the Lakers could acquire McGrady - but I don't remember what that was. It was a fantasy team for sure though that was never going to happen. Kobe and Yao Ming, however would have been a pretty good team for the Lakers and better then the crap they got from Miami

I don't know why I bother, but for real?

Shaq was better than Yao. Wade was ascending and clearly better than McGrady after 2006 or so.

Why waste your breath and everyone's time with stupid, unrealistic trade scenarios that clearly favor your team?

I want the Wizards to trade their entire roster for the Warriors roster. But guess what? The Warriors would never do that. So I don't waste time posting garbage like that. Because it is stupid.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I don't know why I bother, but for real?

Shaq was better than Yao. Wade was ascending and clearly better than McGrady after 2006 or so.

Why waste your breath and everyone's time with stupid, unrealistic trade scenarios that clearly favor your team?

I want the Wizards to trade their entire roster for the Warriors roster. But guess what? The Warriors would never do that. So I don't waste time posting garbage like that. Because it is stupid.

I never said it was unrealistic but Shaq was a 3 time champion and Yao Ming wasn't and never won shit. Shaq won one more ring. Yao didn't. If you like Yao better, that's fine with me, but l like the trophies over here in Staples

 

[tlance]

I never said it was unrealistic but Shaq was a 3 time champion and Yao Ming wasn't and never won shit. Shaq won one more ring. Yao didn't. If you like Yao better, that's fine with me, but l like the trophies over here in Staples

I don't like Yao better. Never said that.

What I said was that trading a disgruntled, out of shape superstar you never get equal value. McGrady was also a superstar and he was younger. The Rockets would have never traded McGrady for Shaq.

And you said you wanted the Lakers to trade Shaq for McGrady and Yao, like it was an option available to them. It wasn't.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I don't like Yao better. Never said that.

What I said was that trading a disgruntled, out of shape superstar you never get equal value. McGrady was also a superstar and he was younger. The Rockets would have never traded McGrady for Shaq.

And you said you wanted the Lakers to trade Shaq for McGrady and Yao, like it was an option available to them. It wasn't.

Shaq Oneal for Yao Ming wouldn't have been equal at all - At the time McGrady still had several years left before dealing with his injuries - McGrady and Shaq at the point would have needed only one thing to win - A really great shooting guard and I think that would have been tough to find. Yao gave the Lakers problems, but the Lakers advanced every year beyond Houston. Yao under Phil Jackson would have been awesome player - under what the Lakers had after Shaq and Phil were gone - would have been a complete disaster due to the string of bad coaches they had. I said from the beginning though that was my fantasy trade. I think If Houston had it to do over again - they might wish they had made that trade - I think they would have had a better chance with Shaq, but I expect they completely sold on Yao and Yao was a great player that simply never could advance to the finals

 

[tlance]

Shaq Oneal for Yao Ming wouldn't have been equal at all - At the time McGrady still had several years left before dealing with his injuries - McGrady and Shaq at the point would have needed only one thing to win - A really great shooting guard and I think that would have been tough to find. Yao gave the Lakers problems, but the Lakers advanced every year beyond Houston. Yao under Phil Jackson would have been awesome player - under what the Lakers had after Shaq and Phil were gone - would have been a complete disaster due to the string of bad coaches they had. I said from the beginning though that was my fantasy trade. I think If Houston had it to do over again - they might wish they had made that trade - I think they would have had a better chance with Shaq, but I expect they completely sold on Yao and Yao was a great player that simply never could advance to the finals

Dude.

Please read. And actually collect your thoughts before you post. You didn't say Shaq for Yao originally. You said Shaq for McGrady AND Yao. That is insane.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

Dude.

Please read. And actually collect your thoughts before you post. You didn't say Shaq for Yao originally. You said Shaq for McGrady AND Yao. That is insane.

I know that, but then I remembered that the Shaq traded happened right before Houston got him - My thought was to trade for Shaq for Yao, then find a way to get McGrady - But I think the Lakers would have been almost as good with Yao who was usually healthier.

 

[Darth Dawkins]

I wonder what could have been if he had just stayed in Toronto with Vince. I mean both him and Vince hitting their prime around the same time with players like Curry, Oak, Antonio Davis, Dee Brown and Doug Christie.