The Rockets are in discussions with several clubs about McGrady, and sources say two of the teams near the top of their wish list are Washington and Chicago.

Nothing is imminent with either team, but there are potential deals with both clubs that Houston would be interested in pulling off.

Chicago, which has definite interest in McGrady, also has the combination of young talent and expiring contracts the Rockets are looking for. There is a Bulls player Houston covets, but it's not clear who that is. Since the Rockets surely realize that Derrick Rose won't be traded, logic suggests it's Joakim Noah.

A package of Noah, Brad Miller and Jerome James (the latter two have expiring contracts) would work financially, but sources say the Bulls have no desire to part with Noah.

As for the Bulls, Kirk Hinrich is ahead of even Tyrus Thomas on their list of players they'd love to trade. In fact, Thomas is being offered around the league as a sweetener in any Hinrich deal. But with two years, $17 million left on his contract after this season, there's not a great market for Hinrich

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2009 CSFMB Fantasy Basketball Champion-
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2011 NAS Replacement League Football-

if they traded noah for that bag of shit expiring contract mcgrady that would be atrocious. they better not have any desire to part with him

What kind of money does this free up for the Bulls next season? I know Miller and James come off the books, but does it equal the value of T-Mac's deal? If it doesn't gain any cap space, then making this move would be a bad idea. What the Bulls need to do is include a guy with a non-expiring deal like Salmons or Heinrich. Including Noah, especially with all the positive steps he has made in the past year would just be stupid. The Bulls can't seriously be considering this. Besides Rose, he might be the only valuable player on this roster. Deng has value, but I think he is overpaid and would be only a third of fourth option on a good team.

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yeah it sounds like the Bulls dont want to part with Noah. Thats good. I cant see why Houston, or any team really, would want Kirk untill his deal is about to expire.

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Fare you well, fare you well
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paxson was the only one who wanted noah to begin with, and now that guy is the only real draft pick that paxson can just smear in everyone's face and say SEE IM RIGHT. kirk and gordon werent bad picks either, but noah is a game changer day in and out. the bulls will not be trading him anytime soon, he is more of a lock then rose is right now.

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Deng, Kirk, Gordon, Noah weren't terrible picks. Pax's problem is he fell in love with all of them and refused to move them when their value peaked for a Kobe-type player.

Kevin Pritchard in Portland seems to have the same problem.

_________________
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I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

With our luck Gar-Pax probably want to sign Mcgrady to an extension. Let's have Benny-The-Bull meet him at the airport to sign the paper.

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mcgrady will be the big 2010 free agent signing. makes perfect sense!

If the Bulls are smart, they forget about acquiring Tracy McGrady. He's injury prone and washed up. Besides, the Bulls already have a #1 on their team, and that's Derrick...Besides, Joakim Noah could very well be the Bulls' first All-Star since you know who in '98.

for a chicago team it does! if they throw away noah for a piece of crap like tmac i will disown the bulls. at least for a long time.

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

I can't imagine that GarPax is stupid enough to get TMac for any package that includes Rose or Noah.

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Team Cutler.

(Marc Gasol or Chris Kaman) + LBJ = VICTURY!

I believe that McGrady's deal is something like $23 million, and Miller ($13) and James ($6) million are around $19 million.

The concern that the Bulls have (and I would assume other teams) is that the salary cap is going to be less than what was thought next season, and they may not have enough cap room to offer a max deal unless they find a way to shed salaries.

They have to find a way to get John Salmons out of here - he can exercise a $5 million option to stay next season. If he wants to stay, that could end even their slim chance of landing a free agent.

They wouldn't be acquiring McGrady for his ability on the court - it would be for his expiring contract.

I think Salmons might be opting out of his deal. I think he can get a deal for more than $5 million.

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I dont think he can get much more than that, but I agree. The full MLE is a little above that, and I can see why a contending team would offer him that.

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Fare you well, fare you well
I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
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Is Gasol available after this year? It would be a very "Memphis Grizzlies" thing to do though, trade Marc right as its looking like the Pau trade was not as terrible as previously thought.

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I love you more than words can tell
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul

I'm not sure - I know he thinks he should be starting, but I'm also not sure that he'd get more than a mid-level type of deal, which is about what he's making now given the economy.