T-Mac Leaving Orlando!

[jezmund]

There goes Dwight Howard.

Artest/Harrington/Bender/Tinsley for T-Mac/J.Howard

Great for the Magic....

Tinsley/Artest/Harrington/Howard/????

...with Gooden/Bender????

Uh oh... they might actually still want Okafor after that deal.

Tinsley/Artest/Harrington/Gooden/Okafor

with Lue/Bender off the bench... that's a lot better than what they have now.

[Plainview1981]

The Magic will likely select Dwight Howard now and Oakafor

probably will not fall to the Hawks so I guess the Hawks

will have to settle for whatever is left. Bummer.

[cyman3]

first, u get this Howard kid whos sayin "oka-who?" (refering to ESPN MOTION- there was a clip where Howard is interviewed, and he doesnt even pronounce the dudes name right... which is BS cuz america knows okafor well... considerin he helped lead his team to ncaa championship).

now, u have Tmac thinkin OKAFOR cant help him...

---------------

Evidently, McGrady doesn't think the drafting of Okafor would provide immediate help.

"That's his opinion," Okafor said Friday.

"I'll try to help in as many ways as I can," Okafor said. "I'm not a big guy about talking, 'I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that.' I pretty much just show up and let my play do the talking, and come season time, everybody's questions will be answered, good or bad."

[Weez]

where are you getting this?

[cyman3]

its on ESPN... www.espn.com

[CBAreject]

I just posted this over in homecourt. Anyhow, I question whether the Magic take Howard if they plan to trade Tmac for veterans.

I agree that they'd probably take Okafor if they trade for a win-now team. On the other hand, I think the more likely scenario is to build through the draft as they've done before.

[BOShforRoy]

i think Mcgrady is the biggest whinner ever. he will probably hop around a few teams until he wins the title. this guy has the biggest ego ever. i watched a few magic games and he always seems to diss his teammates and think he's the most talented player in the world. he left toronto thinking he could win the title alone and now he realizes he can't do [censored] alone. the media has just hyped him up so much calling him the best shooying guard and [censored]. he's probably on the same level as paul pierce, vince carter, iverson etc. the only reason he seems better is because his teams sucks and he gets to take 45 shots a game.

[BOShforRoy]

i wouldn't be surprised if OKafor has a better career than tmac

[Weez]

I think you're taking it a bit far now...

[pathway23]

Well yeah, I agree. I think what Okafor brings to the table would help a team far more than what McGrady brings to the table. Okafor would play within the offense, maintain an excellent off the court disposition, play ecellent D, and contribute offensively not as much as Tmac, but far more efficiently, because he would play within the offense.

Tmac is a no defense ball hog with a big mouth, an even bigger ego, tremendous athleticism and offensive game, but too selfish to win.

[Weez]

TMac lost a lot of respect this season. We all know and agree on that...but let's not forget the skills he still posseses. moves he can drop...to say that Okafor would impact a team more is simply rediculous.

[Wretch]

The man is a beast in terms of size and strenght. He's young, strong, quick, defensive... Who's to say he won't be a stronger Elton Brand? Dude is what, a chiseled 260 right now? I think the questions about his offensive game are premature. What will really determine his offensive game is how he responds to the level he's coming to. He's strong, has moves around the basket, and shoot it down there...who can really stop him?

He's a rookie now, but if he becomes a dominant PF, with defense like Brand or Zo, then I take that, his high percentage shots and his quiet, mature, workaholic attitude over a whining, atheletic SG ANYDAY.

I think Emeka is coming into the NBA with something to prove. Something tells me that he's going to do just that.

[Plainview1981]

I'd like to have Emeka here....

1)Emeka

2)Dwight Howard

After that?

[Weez]

I didn't say Okafor wouldnt be an impact player or someone that's around with success for quite some time...but I don't think he'll end up being Mourning, and I dont think he has more inherent skills than TMac...

[KB21]

Okafor has developed a nice little jump hook in the paint, and his touch around the basket has improved A LOT since his freshman season, when he was just an athletic shot blocker.

[Weez]

perhaps I haven't stated this emphatically enough...but I really like Oka, think he could have a LOT more impact on the Magic this year than TMac apparently gives him credit for...but I don't think he'll be "better" than MacGrady.

Honestly though, I don't know what TMac wants...other than a JO (not even a Shaq). He wants to win, wants to be the "star" (in terms of highlight moves)....but wants more around him?

He to the Pacers would be great...as TMac has more talent than JO, but JO wants to be the best....

[Sage11]

What a crybaby!!!!

[Wretch]

...as wing players. They're so big in HS and college that they are always thrown into the post. So unless they have a natural ability to hit the outside shot, then they won't develop it. They're taller and slower, so their handles aren't as sharp either.

But a dominant big man is worth more than a dominant guard or swingman in my book. And if Emeka can become dominant on the pro level, then he could have a bigger impact on that team than TMac could.