Jun 30, 2004 10:50 PM EST
Orlando Magic GM John Weisbrod believes the Magic will be better off without Tracy McGrady because the superstar talent and NBA leading scorer did not rise to the occasion of leading his team to victories.
Meanwhile, Steve Francis said Orlando's acquisition of him, Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Kato will turn the tide on the Magic's abysmal record this past season.
Weisbrod implied that McGrady does not have the leadership qualities to take a team to the top.
"It starts with how you define a superstar," Weisbrod said. "I think a superstar is defined by wins, by making the players around him better and by making the team better. On that part, my perception is a little different than most."
While an All-Star in each of his four years in Orlando and the Magic's most popular player, the behavior of McGrady during last season's 61-loss season convinced Weisbrod that McGrady was part of the problem.
Francis, for one, believes he and his fellow former Rockets will change the Magic into a team on the upswing starting next season.
"We're here to fill voids the Magic know they have lacked in the last couple of seasons," said Francis. "You're going to get a gutsy effort every single night from all three of us. There's no trying to be too cute or trying to be too cool basketball from us."
Weisbrod told the media that by the All-Star break, it was clear McGrady wanted out. Then McGrady told team owner Rich DeVos two weeks ago that he wanted to be traded to a contender.
"We just came to the conclusion that if he wanted to leave, we thought that could very well be best for our basketball team," Weisbrod said.
Via ESPN
Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets
Read the Full Story
Discuss
Send Feedback
Buy Tickets
The Orlando Magic finally traded Tracy McGrady to the Houston Rockets. The superstar McGrady had demanded a trade and a deal for Steve Francis had been discussed for the past several weeks. It was completed Tuesday.
McGrady is the NBA's top scorer for the past two seasons and he will join forces with the 7'6" Yao Ming. On paper, the duo is a formidable pairing, perhaps second only to the Los Angeles Lakers' Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. But with controversy brewing, the Laker tandem may not stay together for next season.
The complete trade: Orlando will receive the all-star point guard Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato for McGrady, Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines.
The trade establishes that Houston's future is now. Under first-year head coach Jeff Van Gundy, the Rockets made the playoffs last season for the first time since 1999. This year they will be expected to reach great heights.
Orlando preferred to keep McGrady but he made public his plans to opt out of his contract after next season. The Magic had already lost Shaquille O'Neal to free agency with nothing in return, so Orlando's new general manager John Weisbrod had to make a move.
Via New York Times
Houston Rockets, Orlando Magic
Read the Full Story
Discuss
Send Feedback
Buy Tickets
Jack "Goose" Givens, a first-round draft choice by the Hawks in 1978 and currently a popular Orlando Magic television commentator was arrested late Monday on charges of sexual battery and lewd molestation of a 14-year-old girl, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said.
Joel Glass, director of media relations for the Magic, would not comment on the arrest, saying "We reserve comment until we know more specific details."
Givens, 47, was arrested about 11:30 p.m. Monday, said Cpl. Carlos Torres, a sheriff's spokesman. Givens is expected to go before a judge this morning for his first court appearance. He was being held on $25,000 bail.
The Sheriff's Office released few details about the incident late Monday but has scheduled a news conference for 11 a.m. today.
Torres said the girl reported that Givens assaulted her several times June 18 at her home. She contacted the Sheriff's Office on June 23 to report the incident.
"Givens came to the victim's home to assist her with her basketball game. The alleged assault(s) occurred after the basketball lesson," Torres said in a written statement.
Via Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Magic
Read the Full Story
Discuss
Send Feedback
Buy Tickets
Magic Jun 2004 Archive
-
SportsLine.com | Jun 29, 2004
Jameer Nelson is the 5-foot-11 point guard from St.
-
MSNBC | Jun 29, 2004
After weeks of anticipation and a lot of back and forth, the blockbuster trade sending Tracy McGrady to the Houston Rockets appears close to being final.
-
Florida Today | Jun 28, 2004
Steve Francis said Sunday night that he was planning to fly to Orlando today to meet with the Magic.
-
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 28, 2004
Some NBA league executives may be miffed at the way the new general manager of the Orlando Magic, John Weisbrod, has handled the McGrady trade discussions.
-
Houston Chronicle | Jun 27, 2004
Orlando Magic general manager John Weisbrod has assumed the posture that the trade of Tracy McGrady for Steve Francis is not much more likely than many other deals he's considering.
-
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 27, 2004
Dwight Howard has no fear, not even of his first year of professional basketball, as the number one overall pick in the National Basketball Association, straight from high school.
-
FloridaToday | Jun 27, 2004
Does Grant Hill know a bit more than the rest of us? Apparently so as he believes the much discussed Tracy McGrady for Steve Francis trade is finally about to go down.
-
Houston Chronicle | Jun 26, 2004
Apparently the Magic aren't in a rush to ship their star Tracy McGrady out to the Rockets.
-
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 25, 2004
In an expected turn of events, Steve Francis' agent has announced that his client no longer has any objections of joining the Orlando Magic.
-
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 25, 2004
The trade of Tracy McGrady to the Houston Rockets moved another step toward completion early Friday morning after a conversation between Magic general manager John Weisbrod and Steve Francis.
-
ESPN | Jun 24, 2004
In the first pick of the draft, the Orlando Magic selected Dwight Howard, the Atlanta high schooler.
-
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 24, 2004
The trade of Tracy McGrady to the Houston Rockets could end up bringing both Seattle all-star guard Ray Allen and Miami Heat small forward Caron Butler to Orlando.
-
Houston Chronicle | Jun 24, 2004
Orlando Magic general manager John Weisbrod is hedging his bets.
-
ESPN | Jun 23, 2004
"The trade, which won't be announced until Thursday, will give the Suns one of the Bulls' second-round picks (No.
-
ESPN | Jun 23, 2004
"UConn center Emeka Okafor will be invited to fill the final roster spot on this summer's US Olympic basketball team, league sources tell ESPN.
-
Houston Chronicle | Jun 23, 2004
A day of discussions may have softened Steve Francis' resistance to playing in Orlando and pushed the blockbuster trade between the Rockets and Magic one step closer to becoming final.
-
East Valley Tribune | Jun 23, 2004
If the Rockets are not able to consummate a deal for Tracy McGrady, the Suns stand ready to jump in.
-
New York Times | Jun 23, 2004
Mavs Pursue O'Neal; McGrady Deal Hits a Snag
By CHRIS BROUSSARD
Published: June 23, 2004
In a day when the Charlotte Bobcats fleshed out their inaugural roster through the expansion draft, the buzz around the National Basketball Association continued to revolve around Shaquille O'Neal and Tracy McGrady, the superstars who have asked their teams for trades.
-
New York Times | Jun 23, 2004
It appears the blockbuster done deal may not be so done after all.
-
New York Times | Jun 23, 2004
Larry Bird told the media that the Indiana Pacers made a better offer for Tracy McGrady than the package offered by the Houston Rockets which includes Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley.
-
nba.com | Jun 22, 2004
Although much of the attention has been focused on the multitude of potential superstar trades as of late, the draft is coming and the age old question persists: Who will be the number one pick?
Many analysts like Okafor, the 6’10” Forward out of UConn.
-
ESPN | Jun 21, 2004
Jim Gray is reporting that the Rockets and Magic have completed a deal and are awaiting the results of the expansion draft.
-
Chicago Tribune | Jun 21, 2004
Sam Smith says the Orlando Magic want to revamp and save money, so trading the unhappy Tracy McGrady is job one of that mission.
-
Chicago Tribune | Jun 21, 2004
The Lakers will strongly consider Shaquille O'Neal's request to be traded and there will be several teams that will be in the running to acquire his contract even though Shaq comes with a price heftier than his body type.
-
Star-Telegram | Jun 21, 2004
Good friends Tracy McGrady and Shaquille O'Neal have talked about playing together and have targeted Dallas as their choice destination, according to McGrady.
-
Houston Chronicle | Jun 21, 2004
The NBA offseason is still young but the Houston Rockets may be ready to make its biggest acquisition.
-
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 20, 2004
By Brian Schmitz Tracy McGrady expects to be traded soon by the Orlando Magic, league sources said Saturday, despite the club's refusal to confirm a deal is imminent.
-
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 20, 2004
Howard lobbies to be Magic's No.
-
ESPN | Jun 20, 2004
ESPN the Magazine’s Tom Friend reports that Lakers owner Jerry Buss has made up his mind that Kobe Bryant should remain with the team at all costs.
-
Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel | Jun 18, 2004
The Tracy McGrady trade watch is now officially on.
-
Indy Star | Jun 16, 2004
"We could make it work, absolutely," Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh said Tuesday.
-
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 15, 2004
"I talk to him all the time," Shaquille O'Neal said about Tracy McGrady.
-
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 15, 2004
With owner Rich Devos in town to get to the bottom of the matter, the Orlando Magic may soon know whether Tracy McGrady is in their future plans.
-
San Antonio Express-News | Jun 13, 2004
Emeka Okafor, college basketball's defensive player of the year out of UCONN, tells the media he doesn't care if he goes number 1 or not in the June 24 Draft.
-
Miami Herald | Jun 13, 2004
The Magic doesn’t want to lose another superstar without compensation.
-
Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Jun 13, 2004
Michael Lee of the AJC writes that Dwight Howard stepped into a ballroom of the Wyndham Hotel in downtown Chicago Saturday not knowing exactly where he will wind up in the June 24 NBA draft.
-
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 12, 2004
Orlando Magic owner Rich DeVos is coming to town to meet the two top players in the NBA Draft, one of whom his team is very likely to select, and to help address the Tracy McGrady issue in person.
-
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 10, 2004
Teams are approaching the Orlando Magic about acquiring six-time all-star Grant Hill.
-
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 9, 2004
The agent for Emeka Okafor says that "at the end of the day" the Orlando Magic will select his client with the first pick in the June 24 NBA Draft.
-
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 8, 2004
For most college, high school and international players coming to the pre-Draft basketball camp in Chicago, it's their last chance prior to June 24 to impress NBA front offices.
-
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 7, 2004
New GM John Weisbrod will entertain offers for the Magic’s number 1 overall pick, but in the end, he’s not likely to take any.
-
Jacksonville.com | Jun 5, 2004
The best route could be for the Orlando Magic to put Tracy McGrady on the trading block, says this article.
-
Orlando Sentinel | Jun 3, 2004
As many as a dozen teams have called the Orlando Magic front office inquiring about a trade for the No.
-
ESPN | Jun 1, 2004
Dwight Howard is coming out of high school to go to the NBA and expected to be a top pick at the Draft.
