According to various reports, Tracy McGrady of the Houston Rockets will miss the rest of the NBA regular season. His troublesome knee, which never got healthy this season, will need microfracture surgery.
This is a devastating blow to the Rockets, who thought their trio of McGrady, Yao Ming and Ron Artest could win a championship. Now Houston will have to scramble to replace McGrady.
The person most likely to step into a bigger role is Artest. He may be asked to shoot a lot more and also become the team’s main playemaker. Yao should also see an increase in touches.
Von Wafer has …read more

Although Tracy McGrady has been gimpy for much of the 2008-09 NBA season, he recently posterized Tyrus Thomas. You can see a video of the Tracy McGrady dunk at the end of this entry.
In the video, McGrady took the ball hard to the rim and dunked it on Thomas as he went for the block. If you’ve watched McGrady this season, you know that he hasn’t been taking the ball to the hole very much at all. He’s been relying on his perimeter jumper and as a result his field goal percentage is currently 39.2% and he’s averaging only 15.8 …read more

Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando Magic
Hedo Turkoglu has had a habit recently of alternating good seasons. Last year he played really well, so that’s not a good sign for the 2008-09 campaign. Additionally, the Magic will try to play more with Rashard Lewis at small forward, which could then force Turkoglu out of position. He should have a good season but last year was likely his peak.
Lamar Odom, Los Angeles Lakers
With Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol up front, expect the Lakers to try Lamar Odom at small forward. Odom has been pretty decent at small forward in the past but he could …read more

Tracy McGrady, Houston Rockets
Tracy McGrady has a lot of red flags going into the 2008-09 fantasy basketball season. First of all, he had offseason surgery and he has reportedly been slow to heal. Then you have to factor in Ron Artest getting a lot of his touches. Finally, McGrady’s wear and tear over the years looks like it is going to catch up to him sooner than later. Don’t be fooled by his name during your fantasy draft.
Ray Allen, Boston Celtics
Last season, most of Ray Allen’s stats dipped during the regular season. He struggled during much of the playoffs, however …read more

1. Boston Celtics
With their Big Three returning and a championship ring under their belt, the Boston Celtics will be the team to beat until they prove they are no longer worthy.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
Kobe Bryant and company will once again try to win the Western Conference. Adding Andrew Bynum to a team that almost won it all without him is a scary thought.
3. San Antonio Spurs
It’s easy to forget about the San Antonio Spurs but when it is all said and done, the Spurs are seemingly always there in the end giving it their best shot.
4. New Orleans Hornets
The addition …read more

Although training camp hasn’t started yet, it is never too early to take a look at the MVP favorites. For the 2008-2009 season, five players have a really great shot at winning the MVP award. Here are the top five 2009 NBA MVP candidates:
5. Tracy McGrady, Houston Rockets
If the Rockets can live up to their lofty expectation and Tracy McGrady can stay healthy all year, T-Mac has a chance to be in the MVP running. He’s an immensely talented player who could impress a lot of voters this season. Staying healthy will be a challenge, however.
4. Dwyane …read more

Houston Rockets fans are obviously excited about the addition of Ron Artest to their team. For proof, watch the Ron Artest video at the end of this entry that shows a rally the Rockets fans held at the Toyota Center.
Artest is seen as the missing piece that could turn the Rockets from pretenders into contenders. With a new Big 3 of Artest, Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, the Rockets will undoubtedly be a very formidable team during the 2008-09 NBA season.
Fantasy basketball wise, Artest should see his points dip a little bit but see a rise in rebounds, …read more

Ron Artest has been traded to the Houston Rockets in a move that makes the Rockets one of the best teams in the NBA on paper. In return, the Kings received Bobby Jackson, Donte Greene and a future number one draft pick.
The Kings did the trade because in return they get a young player in Greene who shined in the Vegas Summer League, an expiring contract in Jackson (who just happens to be a fan favorite in Sacramento) and a future pick. For the Kings, they get a couple of young pieces without having to add salaries to …read more

The Atlanta Hawks and restricted free agent Josh Smith don’t appear to be getting closer to agreeing to a new contract. Reports indicate that the Hawks have offered Smith at least $11M a year but Smith wants more.
With free agent money dried up around the NBA, Smith appears likely to either re-sign with the Hawks or be traded in a sign-and-trade deal. If Smith is indeed involved in a sign-and-trade deal, where would he end up? Here are the leading possibilities:
Detroit Pistons – The Pistons have a lot of veteran player who they are willing to offer …read more

Recently, trade rumors have surfaced that have the Houston Rockets trading Tracy McGrady to the Detroit Pistons for Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince. This trade would be a monumental shakeup for two teams that made the playoffs last season in the NBA.
McGrady would give the Pistons a go-to scorer — something the team has lacked in recent years. The Pistons have been great defensively but have struggled a bit offensively, especially late in games.
For the Rockets, this trade makes a lot less sense. While Houston isn’t strong at the point guard position, Chauncey Billups is …read more