The Rockets are trying to get Tracy McGrady out of their locker room and off to another team.  Hell, even here at NQTC we named him one of the NBA’s top douchebags for the crap he has pulled in Houston the last year or two.  T-Mac’s contract is for $23 million this season and it expires in the summer.  Thus, the Rockets are looking to get a few expiring contracts back and maybe a young piece or two in exchange for the oft-injured T-Mac.  Chicago apparently is taking a hard look at “Half Man Half a Season” as I like to call him:

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.

This analysis is exactly correct.  The Bulls should not part with Noah now or Rose ever.  If they can somehow move Hinrich’s contract, some expiring contracts, and Tyrus to make the deal more appealing to the Rockets, that would make a ton of sense.  I know you all hate T-Mac (especially you dad), but think about it.  The Bulls starting lineup would be Rose, T-Mac, Deng, Gibson, and Noah this season.  Even at T-Mac’s diminished strength, he would be able to draw some attention on offense and get these triple-teams off Rose.  Worst case scenario, he’s a total bum and his contract expires this summer.  If Kirk’s contract is moved, now we are talking nearly $30 million in cap space this summer depending on the new salary cap.  That’s enough to go out and buy 2 superstars instead of just one (Wade and Bosh? Johnson and Bosh? James and Wade? The possibilities are endless).

Would Houston take back any big contract past this season for T-Mac?  Seems unlikely, but if they will this deal looks really good for the Bulls.

Related Posts:

• New Kirk Hinrich Rumor; He’s Going to the Lakers This Time [And Other Bulls Trade Deadline Speculation] (13)
• Kirk Hinrich Seems Pretty Sure He’ll Be Traded (5)
• B-B-B-Boozer? I Take Back What I Said About Not Wanting Him (3)
• Who Is John Salmons? (And Other Questions Raised By The Big Trade) (2)
• Chicago Bulls News Around The Web (0)
• Are Captain Kirk’s days numbered in Chicago? (2)
• Bulls Pull Trigger: John Salmons to Milwaukee for Expiring Contracts [NBA Trade Deadline Update] (2)

Tags: Kirk Hinrich, Tracy McGrady, Trade Rumors