I don’t know if the Rockets will go forward with the reported trade of Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, and Kelvin Cato for Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue, and some spare parts, but I do know that after being so hastily kissed goodbye by Fran Blinebury and Richard Justice, the Rockets clubhouse may be an awkward place if the deal does fall through. Not that a failed deal would necessarily cast a pall over things – remember the Robert Horry trade in 1994 that didn’t happen after Sean Elliott failed a physical? The team did all right after that, you know. But still.
Kevin is falling out of his chair with anticipation over this, and though I’m still enough of a Francis fan to be sorry to see him go, I think this is a good deal. Justice is right about one thing – no one will be able to accuse the team of being complacent and risk averse, that’s for sure. I just wonder if Orlando won’t think they can do better. We’ll see.