Normally offseason and trade rumors begin to heat up as the playoffs dwindle down and the NBA Draft approaches. For the Rockets, the rumors and speculation have already begun.

In one of the most anticipated free agent classes of all time, one star has captured the headline in Houston: power forward Chris Bosh.

For those who don't know, on his personal Twitter account, he asked fans where he should go next season. He would later rephrase the question to ask whether he should stay or leave, but all signs point toward Chris Bosh being in a different uniform come November. His possible destinations include Miami, New York, and Chicago via free agency, but the Rockets have emerged as a potential suitor through a sign-and-trade deal.

It comes as no surprise for Rocket fans, as the stockpiling of picks and youth accumulated over the years was something cooking in store for something greater. A team like Toronto that could potentially lose Bosh for nothing would quickly be in desperation mode looking for sign-and-trade venues that Bosh would accept.

With that being said, they would almost have to strongly consider a package around that youth, such as Jordan Hill, expiring contracts, potential lottery picks, and potential filled prospects like Ariza and Budinger.

For Bosh's case, he could team up with the likes of Wade in Miami or Rose/Noah in Chicago. But with the Rockets, he'd get an overall more balanced team with the likes of Brooks, Martin, Ariza, Battier, and the awaited comeback of Yao Ming. But most importantly, he'd have the opportunity to return back to his home state in Texas and become the best player on the team.

But the Rockets would face a possible dilemma with Luis Scola being a restricted free agent himself. Coming off his best season with averages of 16 points and 8 boards on 52 percent shooting, the Rockets are certainly not lacking talent at the power forward position.

It'd seem unlikely that he would stay if Bosh were to come to Houston, but Luis recently commented on the situation:

"Chris Bosh is a great player, an All-Star, a 20-10 guy," said Scola. "I know people who play with him on the same team, and everybody says he's a great teammate. You always want a great player and a great teammate and a 20-10 guy on your team. Winning is always first."

We can interpret it different ways or that Scola is being diplomatic about the situation, but would the Rockets be willing to pay him $8-10 million for being a mere backup? As great as Bosh would be, the Rockets would have bigger needs—more specifically a backup center that could step in and start if Yao were to prove unstable once again.

Then there's the counter-argument that the Rockets could run a three-man rotation with Scola, Yao, and Bosh, but much like the Raptors and what the Rockets faced last season, the defensive intimidation on the inside would be minimal.

Frankly the Rockets already have enough scoring, and in a team setting where Bosh would likely take on a lesser offensive role, how much better is Bosh for the Rockets compared to the production Scola provided, especially post All-Star break?

Don't get me wrong, Bosh is a considerably better player than Scola and is one of the better players in the league. But if Yao were to regain form, both Scola and Bosh provide a reliable mid-range jump-shot, an underappreciated post-game, and solid rebounding.

But if we've learned anything over the years, if you can acquire an All-Star caliber player without giving up assets, you acquire them first and worry about fit later.

The ultimate point of the tale is while I feel the reports of Bosh being the top priority in the offseason are valid, based on the recent moves made by Rockets' General Manager Daryl Morey, if there's anything we've learned, it's to expect the unexpected.

Chuck Hayes Back, Rockets Willing to Spend

The Rockets will be picking up Chuck Hayes' team option for the 2010-2011 season worth $2.3 million.

The news comes as no surprise, as the league's shortest center was a consistent force in the Rockets' attack last season. His post defense and basketball IQ exemplified his game further than his mere 4.4 point per game and 5.7 rebound per game average.

With Yao's expected comeback, Hayes' role is expected to be reduced, and he will likely be moved back to his more natural power forward position. He'll provide much needed depth and toughness coming off the bench.

The only doubt towards the Rockets not picking up Hayes team option would be a possible reluctance on spending on the luxury tax. However, Daryl Morey recently claimed on 790 that Les has given him the green light to spend and improve on the team, which further proves the Rockets will be active players in this years offseason frenzy.

Rockets Workout Yesterday

The draft is only a month away, and it's that time of year again where front offices are busy scrutinizing and extensively researching on possible collegiate and foreign athletes building their draft board to help improve on the team.

Yesterday, May 7, 2010, the Rockets had six of those prospects in town, among which included: center Brian Davis from Texas A&M, guard Demetri McCamey from Illinois, guard Manny Harris from Michigan, forward Latavious Williams from Tulsa of the NBA Development League, forward Jajuan Johnson from Purdue, and guard Kelvin Lewis from the University of Houston.

A wide variety of prospects might hint the Rockets are looking purely from a talent standpoint rather than reaching on a big that potentially wouldn't pan out.

That's if the Rockets end up keeping the pick.

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So as a result, many have turned their attention towards the 2010 NBA Draft.

With recent success in the draft, Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry in 2007, the second round steal of Chase Budinger in this past year's draft, it'd be hard to justify the Rockets trading their highest draft pick since the infamous 2006 draft. 

Ironically, when the Rockets were in a position to draft a player in the lottery, in a still heavily debated move, the Rockets traded Stromile Swift and the rights to Rudy Gay in exchange for Shane Battier.

Since then, Shane has helped the Rockets make the playoffs in these past seasons providing those intangibles that go beyond the box-score.

But Rudy Gay has broken out as a potential star averaging nearly twenty points and six rebounds per game for the Memphis Grizzlies.

Some would call that move a mistake, others would say it's justifiable considering the Rockets position at the time.

The Rockets find themselves with the same problem this season.

It's first important to identify what the Rockets goals are for next season, along with what's lacking or could be improved on to achieve that particular goal.

The move bringing in Kevin Martin made the Rockets goal obvious, as it was to bring an all-rounded supporting cast to a hopefully healthy Yao Ming in order to compete for an NBA Championship.

That itself is a large enough "IF" factor for the Rockets to bank on. But for a minute, let's pretend the basketball gods are kind enough to grant Yao a healthy season. 

If that's the case, the Rockets would be loaded on all fronts.

On the wings, Battier, Ariza, Martin, and Budinger make up enough depth with talent to go around. Even Jermaine Taylor has shown flashes of being a potential rotation player as well. It seems obvious that the Rockets needs would be elsewhere.

At the point guard position, Brooks has come into his own as a scorer and albeit as a play-maker as well.

The big question mark is Kyle Lowry. No, not because he's not a good fit, in fact he perfectly compliments Brooks game, but whether he'll resign with the Rockets has yet to be answered.

If he gets a starting spot elsewhere, he's as good as gone. He's expressed he'd like to start, and be in a situation in which he could expand his game. But if that situation were to not present itself, I'd expect Morey to do everything in his power to try and retain him.

Again thinking optimistically, let's assume Lowry is resigned for a reasonable deal, then a third PG would be needed. But not an area in which the Rockets would use their lottery pick on.

It'd likely be the same scenario, even if Lowry were not to resign, as using a lottery pick on another potential PG, already having Brooks, and Llull overseas would become overkill.

So we've established, barring trades, that anything on the perimeter would likely be out of question.

At power forward, Morey has already shown his cards and stated the Rockets will resign Scola "at all costs." And with Jordan Hill developing nicely and Chuck Hayes moving back to his more natural position (an assumption his team option is picked up, no reason for it not to be), the Rockets would seem fine here as well.

And it comes back to the man in the middle. We're optimistically assuming Yao will be able to stay healthy, but the chances of that are slim. The signs would point towards the Rockets main priority this off-season being a center.

Glancing quickly at the prospects, Aldrich, Cousins, and Favors are likely to be gone. Possibly Ekpe Udoh and Solomon Alabi would be available, but neither would likely be the contributors the Rockets need to fully contend in the Western Conference.

The likes of Camby, Miller, or other free agent centers would be able to contribute more for a win now approach, while being more reliable as an insurance policy in case Yao were to go down again.

Maybe I'm going about this all wrong and the Rockets will address those needs via free agency or trade, and use the pick on the best available prospect to add to the team.

But, Brooks, Martin, Budinger, Ariza,  and Hill are still rather young so it'd be redundant to try and find another prospect at those positions, as they wouldn't have much a chance to develop.

There are only two legitimate options I could see the Rockets realistically doing:

1) Drafting a big man with the talent and potential of stepping into Yao's shoes in the future if he were to prove unreliable with his health once again. Fill the rest of the voids through free agency, namely MLE.

2) Trade the pick, with other pieces for an upgrade.

The first option is the safer and likely route, but Morey is putting all his cards into the basket for a large-scale championship run for next season.

A trade could potentially improve the team to even greater heights, much faster than a draft pick would be able to.

It's too complicated to divulge into the possible trade venues that would be available, especially with the playoffs yet to answer so many teams burning questions.

And if there's anything we've learned from Daryl Morey in the past, it's to expect the unexpected.

Rewind back to 2006 and fast forward to 2010, the Rockets eerily find themselves in a similar situation on whether to trade the pick or not.

But with a plethora of assets to work from, the Rockets find themselves with a dilemma many teams would love to have.

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It marked the eventual comeback of Tracy McGrady to the Houston Rockets, but this time as an opposing player on the Knicks. T-Mac was traded to the New York Knicks in a three-way deal on February 18th, with the Rockets receiving a variety of pieces, including draft picks, rookie Jordan Hill, and star scoring guard Kevin Martin from the Sacramento Kings.

McGrady showed signs of his old-self, scoring 15 points, grabbing seven boards, dishing out five assists, and contributing defensively with two blocks and two steals. It bodes the question, did the Rockets do the right thing in their decision to trade T-Mac?

It's important to know the events that led to the decision, a relationship that had shown all signs of a divorce from early last season.

Fresh off a year in which the Rockets had won 22 games in a row, McGrady opted to have shoulder surgery on his non-shooting hand, and arthroscopic knee surgery in the off-season.

Coming into the 08-09 season, the Rockets had large expectations with the addition of Ron Artest. A move that was supposed to catapult the Rockets into legitimate contenders.

Instead, it was obvious McGrady was not in shape to begin the season, and the rust didn't seem to wear off as the season progressed. In and out of the lineup, McGrady showed signs of his normal self with a triple double, and other various bursts of scoring, but it was more often than not, mediocre-to-poor games on both ends of the floor.

He looked slow, and his jump shot was broke. It wasn't until the Rockets played the Milwaukee Bucks. McGrady had stolen the ball, ran the length of the floor going up for what would have been an easy dunk.

Instead he barely grazed the rim, failing to get any sort of elevation.

At that point, McGrady sought more doctors' opinions on his troublesome knee. Rocket doctors told him he would be able to pay through the pain, but McGrady wasn't convinced. He was out of the lineup until Dr. Tom Clanton suggested micro-fracture knee surgery for Tracy.

McGrady agreed, but instead of telling the Rockets of the decision, he told the media first. The same way I learned of his season ending surgery, was the same way the Rockets organization did. That created the bridge between both sides.

And to make matters worse for McGrady, the Rockets advanced past the first round, beating the Portland Trailblazers, a feat the Rockets hadn't accomplished in over a decade of their recent history, and something Tracy has yet to do in his bittersweet career. The bridge began to grow larger, it seemed like the Rockets no longer needed McGrady.

Fast forward to this season, McGrady had teamed with world renown trainer Tim Grover to get back at the level we're all accustomed to. In a surgery expected to miss over a full calender year, McGrady seemed on track to get back in six months.

He missed the first month of the season, and clamored to play more. This time the Rockets decided against it, claiming he wasn't ready, even when the doctors had cleared him to play.

Then in a decision out of the blue, Adelman decided to play McGrady for a six-game stretch where he'd receive seven minutes per game. After those six games he would be re-evaluated. McGrady played sporadically in those games, but showed signs with an 11-point game in one of those seven minute cameos. McGrady then clamored for more minutes.

McGrady had showed enough to warrant a slight boost in his minutes, especially with the abysmal play of Ariza and various injuries to Battier and Budinger. Adelman refused, claiming “There were no minutes to go around, and not wanting a repeat of last year.” It seemed Adelman had an agenda with McGrady to put it simply.

Both sides would then agree parting ways would be the best decision for both parties. It seemed like McGrady handled the situation poorly last season, but the Rockets were the culprits this season.

Two months later and the Rockets traded McGrady in a three-team blockbuster.

Since then, McGrady has played in 23 games with the Knicks this season. In those games, he's had a couple of explosive games, including his first game back with a 26-point outburst against Durant and the Thunder.

But ultimately, much like last season, to an even greater extent, he's had considerably more worse than the good.

He's not played in most fourth quarters due to fatigue, missed three games because of soreness (games in which the Knicks have gone 3-0). He's only scored over 15 points in three games, none of which occurring this past month of the season, and 11 games in which he's scored six points or less. For the season, he's averaging: 9.7 points per game, 3.8 rebounds per game, and 3.9 assists per game on 38.9% from the floor, and 25.0% from downtown.

In the end, Adelman didn't want a repeat of last season, and that's exactly what would have happened had the Rockets had caved into the demands of McGrady for minutes. He's already burning bridges with the Knicks, as he has played poorly, hurt his stock while still suffering from various injuries, and already started rumors that he won't be in the Knicks plans next season.

There was no hidden agenda all along, Adelman was spot-on, and with the resurgent play of Jordan Hill, and Kevin Martin providing what was expected when acquired, and potentially valuable Knicks first-round picks, the Rockets made out like bandits.

It was a relationship that showed signs of ending last season, and with the Rockets getting back what are solid pieces for both the present and future to make a title run next season, the Rockets most definitely made the right move in trading McGrady.

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In a time where losses are more closely examined, the Rockets have chosen a wrong time to start losing. Having only won five of their last 14 games, playoff hopes have slowly slipped away. Four games out of the eighth seed, and teams like the Grizzlies ahead in the standings, and Chris Paul set to return for the Hornets, the Rockets chance to make the postseason are slim to none.

From a fan perspective, the Rockets won't have the luxury of receiving a high lottery pick, nor the thrill of participating in the NBA playoffs. It bodes the question: What do the Rockets plan to do in what's slowly becoming one of the most crucial offseasons in Rocket history?

There are a multitude of factors to consider, but it starts and ends with Yao Ming.

The general consensus is, when Yao comes back, and the supporting cast the Rockets currently boast could potentially team up to become a champion contender, one good enough to take down the Lakers.

But hasn't that been the case for nearly the past four seasons? The Rockets on paper have always had two stars and role players that did their jobs. Were they as talented as the current Rocket squads? Certainly not, but one good enough to justifiably experience more success than they've had.

It's not just Yao, Kevin Martin has had a career filled with sporadic injuries as well.

The Rockets are putting all their eggs in one basket, and hoping for the basketball gods to be kind and grant them a full season in which everyone remains healthy. If granted, the Rockets would have a legitimate case to be one of the best teams in the NBA. But, aside from health, the Rockets have other things to address as well.

Both Kyle Lowry and Luis Scola are free agents, and both expected to get a rather significant payday from their current bargain contracts. Scola has been playing at an all-star caliber level since the trade, and has nearly 15 points and 9 rebounds in 30 minutes of action for the entire season with over 20/10 the past six outings. 

Lowry's stats aren't as impressive, but with his recent absence from the lineup, the Rockets have realized how important he is to the Rockets success.

He provides the toughness and defensive compliment to the scoring prowess of Aaron Brooks, and overall he is a more pure point guard creating better balance. It's been noted he would like to expand his career, and become a full-fledged starter; one could argue, with the addition of Kevin Martin, that Lowry would in fact be better suited as a starter when Yao returns, but even if that's not the case, he's stated that he's open to resigning with Houston.

Getting a backup center should be a top priority as well, not only in the case of an insurance to Yao getting injured, but a player that can help limit Yao's role during the regular season and keep him fresh hopefully going into the playoffs.

Marcus Camby recently told the media, being that he owns a house in Houston, and often lives there on a consistent basis, the Rockets would be on of his top targets.

And the Rockets would welcome him with open arms. He's older, but still provides an interior rebounding and shot blocking presence. He also has the ability to step in as a starting center, or even play next to Yao as he possesses a solid mid-range jump-shot out to 15-16 feet.

Knowing the craftiness of Morey, everyone knows the Rockets won't just limit themselves to resigning the current players on the squad, and getting a backup insurance at the center position.

A gut feeling of mine tells me, the offseason goal for the Rockets is none other than becoming a player in the drama-filled 2010 NBA free agent class. Specifically meaning: Operation Chris Bosh.

Yes, the Rockets wouldn't have near the amount of cap space to offer Bosh the max, but with Bosh being a Texas native, and the Raptors being no better than mediocre in the Eastern Conference, it seems he's the top free agent that's most likely to leave.

It could very well work out that Bosh resigns with the Raptors, but pretend he were to bolt. The Rockets could potentially offer a combination of wings in Battier or Ariza. They also have Jefferies whom would be an expiring contract, but most importantly future assets such as Jordan Hill, who's shown signs in the last two games, what will be a lottery pick this season, the Knicks 2012 pick, and potentially open to the idea of trading a resigned Scola, or even Brooks perhaps for the services of Bosh.

If that were the case, the team would be hard pressed to find a package better than that if Bosh were to leave Toronto.

That's the key; the Rockets would have MLE to work with in free agency, and a lot of assets to choose from to potentially improve the team by trade. Potentially cashing in on more project situations, such as Hill, for more win now talent that can still grow with the Rockets core.

Ultimately, expect the Rockets offseason to be a busy one, whether it's a rather quiet one by resigning current players on the team and signing one more in free agency, or a prize in acquiring a talent of Bosh's caliber; just sit back and watch Morey do work.

Only one thing's for sure: The Rockets are in for one heck of a ride.

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The full deal will consist of sending Kevin Martin, Kenny Thomas, Hilton Armstrong, and Sergio Rodriguez to the Rockets for Tracy McGrady, Carl Landry, Joey Dorsey, and an undisclosed amount of cash.

The Knicks are still in play for McGrady, as the Kings have no intention to keep him for the remainder of the season.

The deal would likely be expanded to a three way, but discussions still have a long way to go. Ultimately, the Rockets and Kings do not necessarily need to involve the Knicks, as the deal between both the Rockets and Kings has been agreed upon.

If the Kings were unable to exchange McGrady, sources point towards the Kings buying him out, in which Yahoo Sports Adrian Wojnarowski reports McGrady secretly covets joining either the Cavaliers or the Lakers in the hopes of a title run.

It's still yet to be seen if either team would have interest.

Kevin Martin, who was pulled at halftime of tonight's game against the Golden State Warriors, briefly commented on the trade. 

"I appreciate them letting me go to a playoff caliber team at this time of my career."

"I used to be the young guy playing with old guys. Now I'm the old guy playing with young guys. Let the young guys develop..."

The Rockets acquire an elite offensive player capable of playing both off and on the ball. His perimeter shooting and uncanny ability to get to the line should be welcome additions, especially since it means the reduction of Ariza's role in the offense.

But it comes with the price, as Rockets give up Landry, who has arguably been the Rockets' best offensive player this season, all while coming off the bench.

It sets up the Kings with a potentially terrific three man rotation in Hawes, Thompson, and Landry, with Tyreke leading the way as the main man in the backcourt.

The Rockets obviously had to make a decision on whom they'd rather keep, Scola or Landry, and all signs pointed towards Landry having more value in the open market, which is ultimately the deciding factor. That also means that the Rockets' primary goal in the offseason is being able to retain Scola for a reasonable price.

It's a hefty price for the Rockets to pay, especially for a player with injury history, the last thing Rocket fans want to hear, but it could potentially pay off, once again relying on the health of Yao Ming.

A Brooks/Martin/Ariza/Scola and Yao lineup would potentially challenge the Lakers in the West if healthy. Unfortunately, that has been the disclaimer ever since the beginning and end of the McGrady era.

The premise of the deal has been agreed upon, and the Rockets have been in the need of shakeup with their porous play as of late. This could potentially be a boost to lead to the Rockets to the playoffs.

But with Budinger, Martin, Battier, Ariza, and the likes of Lowry having played a lot of two guard this season, the perimeter game gets rather crowded. Could another deal be in the works? Or are the Rockets content with their big man rotation consisting of Kenny Thomas, Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes, and David Anderson?

Whatever's in store, the McGrady era is finally over, and despite the loss of Landry, Rocket fans have something to look forward to. And something tells me the Rockets aren't done just yet...

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After coming off an impressive double-digit scoring output against the Clippers, he only managed to connect on one of his four shot attempts for two points.

Immediately after that game, McGrady clamored for more minutes, while Adelman blatantly refused to do so.

It was then decided, it was best for both parties to part ways, and end a relationship that showed all the signs of a divorce ever since McGrady opted to have season-ending surgery.

It's been nearly two months from the debacle, and Tracy has yet to be traded.

I don't think anyone expected McGrady to be traded immediately, in fact, had he been traded by now, I'm sure many would have been surprised.

The fact of the matter is, deals come around the deadline, and the Rockets are dead-set on acquiring a high-level talent in return for McGrady.

It first started with the Kevin Martin rumors, which eventually died down as he was injured at the time, and most importantly, the Kings still must consider if Martin can coexist in the same backcourt with budding superstar, Tyreke Evans.

If they'd find a way, they could team up to be one of the best backcourts for the next numerous amount of years.

But all along, it seemed as the Rockets primary target was Philadelphia swingman Andre Iguoudala.

Coupled with a contract of Dalembert, it's a deal that would save the Sixers a boatload of cash for flexibility in the future, and give the Rockets, a complimentary star, and a center that can still contribute despite his undeservedly high contract.

Trade talks were heating up as Marc Stein reported, but it was recently reported that the Sixers have come out claiming they are content with Iguodala, and won't be added in as a sort of "incentive," to get rid of one their albatross contracts.

The high-level talent, that was reportedly on the market was slowly dwindling down. The only one in reach, now seemed to be Caron Butler.

Yahoo Sports reported, that the Rockets, Knicks, and Wizards were involved in rather serious discussions about a three-way deal, in which Al Harrington would go to the Wizards, Brendan Haywood and Caron Butler to the Rockets, while the Knicks would get the man they have openly coveted in McGrady.

It was not until today, that the deal was nixed, as the Dallas Mavericks swooped in, with the contracts of Josh Howard and fillers in exchange for essentially Haywood and Butler.

This not only legitimizes Dallas in the West for the "team" to challenge the Lakers, but blocks a potential attempt at the Rockets cashing in on McGrady's expiring contract.

With Martin and Iguodala unlikely, and Butler already have been traded, either Morey has something up his sleeve which nobody knows about, or the Rockets really have nothing legitimate on the table.

There's a variety of factors, when looking into what exactly the Rockets needs are.

The first question that needs to be answered, is, what direction the Rockets are planning to go in.

With their recent slump, and porous play on both ends of the floor, the Rockets have slipped out of the playoffs, and slowly coming to the realization that getting back into that picture is unlikely unless something drastic is done.

Since acquiring a star of that magnitude to push the Rockets over the likes of the Blazers, or Thunder is unlikely, a young building piece, to a potential run next season when Yao returns is more likely.

But who exactly is left that is willing to take on McGrady? Contending teams are out of the picture, as it's too much a high risk to match the leagues highest paid players salary, and rebuilding teams would have no interest as they'd try to dump their bad contracts in order for that financial flexibility in the 2010 Free Agent class, something the Rockets clearly aren't interested in.

Let's be real though, if talent is enough, the Rockets wouldn't mind taking on a longer contracts.

In order to even have a shot at offering for a potential max free agent such as a Chris Bosh, or Dwayne Wade, the Rockets would have to trade a Battier sort for expiring contracts, and renouncing the rights to all their players. A highly unlikely scenario.

The obvious choice at the beginning, was the Chicago Bulls, and it seems those rumors are resurfacing. There have been talks of the Bulls looking to shed some salary and could offer potential contributors such as John Salmons, or Luol Deng with Kirk Hinrich to make a run at two potential max free agents.

Jonathon Feigen, of the Houston Chronicle mentioned a small tidbit, that Deng is not on the Rockets' radar, so it would have be someone else on the Bulls roster that would intrigue the Rockets. Rose, and Noah are untouchable, which would mean a package based around John Salmons, Brad Miller, and either Kirk Hinrich or Jerome James.

Clearly not the high level talent the Rockets are looking for, but possibly better than anything they can get at this point. They are unfortunately, in a buyers market, in which the selling price of McGrady is lower because of the mammoth contract he possesses.

Before someone jumps on me, and says, the Rockets can just keep McGrady for the rest of the season, and keep the flexibility for themselves, there are a variety of reasons, of why this would result in a negative for the Rockets organization.

1. Even if McGrady's contract were to expire, they wouldn't have enough space to sign a potential max free agent. Which means, 2010 flexibility isn't as so crucial as one were to believe.

2. It would in a way, seem as if the Rockets would be screwing McGrady. While, fans would argue, he deserves whatever he'd get, we've already seen the media, such as Charles Barkley claim the Rockets are doing McGrady wrong. The last thing the Rockets want is to be labeled a destination in which the organization would stoop down to a player's level if he were to do something wrong.

3. It would mean the Rockets got nothing in terms of incentive in return for T-Mac.

The Bulls potential offer might not be the most earth shattering, but it would improve the Rockets depth, while not crippling the future, and be potentially a move, that could keep the Rockets in the thick of things in the playoffs.

After all, Morey stated before seasons start, that the Rockets goal was to make the playoffs.

Signs still point towards the Rockets not doing anything. But if that were the case, a buyout would almost be inevitable, and it's hard to believe Daryl Morey doesn't have anything up his sleeve.

If anything, all questions should be answered in this coming week.

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McGrady clamored to play, and the Rockets finally caved in. Granting him seven to eight minutes per game, the Rockets had a chance to see his production while potentially having an ulterior motive: the ability to showcase T-Mac to potential suitors.

In his return, the deal was, in the first six games McGrady would play six to seven minutes during the first quarter, and that would be his only stint regardless of how well or how poorly he played.

After that, he would be further evaluated for a potential bigger role in the offense.

The six games came and went, and McGrady suggested it was time for the Rockets to increase his minutes.

He didn't do anything eye popping. But for a player coming off of micro-fracture knee surgery and not having played in nearly a year, McGrady had already defended the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Dirk Nowitzki, and Vince Carter, while showing some of the flashes of his explosive self against the Clippers.

He showed signs, but looked lost at times both on offense and defense. Regardless of his play, the consensus was seven to eight minutes wasn't enough to judge whether he was back to the once-so-smooth offensive player that he was, or had he become another "has been."

When Rick Adelman refused to grant McGrady's more minutes, McGrady left the Rockets, and the organization agreed.

He did not play in the last two meetings against the Nets and Cavaliers, and a meeting was scheduled today to determine McGrady's future.

The decision was made: McGrady and the Rockets would be splitting up. Both sides agreed a trade was the best situation for both parties.

McGrady will never suit up for the Rockets again, a team in which McGrady enjoyed three seasons making the All-NBA team, and finishing in the top 10 of MVP Voting.

The Rockets have to trade him, and trade him fast. This will only become a greater distraction down the road.

The Rockets will continue to play, but not until McGrady is traded will the media and fans stop talking about the situation and give more credit for the team's success to where it's due, the emergent sixth man of the year, Carl Landry.

The question now becomes, to whom, and for what?

ESPN has already reported the Rockets have turned down a deal based around Gilbert Arenas. It's a good move on the Rockets part rejecting the deal, as his contract is a negative, and for the same reasons the Rockets don't want to give McGrady more minutes, the same qualities Arenas possesses.

Arenas could potentially disrupt the chemistry, demanding the ball in his hands.

Finding a trade partner will be harder than it seems. Contending teams don't have the pieces to match up with McGrady's league-leading $23 million salary, and rebuilding teams don't want to give up young pieces for a player who creates some financial flexibility but won't be there next season.

Pat Riley and the Heat have reported interest, but a straight-up move of Jermaine O'Neal for McGrady doesn't make any sense for the Heat.

Their big man depth is putrid enough, and with Quentin Richardson playing well and Dorrell Wright finding himself in the rotation, the wing depth and production is much stronger than the depth the Heat would have in such a scenario.

Udonis Haslem, James Jones, and Quentin Richardson would work under the cap, but the deal doesn't make sense for Houston taking on Jones' longer contract with no real incentive to play Haslem with both Landry and Scola.

The Knicks are seemingly involved in every rumor, but aside from breaking down McGrady's expiring deal into smaller pieces, the Knicks don't have much to offer. It'd be expected as a last-resort type of deal.

It's reported the Rockets are not completely opposed to the idea of acquiring long-term contracts, but not for the likes of Eddy Curry or Jared Jeffries.

The Kings are another team as a potential suitor. In Kevin Martin's absence, Tyreke Evans has emerged as a potential star. This could leave Martin on the block. But for a hefty price, and that would likely include the addition of taking on long-term contracts like those of Andres Nocioni and Beno Udrih.

Even then, it's hard to imagine the Kings won't give Evans and Martin another chance together. Both are young, and with Evans' slashing game, and Martin's perimeter scoring, it'd seem like a match that's waiting to happen. It would likely be the best-case scenario for the Rockets, but for that reason alone, that's an unlikely scenario.

Based purely on speculation, the Chicago Bulls seem to be the most realistic destination. With the recent firing of head coach Vinny Del Negro, the need for a shakeup is obvious.

The Bulls could potentially offer the contracts of Brad Miller and John Salmons, both of whom would contribute on the Rockets, and the Bulls save some potentially large money if Salmons were not to opt out of his contract.

McGrady would give a big name, with the potential to make the Bulls a better team, at the worst he's another shot-creator aside from Rose.

The Rockets get a center who is proven under Adelman in Miller. Salmons is a versatile hybrid-guard/forward who is struggling, but could thrive with a change of scenery, similar to his first year with the Bulls.

Ultimately, no one knows what Daryl Morey and the Rockets have up their sleeves. There's certainly the option that the Rockets would keep holding out, potentially all the way to the deadline, but the longer McGrady is not traded, the bigger the distraction becomes.

It's not an option to let his contract expire, as that would tarnish the franchise's name, virtually holding him hostage and potentially ruining his career.

The McGrady era in Houston is almost over.

For a guy who will be remembered for giving up on defense against the Toronto Raptors and Jamario Moon instead of his spectacular offense, it's a sad end to his tenure in Houston.

All the good memories get erased, such as All-NBA teams, numerous games in which the same Houston fans chanted "MVP, MVP" at every home game.

The 13 points in 33 seconds, the famous dunk on Bradley, and being the main man, carrying the Rockets to the playoffs in three of the five previous seasons.

But ultimately, the goal had not been reached, the failure to advance past the first round. And when that success finally came for the Rockets, McGrady was not present to take in the glory, as he was on the sidelines watching his teammates do something he's yet to do in his bittersweet career.

He's not done yet; He claims whatever team acquires him, he will be a "hungry" player ready to produce and lead.

But the chances are slimmer every time McGrady misses a game. He's still got game and will be an impact player, but how much an impact he will make is yet to be seen.

As a young 25-year-old, coming off a disappointing Game Seven against the Dallas Mavericks, McGrady avenged that he would have the last laugh.

Unfortunately from that point, it's been more ridicule, both rightfully so, and those uncalled for. There's still time for that, but as of now, it seems Adelman is the one laughing.

In any situation, this one has been for a couple months coming. When it's finally done, and McGrady is traded, you can only hope it's best for both sides.

The ideal situation is one in which McGrady can prove his worth, and the Rockets come away with an impact player who is only able to add on to the unheralded story of those gritty and tough Houston Rockets, still finding ways to win without that supposed superstar.

It's the end of the road for both sides, but also a time for new beginnings.

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When Dirk Nowitzki drove into the lane and collided with Landry mid-air, the collision seemed rather minor.

Then Dirk would bend to the floor, and blood would begin to pour.

Landry seemed fine, but called to the bench, with apparent bleeding coming from his mouth, as well.

The initial reaction would be that Dirk knocked out Landry's teeth and bit Dirk in the process, which created the bleeding.

That's the story in a nutshell, but it goes beyond that.

In fact, it was found that chips of Landry's teeth—two of the five total knocked out—were dislodged in Dirk's elbow.

That play seemed to be a foreshadowing of things to come.

Jason Kidd's hard screen on Anderson, which sparked a mini-scuffle, Josh Howard's technical foul, and the eventual ejection of both Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle and center Erick Dampier late in overtime.

Nothing New, Cuban Crying Over Refs

The Rockets were able to come out victorious due to some clutch shots by Brooks and the brilliant play of Lowry, but the Mavericks coming out as sore losers.

Not because of their lack of physicality, but because of their owner Mark Cuban announcing he'd be filing a public protest against the game, reason being due to a "multiple misapplications of the rule."

It's Cuban being Cuban, and nothing is likely expected to come out of this, except the loss of $10,000 from Cuban's back pocket.

But he does have a legitimate case that there should have been more time on the clock in the final possession, but, if anything, the referees missed calls on Brooks' foul being called a flagrant and unfairly giving Anderson a technical foul when Kidd clearly instigated the contact, doing his best impersonation of the hard Derek Fisher foul on Luis Scola in last year's playoffs.

If any further implication were to come out of this, I'd be surprised.

McGrady's Progress: Third Game Back

Because of all the hoopla around the game, it made one of the lesser stories go unnoticed: McGrady's third game back from micro-fracture knee surgery.

After going scoreless in the game against the Nuggets, McGrady looked the best he did in his consistent seven to eight minute stretch since coming back.

He blocked Dirk's fade away jumpshot, made some crisp passes, one particularly to Scola, and was moving better than he has since returning.

Then coming off a screen with a man in his face, McGrady knocked down a jumper from the left wing just inside the three-point line.

With Landry's injury, there was speculation T-Mac could see some time in the second half, but nothing came to fruition, as Adelman has his plans and is intent on sticking to it.

You honestly can't blame him, as Adelman knows more than anyone the seriousness of putting too much on a player returning from that magnitude of a surgery after seeing Chris Webber going through the same thing just a couple seasons ago.

Even if Landry were to be out for tonight's game against the Thunder, I wouldn't expect the plans to change much, as McGrady's minutes will be re-evaluated after the stretch of games when the horrid back to backs finally ends.

One thing is for sure, I'd rather see him shooting than Ariza at this point.

Ariza's Underachieving

With McGrady back and soon will be clamoring for more minutes, it has to come from somewhere, and all signs point towards Trevor Ariza, who leads the Rockets in minutes at nearly 39 minutes per game.

Many articles have been mentioning Ariza as one leading Most Improved Player candidates in the NBA and a catalyst to the Rockets success.

He's certainly been a factor, but his improvement this season has been severely overrated.

He's currently 18th in the NBA in shot attempts per game. And, among the top 50 players leading in that category, Ariza shoots the second worst percentage and the worst percentage among players who have played at least 20 games. The worst being Devin Harris, who's played 17 games. 

He's fifth in the league in three-point attempts per game and second in the NBA in total three-pointers attempted.

Only Rasheed Wallace among the top 20 three-point shooters launches at a worse percentage than Ariza.

He only gets to the line 3.1 times in his 39 minutes per game, which would be exactly half the amount of the 13 other players who receive more minutes.

He's shown no improvement in his handles or his ability to create either for himself or his teammates.

So far in the month of December, he's averaging 14.0 points per game, with six rebounds and the same amount of assists and turnovers.

He's shooting 39 percent from the floor (which is higher than his season average), 27 percent from three, and 50 percent from the line.

He's a role player, who, so far this season, has been thrust into a role he cannot handle.

Concluding Thoughts

Despite so many questions, one thing has remained consistent, the effort and passion the Rockets have displayed in nearly all their games.

At 15-11, the Rockets are sixth in the West and half a game outside the fifth-seeded Portland Trailblazers.

It's still too early to determine playoff ranking and seedings, but it's a position no one expected the Rockets to be in at this point in the season.

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There's still no deadline, but it's more apparent that Tracy will return within this month barring he hasn't been traded already.

Adelman mentioned he did not want to play him in the four in five game stretch beginning on the 15th, making him potentially available to play in the Rockets pair of games after the 19th. But considering it's a pair of back to backs, the return date for McGrady seems likely on the 23rd against the Magic, or the 27th against the Cavaliers.

“We anticipate him playing,” Adelman said. “It’s our 20th game. It’s not like we’re 60 games into it and he hasn’t played. This is the toughest, toughest part of our schedule. It’s a ton of games, and a ton of games on the road. There’s so many questions I want to be sure we have answers. Right now, medically, everything looks good. Now, it’s how does he keep improving?

Both Adelman and McGrady admitted there was confusion on both sides in what was deemed the "magical," date which would answer all questions, referring back to the November 23rd MRI.

“I told him, there are a lot of issues here because of last year, in and out of the lineup. When he does come back, how many minutes will he play? It has to be a positive thing for him and us when he does come back. Last year, we could do that. If he comes in and we change everything, this team is much more fragile. In my mind, I have to be sure this is the best thing for him and the best thing for us when we do bring him back.”

So, last week, it looked like McGrady had played his last game as a Houston Rocket, but now the clouds have cleared, and McGrady's return to the Rockets is fast approaching. The question now becomes, do Rocket fans want McGrady back?

For those who don't know, when Tracy McGrady announced season ending micro-fracture surgery on his knee, it was first heard by the media, rather than the Rockets organization. The way Adelman and Morey heard of the decision was the same way, both you and I heard McGrady was out for the season.

That move, and disappointing many fans in one of the most anticipated seasons of all time created a rift between Rocket fans and their former all-star McGrady.

The initial reaction will be negative, the Rockets are playing well, aside from the crushing loss to the Blazers on the Brandon Roy game-winner, the Rockets were winners of three in a row, and would qualify for the playoffs if it were to start today.

The Rockets may not welcome T-Mac back with open arms, but eventually the fans will come to respect that decision, as that will ultimately be the best for the team.

Can Tracy play in Adelman's system? Will he be able to play off his teammates and continue the further development of the younger Rockets?

There's evidence to show he can, and there'evidence he cannot. The main argument people point towards is McGrady's performance last season. That's not a clear indicator simply because he wasn't healthy last season. You can talk about how much he quit, or repeat that same tiresome Raptors clip with Jamario Moon over again, but it was clear he couldn't move when he was on the court, and some sort of action was needed to regain that explosiveness.

The evidence to show he can play within the system is in the 07-08 season. Before McGrady got injured against the Lakers, he was the only one grasping Adelman's system. He was averaging nearly 25 points per game, while shooting a career high from the field as a Rocket. He came back hobbled, but still was the catalyst behind a team effort for the Rockets 22 game winning streak.

Either way, the Rockets need for a player that can create his own shot, or for his teammates is obvious. Brooks is up and down, overall solid, but Ariza isn't getting the job done. Tracy, when healthy fits that role, he's one of the better play-makers in the league and a player that's not afraid to take the big shot down the stretch.

As it plays out now, the Rockets are a fringe playoff team. One that's missing a player of the skill-set that McGrady could potentially bring. The Rockets won't get any sort of positive value for McGrady, and it'd be unclassy of the organization to Marbury him.

He's motivated, and been on his best behavior these past couple of weeks. There's no harm in playing him, when he's reportedly committed to the cause in helping the team, and obviously himself in a contract season. He looks in very good shape, and never been a player criticized (at least in his Houston tenure) as being a selfish player on the court.

For the most part, he's been a positive rather than a negative. I didn't like what he did last season as much as anyone, but life is full of second chances.

And Tracy McGrady will get his this month. He could potentially take them to the next level, a team that could surprise those in the playoffs, or just a pairing that wasn't meant to be. Either way, a lot will come forth with both McGrady and the Rockets in these upcoming months.

Let's hope it turns out for the best.

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His last game in the NBA was against the Los Angeles Lakers, and Iverson scored eight points on two for five shooting in just 21 minutes of play. This was a game in which Kobe Bryant ironically surpassed Iverson on the all-time scoring list.

It's easy to point out the flaws in Iverson's game. He's a ball dominant, low efficient guard with no natural position. He should be a shooting guard by the nature of his game, but his diminutive figure makes him poor defensively and a liability on that end of the floor.

The way Iverson handled the Memphis situation was wrong, and it's likely true that Iverson may be the hardest player in NBA history around whom to build a team, as teams should be filled with defensive players and shooters who are capable of playing off of the ball.

But overall, this is a sad day for the NBA. We as fans have lost one of the generation's most influential athletes. For all that's wrong in his game, it's indisputable that Iverson is also one of the most accomplished players ever to have stepped onto an NBA court.

His career was filled with accolades. Iverson was the consensus Rookie of the Year in 1996, made 10 All-Star appearances, made seven All-NBA teams, won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2000-2001, won multiple All-Star game MVPs, and won four NBA Scoring Titles. Few others possess a similar resume to Iverson.

He paved the way for the young guards today, players such as Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis. They are the small guys that can get into the lane at anytime and finish with the best of them. This is similar to the extent that Julius Erving changed the game with his high-flying, athletic game, but obviously to a much lesser extent.

Of course, it's unavoidable that we go back to the fact that Iverson has seemingly finished his career without the ultimate prize—an NBA Championship. It's more controversial than other similar cases, such as Karl Malone or Charles Barkley, due to the fact that many argue that Iverson's game isn't conducive to winning basketball games.

It's sad that his career has ended the way it has. He handled the Memphis situation the wrong way, complaining about minutes nearly immediately after he was inserted into the lineup, and refusing to play through it to prove his point over starting in place of Mike Conley.

The infamous, "We talkin' bout practice?," the cornrows, and the demeanor that he carried are what we'll likely remember the most.

The flaws in his game are apparent, but let's remember him for what he did for the game.

Over the past decade or so, we have all witnessed one of the greatest volume scorers ever to have played the game—the run to the NBA Finals and the 48-point Game One in the Finals against the undefeated Los Angeles Lakers.

With the MVP and the scoring titles, he is one of the most athletically gifted players ever to have played—the steals and the flash of one of the NBA's most popular players during his prime.

He isn't a hero. In fact he's far from it, but he isn't the enemy either.

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