Hooped Up

I will not promise you that this is the last Tracy McGrady trade of the day because who knows at this point.

According to ESPN, the Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks have agreed on a three-way deal that will have Tracy McGrady in a Knicks uniform.

The Knicks will also get Sergio Rodriguez from Sacramento. Houston will get Kevin Martin, Jordan Hill and Jared Jeffries from New York and the right to swap first-round picks with the Knicks in 2011 as well as take on New York’s 2012 first-round pick.

Sacramento receives Houston’s Carl Landry, Joey Dorsey and New York’s Larry Hughes.

Yes sir, dem trade winds are a blowing alright!

Coach Mike D’Antoni said the reeling Knicks continue to search for trade opportunities before the Feb. 18 deadline, but with the club starting to fall out of the playoff race, they might be more inclined to do a deal that opens up more 2010 cap space.

D’Antoni said the 2010 free-agency plan is a major factor in any deal, and the Knicks continue to shop Jared Jeffries, whose trade could open up more cap room. Whether a Jeffries trade turns into a roster upgrade is debatable because he’s having a good season.

“The key is it’s got to fit into the plan,” D’Antoni said before the Knicks’ 112-91 loss to the T’wolves last night. “It’s got to be right. I think we as an organization, we’re looking all the time, trying to better the team without messing up the long-term plan. It’s a tricky thing to do.

New York Post

Jared Jeffries did not play in the second half due to a lingering right knee problem, and Al Harrington was also limping noticeably afterward due to chronic left knee soreness. Both are scheduled for MRIs this morning, and their status for tomorrow’s game in Washington is unknown.

Jeffries, who has been the Knicks’ best defensive player, said he was in considerable pain but is also hopeful he will not miss much time, if any. Harrington revealed that he has been playing with his condition for nearly six weeks and believes his sore knee prevented him from getting enough lift when he missed two driving layups in the last 58.9 seconds.

NY Daily News

The Knicks were afraid, very afraid. And it had nothing to do with the Oklahoma City Thunder. For two days, several players had trouble sleeping because they were convinced that their downtown hotel is haunted. ”I definitely believe it,”Jared Jeffries said. “The place is haunted. It’s scary.” Eddy Curry claims he slept for only two hours Sunday night because he couldn’t stop thinking about ghosts roaming the hotel.

For years, guests staying at the Skirvin Hilton have reported ghost sightings and strange noises. Legend has it that sometime in the 1930s, a woman jumped to her death while holding her baby in her hands.

New York Daily News

Another van glorious season of NBA basketball is about to begin and Hooped Up does a quick and dirty preview of all 30 clubs — so lets go!

The torment and torture of being a Knicks fan could end in the summer of 2010, if they’re able to sign a big name free agent like unknown LeBron James, but unless the Knicks bump into Doc Brown and gun it to 2010 today. Expect to see a high powered offence that produces the opposite of wins in 09-10. Read More »

There have been recent conversations between the teams about players, mainly ones the Wizards are interested in on the Knicks roster. But what may come as a surprise is that Wilson Chandler doesn’t appear to be the main ingredient here. In fact, from multiple sources with knowledge of the Wizards’ strategizing, they’re the ones who have inquired about two former Wiz players, Larry Hughes and Jared Jeffries.

The Knicks are all ears.

NY Newsday

After being kicked by a horse, Jared Jeffries will return to the Knicks line up tonight in limited minutes for his season debut.

“There is a lot more that ails the 8-10 Knicks than what the 6-foot-11 Jared Jeffries can cure, but at least it’s a start in the Knicks’ trying to get back their health and competitiveness. Jeffries, who broke his leg on the third day of training camp, is expected to make his season debut tonight when the decimated club faces the Hawks at Atlanta’s Philips Arena. Jeffries expects to play about 15 minutes off the bench and would give the Knicks the size they have lacked all season. Though the Knicks still are decimated in the backcourt, president Donnie Walsh said he believes the Knicks’ injuries up front have been an overlooked factor.”

NY Post

Wilson Chandler this is your lucky day. I have a really strong feeling that Wilson Chandler is going to make his elevated spot in the rotation a permanent one, in the fast paced D’Antoni offense with his athletic ability on display. Dude has mad hops!

“The Knicks announced tonight that Jeffries had suffered a left fibula fracture. It happened in today’s practice when Jeffries made an impressively athletic defensive play for a 6-11 man. He sprinted to catch Stephon Marbury on a fast break and blocked Marbury’s layup attempt from behind. But when he landed, Jeffries said he felt like “a horse kicked me in my shin.”

The Knicks Fix