Tracy McGrady Out for the Season: What's the Effect on the Houston Rockets?

Today, ESPN reported that Tracy McGrady will be out for the season due to micro-fracture knee surgery on his ailing left knee.  The same knee that has left him in and out of the Houston Rockets starting lineup all season.

Many questions arise from this breaking news, but one comes to the forefront:

Will this break the Rockets for the rest of the season?

If there is one thing that the Rockets have shown, it's that they have a way of dealing with injuries that have handicapped their lineup over the past four years. The Rockets bench is the deepest they've had since the '90s. Von Wafer has stepped up to take McGrady's place in the lineup and has filled in nicely.

But will this be enough?

As a loyal Rockets' fan, of course I will be optimistic, cautious but optimistic. However, I think this is the right move for McGrady and for the Rockets. This way, McGrady can take his time rehabbing his knee and come back strong next season.

But how is this good for the Rockets?

Take last night for example. The Rockets beat the Nets 114-88 in a game that showed why the Rockets will make the playoffs and contend in the Western Conference. They moved the ball crisply and allowed Rick Adelman's offense to flow like it should. Yao has become the key player for the Rockets, not McGrady, and it is showing with the inside-out offense.

With the trade deadline looming, there have been rumors of the Rockets shopping McGrady around the league, which I think is the worst move possible.  They should let him go under the knife now and reap the rewards next season.

He must have a great season in order to vault into the category of elite players along with Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwayne Wade to get a contract in the 2010 offseason.

But, the Rockets are holding another trading chip. Ron Artest has been linked to many trade rumors, and as a package deal with Luther Head, that could possibly bring a great return.

Vince Carter has been linked to the Rockets in a possible trade with the Nets, and while he proved he can still score, with 30 last night, I do not think this in the team's best interest.

Let's stick with our original blueprint. Ron-Ron may not bring the offense to make up for McGrady, but the system will make up for that. In a few months, the Rockets will be a very good team.

Are they good enough to make it past the first round? Yes. The second round? Yes. The Finals?

We will see.