Orlando Magic's Tracy McGrady has been traded to the Houston Rockets in a blockbuster deal that sent Steve Francis to the Magics, giving the Rockets one of the NBA's most intriguing duos featuring Chinese Yao Ming.

　　The deal, which had been talked about for nearly two weeks, also sent forward Juwan Howard and guards Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines to the Rockets. The Magics will secure the services of guard Cuttino Mobley and forward Kelvin Cato.

　　McGrady, a two-time NBA scoring champion, now joins 2.26-meter Yao Ming to form a combination that potentially could be as dominant as the Los Angeles Lakers' three-time title twosome of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.

　　And with the Lakers splintering apart since coming up short in the NBA Finals, Houston immediately looks like a serious championship contender in the Western Conference next season.

　　Francis, Mobley and Yao led the Rockets to the playoffs last season for the first time in five years. Houston lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round.