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[CHRON] McGrady and Rockets to part ways, seek a trade

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by t-mac_#3_SG, Dec 29, 2009.

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  1. t-mac_#3_SG

    t-mac_#3_SG Member

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    Tracy McGrady’s tenure with the Rockets, which began with predictions of multiple championships and “great things happening in the city of Houston,” is likely over after six seasons of highlights, controversies and great, but largely unrealized potential.

    With Rockets coach Rick Adelman unable to predict when McGrady will get significant playing time, McGrady’s representatives Monday asked that the Rockets trade McGrady, according to a person with the Rockets with knowledge of the decision.

    Rockets general manager Daryl Morey agreed Monday to try to trade McGrady during talks with McGrady’s representatives.

    Morey declined comment Monday.

    McGrady, 30, was granted an indefinite leave of absence while the Rockets seek a trade. A person with knowledge of the Rockets’ talks said no trade is imminent but added the Rockets had not been aggressive in seeking a deal, a stance that likely will change.

    McGrady, a 6-8 guard/forward, said last week he hoped to sign with the Rockets again next offseason to remain in Houston, but that if he is traded, “Whoever gets me is going to get a “hungry player.

    “I don’t care if I go to the damn moon,” he said. “It doesn’t matter.”

    McGrady is in the final season of the extension he signed with the Rockets before the 2004-05 season. That makes his contract worth roughly $23 million, potentially valuable to a team seeking to rid itself of rich, long-term contracts.

    The Rockets likely would be willing to take back a longer contract if it also gets them a player they wanted. But they could not make that sort of trade happen when McGrady’s salary was covered by insurance. Such a deal could be even tougher with McGrady not playing, though trades motivated by salary-cap implications are more common closer to the Feb. 18 trade deadline.

    A two-time scoring champion and seven-time All-Star, McGrady averaged 3.2 points while playing 7.7 minutes per game this season. He made seven of 19 shots. Of his 19 points, 10 came in one game, a week ago against the Clippers.

    Wanting more

    McGrady had said he had agreed with the plan to limit his playing time to seven to eight first-half minutes while coming back from February’s microfracture knee surgery. But after Wednesday’s game in Orlando, his sixth since returning to the court, he said he was ready for a larger role.

    “I’ve been hungry since I came back from my surgery,” he said. “I rededicated myself, refocused, moved to Chicago, worked out the whole summer there. It was every day just grinding, just pushing. I’m not even supposed to be playing right now so that really tells you how hard I’ve been working. I wasn’t supposed to be playing until January or February. If you asked anybody who had (microfracture surgery) it probably took them a year to really feel full strength. I feel fine right now.”

    With McGrady likely to never play for the Rockets again, his time with the team will end a mix of spectacular moments, but unfulfilled promise.

    McGrady’s top-scoring season with the Rockets was his first (2004-05) when he averaged 25.7 points with 6.2 rebounds and 5.7 assists. He entered this season averaging 23.1 points per game with the Rockets.

    But he struggled with injuries through much of his six seasons in Houston, playing only 47 games in 2005-06 because of back issues and 35 games last season because of the knee problems that led to his microfracture surgery.

    Pressing forward

    He has been a second- or third-team All-NBA selection in three of his first five seasons with the Rockets. The team never advanced past the first round of the playoffs until last season when McGrady was sidelined.

    Whether because of the relative success in recent seasons when McGrady has been out, or the frequency of the Rockets’ lineup changes, teammates said they are not distracted by the latest issues with McGrady.

    “We just keep going,” guard Aaron Brooks said. “Everybody has a job to do. It’s the same old story. Nothing changes.

    “We always wish the best for Tracy. We can’t do anything about what goes on with them. You guys are about the only ones talking about it. We don’t talk about it. We let that happen. We let it play out. We might joke about it. We might joke about the media talking about it. That’s about it.”

    Odd man out

    Even after McGrady received permission Saturday to return to Houston, most teammates said they did not know until they boarded the bus in New Jersey.

    “We don’t think about it and don’t let it affect us,” forward/center Chuck Hayes said. “We stay focused and get ready for the game. We only have control of the game and how we play. It is an on again, off again type deal. But our opinion doesn’t matter. We just play the game. We just see what you write.”

    With McGrady limited, Adelman said he was unsure how to use McGrady and maintain the style and chemistry that led to the Rockets’ 18-13 start. McGrady did not seem to be in the plans.

    “We want to win as many games as we can,” Adelman said. “We want to be the best team we can be and we want to develop our young players.”

    - Jonathan Feigen

    http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/6789894.html
     
  2. HTown_TMac

    HTown_TMac Member

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  3. Egghead

    Egghead Member

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    Rockets draft 7'6 Center Yao Ming out of China
     
  4. IROC it

    IROC it Contributing Member

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    That's no moon.
     
  5. iamnets5

    iamnets5 Member

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    Best wish to T-Mac!
     
  6. lpbman

    lpbman Member

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    Thanks,
    Bye!
     
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