I'm not blaming Tracy, just saying his time has come and gone now. There were a couple chances here for him. The fact that he had JVG or not as good role players, well, you can blame that to bad luck or whatever. In that 22 game streak, he was amazing and came up big in the 4th for us. But can you honestly think that dominant player will be back post microfracture? And if you think he can be more productive in less minutes etc, then what do you pay him ? Is it even worth keeping him then, for lets say 10 mil, or would you take your chances in 2010 with others, or trade him as an expiring to get talent? I like the later options. I agree that we need someone to complement Yao, and to take over in the 4th when we need a bucket, but I dont see that as TMAC anymore. Time to move on IMO.
Haha, funny stuff, would've been on here earlier, but my connection was down for odd reason...but I did post my thoughts on how Tmac could help a good offensive team become better (easier shots) and combine that with a strong defensive team, we can be a top 5 team in the NBA next year. Of course, this depends on his health, but if he's healthy, I believe he can only help us. If not him, we need a player similar to him (Roy, Pierce, Durant, Johnson) or a top notch point guard. Whatever way you look at it, we need that playmaker/scorer and a back up center.
Yao's 7'6, and since when did I ever throw Yao under the bus? Yao is my favorite Rockets player! Get your facts straight before you talk about other people...
How can no one has mentioned Knee-Mac's horrible defence? Remember Stacy got kill by players like Ray Allen?
I don't think that stat-based approach gets to the core issue with T-Mac. And my own personal theory is that the drop-off in efficiency can be heavily tied to the time when he is playing on-court with Artest. T-Mac and Artest are two very good players that make each other worse. Anyway, the core issue is that T-Mac will not gladly accept a reduced role on this team. For the third or fourth time in his career, he will "lose his passion for the game" and bring down the team with his passive-aggressive antics. He needs a fresh start on a new team, where he is not carrying the legacy of being a franchise player. Coming off his recovery, T-Mac will be a good NBA player with an enormous expiring contract. Morey knows how to turn that into an asset for the Rockets, and it does not involve playing him on the roster with Artest next season.
TMac should just be moved on. The guy maybe able to play again but not at his lofty standards anymore. The team is better off in the long run without TMac and his drama. I hope Morey can get a deal done that will benefit both the team and the TMac fans.
Closer??? Are we talking about the same person? Even at his best days, he chose to shoot jump shots 50% of the time when defense pressure is on. Yao still get double-teamed because they'd rather let him shoot.
This team is talented enough to survive without Tracy McGrady. Having T-Mac wouldn't hurt. But that guy isn't coming back.
Now that's just being in denial. How are you going to just say he's not coming back? He's never had an injury like this before, he's treating it well by rehabbing it and everything, so I just want to know how you can come to such a conclusion.
I think in a game like we had on Sunday game 7 against the Lakers is where having a T-Mac would have been huge. When the team isn't clicking offensively and NOBODY is making their shots, at that time, you need a 1 on 1 type scorer. Tmac could have taken over that game, handled the ball, drove to the bucket and made things happen. Once I saw that the team was OFF, I knew it was over becaue we have NOBODY on this team who can create their own shots. And also, don't forget, Mcgrady is one of the few players in NBA history to have significantally BETTER playoff numbers than regular season numbers. Although, the guy hasn't been fortunate enough to make it out of the first round, he always steps his game up in the playoffs, accross the board.
He isn't coming back to the Rockets, I think the organization and his teamates are done with him. That is just my belief, and nothing more... DD
Let's make the fairly big assumption that t-mac's microfracture surgery is successful. He does a good job some of the time to make plays when plays break down, but I don't think he plays very well in the scheme of the offense. He relies on his talent to try to make shots rather than use his talent to break down defenses. On defense he's a liability. He doesn't have the intensity, toughness, or quickness to lock down his man on the ball, which forces his teammates to help. When he keeps doing that in a game, it demoralizes the entire team from playing good defense. We saw that in the month or so before t-mac had surgery that his presence on the court demoralized the whole team from playing good D.
Do you not remember the insane defense he played on Dirk in that 2005 series? Tracy CAN play defense when he has to.
That's what you HOPE happens, but I don't think so. I believe Tmac has a good 5-6 years left in him, he's still young, and I would love to see him stay on the Rockets.
I'm torn about Tracy. I wouldn't mind keeping him and I think he'd add to the team.. still, as usual, too many question marks there. However, I'm more excited about the possibility of adding other people with that 22 million. I'm wondering what popular opinion is about McGrady's resigning price. Would it be realistic to resign him for 10-12 mil?
