Tmac's charitable acts are very commendable and I think he is a good person at heart outside of the context of basketball. That has little to do with evaluating whether he fits with the Rockets long term though. I think for the most part Tmac says things that some fans take negatively with out him even realising what he is doing until someone else criticises him. I don't think he purposely says things to hurt the rockets, I just think he is so self centered that he doesn't even consider how his words might impact or be taken by anyone else until after the fact. Still, if Tmac was completely healthy every year and was able to lead the team to post season success, his comments and media blunders would be minor blips on the radar. Tmac inability to stay healthy every year is the reason I am ready for him to move on, much more so than anything he has said. The media blunders just make it easier to do so. It's completely possible that he comes back healthy and has a great season, but even so I would not feel comfortable resigning him because I think it's just a matter of time til he gets hurt again. Likewise with Yao to be honest.
What do you get when you combine sheer ignorance with douchebaggery? The reason he made the movie was to spread awareness of a really bad situation in Darfur. He made the movie because they ASKED him to do so -- they asked him to use his celebrity status to help spread the word, and because there was little he could do by himself. Ugh. Some people on this BBS disgust me at times.
I'm a Lakers fan and it's really sad to see what some of you Rockets fans say about players on your own team. Even Laker fans wishes T-Mac the best for his comeback because bottom line, this guy at full health, is the closest to Kobe to anyone in the league. He is a straight up beast. Injuries will happen often to a player whos had to take such a load over the years. To even think this team is better without T-Mac is down right ridiculous. Just like your team isn't better without Yao. Looking back at the past game with the Lakers and Dallas. I bet alot of you were wishing T-Mac was out there. He's got something this team lacks and needs desperately if you guys wish to see a push in the playoffs. A player who has the killer instinct to take over games, demands double, triple teams, a player who can create for others. When it comes playoff time, there's no question this guy takes his game to a whole new level. And for the record, a healthy T-Mac in last years playoffs would've taken you guys to the second round and I'm sure would've even knocked my team out in 6 games. To me you guys were the 2nd best team in the NBA last year. You guys are doing well for one reason. Something no team in this league can't achieve no matter how many practices, how much talent they have. Pure heart. If only your fans had a bit of that. Come next year, healthy Yao, healthy T-Mac, best supporting cast in the NBA. I'll put my love for the Lakers aside when I say this. Will be the best team in the NBA no matter what happens in the free agent madness. and we want Ariza back k thx.
Things are not being said bout "players on our own team," they are being said about Tracy McGrady. Things are not being said about Chuck Hayes, Shane Battier, Luis Scola, Carl Landry, etc. Things are not being said about people who actually play in Rockets uniform and have not behaved like a douche. They are being said about Tracy McGrady.
You've never watched McGrady play other than highlights and youtube clips, have you? Kill instinct? Wow.
LOL how on earth could you criticize Tracy for his efforts in Darfur when you have not even seen the movie? Ha.
Are you seriously telling me when no one else is making shots on the team that T-Mac would be afraid to shoot that ball and take the game into his own hands? I'm sure everyone would agree T-Mac would've changed that Dallas game in the second half and the Lakers game at the end.
You guys go on a streak when Yao was out and say you guys are better off without him. You guys do well and say you're better off without T-Mac. Same guy who put everything out there come playoff time and didn't succeed because he never had a squad around him like you guys have now and last year. Same guy who helped take this team to 22 in a row. You guys are quick to turn your backs on your own players. Not all of you but some of you. You guys want T-Mac gone? What are you gonna get for him? More role players? hahaha come on. Give the guy a chance to prove himself. Actions speak louder than words.
Yes, I had my skepticism of the movie. Tracy seems to have that affect on people when he's involved. But as I said, he should be applauded for what he has done in Darfur but its hard to tell when you're sincere with the way he conducts himself with his other ventures.
If Tmac didn't have health problems we likely wouldn't be having this conversation. But he does, and it is unlikely that they will stop even if he is able to make a complete recovery and play at a high level again this year. It's just a matter of time til the next injury sidelines him indefinitely. He has never played a full season in his career, and it seems extremely unlikely that he going to become more durable as he ages. He has missed 164 games in the 6 years prior to this season, plus every game this year so far. That is over two complete 82 game NBA seasons. He hasn't been out of the first round so he hasn't picked up much mileage in the playoffs. He can be extremely good when healthy, but he is just too injury prone and when he continues to make public relation blunders he just compounds his problems. By comparison, Kobe who has a ton more playoff mileage and entered the NBA a year before TMac has only missed 40 games in the last 6 years prior to this season and has played in every game this year. Six years ago when Tmac was in Orlando, Kobe and Tmac were comparable. Over the last six years that gap has gradually and steadily grown in Kobe's favor.
I agree with you completely but I was talking about skill wise and not achievements. True this guy is extremely injury prone just like Yao. But there's just no denying what he can bring to this team at full health and doctors are saying hes going to be 100% this year. When that time comes, I'd love to see what he can bring to this team. This team has flaws and T-Mac is the answer to most of them.
Tracy McGrady has one major fault: His mouth. His second major flaw is that He does coast during the regular season as well, but in the playoffs he does try his best and elevates his level of play. Those two flaws speak NOTHING of him as a person, and for many people on this website to question his humanitarian efforts because he isn't the basketball player they want him to be is ridiculous. You are a hater. Plain and simple.
You're off your rocker if you think McGrady has a "killer instinct." That's been the knock on him his whole career. Who the hell else leads team after team to playoff losses after going up 2-0 and 3-1 in the series. Is he a playmaker? Yes. Can he make difficult shots? Yes. The problem is there are a whole lot of other things he does not do. One of which is get his team mates involved in the offense in any manner other than making them spot up shooters.
He is NEVER 100% healthy and no doctors claim he is 100% healthy or will be. They say the knee will be 100% healed when he returns to the court. That doesn't make him any less injury prone for the future nor does it change the fact that he is over 30 and was losing athleticism 4 years ago. Tmac is gone. McGrady is a question mark.
Jason Kidd with his 30 somewhat to 40 years is a triple double threat relying mostly on his skills than athleticism. McGrady still has his enormous wing span to bother the opponent and the court vision to set up plays and the dribbling ability. Size you cannot teach and that does make a difference. See AI, undersized guard. The question whether he can benefit the team, I would say yes.
No doubt he can be a very, very effective player without his athleticism. His court vision, (and as you stated) length are things he will never lose. I just think there are some people out there that think the knee was all that was keeping him from being the guy he was at 25 and I think that is absurd. At best, we can hope for the 07-08 McGrady in terms of athleticism. I worry if even that version can come back and contribute more to the team than he takes way with his inconsistent defense but more importantly his "I drive or shoot and the rest of you stand around at the 3 point line and wait for me to pass" offense. Everyone needs to touch the ball often for this offense to work. We know from previous statements that McGrady doesn't like that.
