Rockets' McGrady, coach refute report of heated exchange

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/6731426.html

ATLANTA – Though Tracy McGrady made it clear again that he has grown weary with waiting for Monday's practice and MRI, the Rockets' designated next step toward his return to the court, he and Rockets coach Rick Adelman said Friday that their conversation about it Wednesday was not emotional and that voices were not raised.

Yahoo Sports reported that McGrady and Adelman “engaged in an emotional and sometimes loud closed-door confrontation” after McGrady put on his uniform as if he was going to play.

“It's not even an issue,” McGrady said. “If coach tells you something different, I'd be surprised. I'm here to play basketball. I'm not here to be a distraction. I've been through enough of that drama last year. I'm not going to let it start this year, at all.”

McGrady said that voices were not raised during their conversation.

“No question about it,” he said. “I'm not that type of person and you know coach is not.”

Adelman did not seem upset on Wednesday. McGrady had gone through his usual pregame workout before he returned to the locker room and later changed into his uniform while Adelman conducted his pregame media interview. Adelman later laughed when told that McGrady was in uniform.

Adelman said on Friday that when they met, the conversation did not get loud, but that McGrady did not want to wait for next week to make his season debut. McGrady could not have played at the time he put on the uniform on Wednesday because that night's inactive list had already been turned in.

“I knew I wasn't going to play,” McGrady said. “I saw my uniform. I was excited. I put it on, like a little kid. It felt refreshing to put it on because it was in sight.”

A person with knowledge of NBA insurance policies said that insurance has been paying McGrady's salary since last season. The Rockets have said that doctors chose Nov. 23 for McGrady's MRI based on the time doctors believed he would need following the surgery and the team's practice schedule.

Yahoo reported that McGrady put on the uniform to force Adelman to meet with him. Adelman, however, said McGrady could have spoken with him at any time and that they did talk last week, with Adelman reiterating then and again Wednesday that he would stick with the plan to have McGrady work out and go for an MRI on Monday before any decisions were made. McGrady, however, has not wanted to wait, Adelman said.

“There was a difference of opinion,” Adelman said. “He wasn't going to play. I told him that. That was it. I have no idea what they're talking about. He wants to play. I said ‘you're not.' We're going to wait to next week and then we're going to discuss it. We haven't practiced (since Nov. 9). We're going to just suit him up and throw him out there? No.

“We haven't had any arguments. He wants to know what we're going to do. I don't have an answer for that. This is an issue for doctors and the people who work with him. In my mind, he hasn't practiced enough. He's not ready to play.”

Asked if he was eager for Monday's practice and test, McGrady said, “You have no idea.”

jonathan.feigen@chron.com