T-Mac won't hold anything back
Neither side will be feeling the love when Tracy McGrady returns to Orlando for a game tonight.
By Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted October 23, 2004
You didn't really expect Tracy McGrady to tiptoe quietly into TD Waterhouse Centre tonight under the cover of darkness and in the 7-foot-6 shadow of Yao Ming, did you?
Of course not.
T-Mac is back to face the Orlando Magic as a member of the Houston Rockets, making his first appearance since their contentious parting this summer.
He never held his tongue during four dramatic and traumatic seasons with the Magic. So he wasn't about to keep his opinions to himself upon his return to play his old team in a rare preseason soap opera. Launching pointed comments as easily as 3-pointers, T-Mac:
<LI>Downplayed General Manager John Weisbrod's moves to make over the team after trading him;
<LI>Questioned whether Johnny Davis could be effective as a head coach; and
<LI>Warned Magic fans that booing him only makes him play better.
McGrady was the centerpiece of the franchise's biggest blockbuster deal. He was sent to the Rockets, along with forward Juwan Howard and guards Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines for guards Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and center Kelvin Cato.
Tip-off to the bizarre Magic-Rockets reunion is 7 p.m.
McGrady signed with the Magic as a free agent in 2000 after leaving the Toronto Raptors, thrilled to be closer to his hometown of Auburndale. He blossomed into a star and thought he'd retire with the Magic, but their relationship ended in an ugly divorce this summer.
McGrady clashed with Weisbrod and, before the season ended, asked the Magic to trade him.
With the club recording a league-worst 21-61 record, T-Mac saw no playoff potential in Orlando. He could opt out of his contract after this upcoming season, leaving the Magic without compensation. His frustration with having to carry the load had affected his attitude. He distanced himself from his teammates and publicly criticized them.
Believing McGrady's return was detrimental to a team needing a fresh start, Weisbrod made the controversial trade.
Weisbrod has been praised for getting three starters for McGrady and making the Magic a deeper team. But McGrady says, "He [Weisbrod] didn't have to do much.
"It's quite simple when you trade a guy of my value. By just trading me you're going to get a lot of good things back."
Weisbrod also made it clear that the franchise would no longer cater to a superstar such as McGrady. The club's colorless slogan this season -- "Total Team Effort" -- not only reflects Weisbrod's philosophy, but, indirectly, takes a swipe at T-Mac's legacy.
McGrady, who won two scoring titles with the Magic, maintains that management never provided him with enough help after Grant Hill virtually disappeared with a nagging ankle injury. "Come on," he said. "You saw what happened the last four years when I was there."
T-Mac didn't want to rehash what led to his trade or talk much about Weisbrod.
"I really don't care. I got a great GM [Rockets General Manager Carroll Dawson]," said McGrady, speaking from Houston by cell phone. "I can't go back to when or what happened in Orlando. I'll just say things weren't looking too good down there.
"I love where I'm at. I'm so happy. Houston is everything I've been looking for. It's a first-class operation. I love this situation, absolutely."
McGrady believes the Magic "have some talent," especially if Hill and Pat Garrity stay healthy.
He said "they're pretty good" but then added, "so the only thing then is probably coaching."
Asked to clarify if he was criticizing Davis, who took over after Doc Rivers was fired early last season, McGrady said, "I think they have a lot of talent. If they don't go far and do everything that's expected, it's because of coaching."
McGrady said he doesn't have anything to prove to the Magic in a preseason game. But on this stage, he just might try to tweak Weisbrod with a 30-point reminder. "The people there know what I can do," he said. "I am excited. I'm looking forward to it, but I'm always excited about going home to Orlando."
McGrady, averaging 15.8 points in limited preseason work, said he would not be surprised if Magic fans boo him.
"You have fans who are fair-weather fans," he said. "It is what it is. Obviously, they didn't understand my situation and what was going on. So, no, I won't be surprised if I'm booed. I've been in this situation before.
"I don't care if they boo. It makes me play my best ball."
McGrady is already getting routinely booed in another country: Canada.
"I feel good coming home [to Orlando]. The last few seasons, I'd talk to a lot of season-ticket holders who'd say, 'If you leave, we understand.' They knew about our struggles and people were like, 'We wondered why it took you so long [to become frustrated],'" he said.
"That makes me feel good. The people who boo me, after what I did down there, . . . they're selfish people. They don't care. It tells me that all they care about is when I scored 40 or 50 points (in a game)."
McGrady is excited about his basketball future in Houston and playing with Yao. But, curiously enough, he has yet to sign an extension. NBA sources say that T-Mac wants to first see if he can play with Yao and if the Rockets are headed in the right direction.
"The contract [he'll receive a maximum deal] is not the problem," McGrady said. "There are a lot of things to think about before you sign on the dotted line. You have to make sure everything is right."
Brian Schmitz can be reached at bschmitz@orlandosentinel.com
Now the 100,000 dollar question:
Where are all the good ol' NBA players I am more familiar with went?
Is the only left in the league some guys who want only their personal fame and success? Aren't we have that already and it's called "Hollywood"?
Neither side will be feeling the love when Tracy McGrady returns to Orlando for a game tonight.
By Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted October 23, 2004
You didn't really expect Tracy McGrady to tiptoe quietly into TD Waterhouse Centre tonight under the cover of darkness and in the 7-foot-6 shadow of Yao Ming, did you?
Of course not.
T-Mac is back to face the Orlando Magic as a member of the Houston Rockets, making his first appearance since their contentious parting this summer.
He never held his tongue during four dramatic and traumatic seasons with the Magic. So he wasn't about to keep his opinions to himself upon his return to play his old team in a rare preseason soap opera. Launching pointed comments as easily as 3-pointers, T-Mac:
<LI>Downplayed General Manager John Weisbrod's moves to make over the team after trading him;
<LI>Questioned whether Johnny Davis could be effective as a head coach; and
<LI>Warned Magic fans that booing him only makes him play better.
McGrady was the centerpiece of the franchise's biggest blockbuster deal. He was sent to the Rockets, along with forward Juwan Howard and guards Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines for guards Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and center Kelvin Cato.
Tip-off to the bizarre Magic-Rockets reunion is 7 p.m.
McGrady signed with the Magic as a free agent in 2000 after leaving the Toronto Raptors, thrilled to be closer to his hometown of Auburndale. He blossomed into a star and thought he'd retire with the Magic, but their relationship ended in an ugly divorce this summer.
McGrady clashed with Weisbrod and, before the season ended, asked the Magic to trade him.
With the club recording a league-worst 21-61 record, T-Mac saw no playoff potential in Orlando. He could opt out of his contract after this upcoming season, leaving the Magic without compensation. His frustration with having to carry the load had affected his attitude. He distanced himself from his teammates and publicly criticized them.
Believing McGrady's return was detrimental to a team needing a fresh start, Weisbrod made the controversial trade.
Weisbrod has been praised for getting three starters for McGrady and making the Magic a deeper team. But McGrady says, "He [Weisbrod] didn't have to do much.
"It's quite simple when you trade a guy of my value. By just trading me you're going to get a lot of good things back."
Weisbrod also made it clear that the franchise would no longer cater to a superstar such as McGrady. The club's colorless slogan this season -- "Total Team Effort" -- not only reflects Weisbrod's philosophy, but, indirectly, takes a swipe at T-Mac's legacy.
McGrady, who won two scoring titles with the Magic, maintains that management never provided him with enough help after Grant Hill virtually disappeared with a nagging ankle injury. "Come on," he said. "You saw what happened the last four years when I was there."
T-Mac didn't want to rehash what led to his trade or talk much about Weisbrod.
"I really don't care. I got a great GM [Rockets General Manager Carroll Dawson]," said McGrady, speaking from Houston by cell phone. "I can't go back to when or what happened in Orlando. I'll just say things weren't looking too good down there.
"I love where I'm at. I'm so happy. Houston is everything I've been looking for. It's a first-class operation. I love this situation, absolutely."
McGrady believes the Magic "have some talent," especially if Hill and Pat Garrity stay healthy.
He said "they're pretty good" but then added, "so the only thing then is probably coaching."
Asked to clarify if he was criticizing Davis, who took over after Doc Rivers was fired early last season, McGrady said, "I think they have a lot of talent. If they don't go far and do everything that's expected, it's because of coaching."
McGrady said he doesn't have anything to prove to the Magic in a preseason game. But on this stage, he just might try to tweak Weisbrod with a 30-point reminder. "The people there know what I can do," he said. "I am excited. I'm looking forward to it, but I'm always excited about going home to Orlando."
McGrady, averaging 15.8 points in limited preseason work, said he would not be surprised if Magic fans boo him.
"You have fans who are fair-weather fans," he said. "It is what it is. Obviously, they didn't understand my situation and what was going on. So, no, I won't be surprised if I'm booed. I've been in this situation before.
"I don't care if they boo. It makes me play my best ball."
McGrady is already getting routinely booed in another country: Canada.
"I feel good coming home [to Orlando]. The last few seasons, I'd talk to a lot of season-ticket holders who'd say, 'If you leave, we understand.' They knew about our struggles and people were like, 'We wondered why it took you so long [to become frustrated],'" he said.
"That makes me feel good. The people who boo me, after what I did down there, . . . they're selfish people. They don't care. It tells me that all they care about is when I scored 40 or 50 points (in a game)."
McGrady is excited about his basketball future in Houston and playing with Yao. But, curiously enough, he has yet to sign an extension. NBA sources say that T-Mac wants to first see if he can play with Yao and if the Rockets are headed in the right direction.
"The contract [he'll receive a maximum deal] is not the problem," McGrady said. "There are a lot of things to think about before you sign on the dotted line. You have to make sure everything is right."
Brian Schmitz can be reached at bschmitz@orlandosentinel.com
Now the 100,000 dollar question:
Where are all the good ol' NBA players I am more familiar with went?
Is the only left in the league some guys who want only their personal fame and success? Aren't we have that already and it's called "Hollywood"?
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