Tracy McGrady: Hollywood Or The Windy City
Tracy McGrady (photo. Marc Morrison)
Tracy McGrady says he still has it. After a year of averaging 8.2 points, sandwiched between Houston and New York, T-Mac has officially reached the Iverson zone. While he may not have the inner persistence and the dogged stubborn nature of the Answer, many believe McGrady has even less game left.
He had a brief flirtation with the L.A. Clippers last week, yet McGrady ended up in Chicago on Monday, working out for the Bulls in hopes of landing a spot with one of the best teams in the East. The two sides are at a crossroads, Chicago expects him to fit comfortably into a role as an instant-offense ninth man. McGrady sees himself working back into a starting lineup.
Despite an on-court audition for team officials Monday that one source said raised no significant concerns about his physical condition, McGrady apparently has not convinced the Bulls that he is willing to embrace a secondary role, which is one of two key prerequisites the two-time scoring champ must satisfy to secure a deal from Chicago.
Chicago added Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer to their burgeoning young lineup this summer. Two good pieces, but yet neither one has the creating ability that the two-time scoring champion has. Or once had. That seems to be the big question: Was last season the new rule for T-Mac or was he still recovering from the micro fracture surgery?
About a bench role, McGrady says, “I won’t have a problem, but that’s not what I’m really shooting for. I think, yeah, if I was the player that I was in a Knicks uniform [at the end of last season], I would have no problem coming off the bench. But I’ve worked extremely hard and I’m far from being that player. Trust me. It’s up to me in training camp to prove I’m a starter.”
We will see. For now though, he’s only been linked to two teams: Chicago and the Clippers. Which one is the better fit?
Chicago Bulls
McGrady would fill a need as a bench creator and has both the star player and new coach on his side. Derrick Rose, who says T-Mac was his favorite player as a kid, thinks Chicago will benefit from the seven-time All-Star’s presence even if he can only give half of what McGrady is accustomed to. Tom Thibodeau’s ties to McGrady date back to their time together in Houston (Thibodeau was an assistant). Also, the Bulls’ chairman Jerry Reinsdorf has past connections with McGrady’s agent, Arn Tellem.
All of the pieces seem to fit together. It comes down to how the Bulls’ see T-Mac contributing next season.
First of all, even if McGrady is correct in saying he will return to at least his form of 2008-09 when he averaged 15.6 points for Houston in a shortened season, it’s doubtful he will earn a starting spot. There’s no reason to flank Rose and Carlos Boozer with someone who is a liability on one end of the court (considering he will be at best the third option on offense anyways).
As a backup to Luol Deng, how many minutes could McGrady earn? 20? That might work. Besides Rose, the Bulls really don’t have anyone to create offense. McGrady is no longer what he once was, but I would rather have him in that role on the second unit than whomever else Chicago has.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers brought McGrady in for a workout last week and while it was rumored to be nothing more than a bargaining tool for T-Mac to up his value in Chicago, L.A. took him seriously. With a roster headlined by Baron Davis, Chris Kaman and Blake Griffin, when exactly is McGrady going to get the ball?
Before he came in for a workout with the team, the Clippers’ GM Neil Olshey said, “You’re talking about one of the greatest offensive talents in our game, and if Tracy is motivated and he’s right, and he wants to be with us … how could you not bring him in and take a look?”
While their small forward position leaves a lot to be desired (Ryan Gomes and Rasual Butler probably won’t suffice), signing McGrady won’t fix their problems (perimeter defense and outside shooting). Last season, the team shot just 33 percent from deep and just three teams were worse. McGrady is a career 34 percent shooter from there and hasn’t been a consistent outside threat since he was traded to Houston six years ago.
Last year, the Clippers were 27th in points per game. T-Mac could help as the team’s second playmaker next to Davis. But L.A. was one of the worst teams in the league at defending the three and gave up 102 points per game.
The Clippers will be talented. But they probably won’t be winners, at least not on a playoff level. Would it be worth it?
While McGrady could still prove to have the offensive skills to earn burn in the League, the rest of his game seems to have greatly deteriorated with all of his injuries. The problem is that McGrady is intent on playing for a playoff-caliber team (I guess he thinks the Clippers can make the second season). No team in that position is going to give a guy extended PT if he can’t guard, move or play off the ball.
What do you think? Has McGrady run out of options?
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July 27th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
Scott says:
He should just shut up, say he’ll be a 6th man, and get his ass signed.
Same thing Iverson should’ve done. Then go outplay the dude you’re competing for in the pre-season, regular season and if need be the post-season. The only thing that will get these guys back in a position to start is coming off the bench and showing consistency/durability for as long as it takes which could easily be for a full season and playoffs.
Then maybe next season he has a chance at that starting spot. But no one on a relevant team is going to give him a chance to start.
July 27th, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Heckler says:
if he still wants to start and “be the man”, he should have his agent call Cleveland.
as for chicago and la clips, McGrady fits better with the Clips.
also, I’ve said on this site for YEARS that there are 3 players you MUST be skeptical about signing because the change the ENTIRE way your team is going to play. they change the role players’ role. they change the coaches philosophy and they change the complexion of the locker room. these 3 dont just fit on any team; they become the team.
2 of those players are shaquille o’neal and allen iverson. the other one is…..tracy mcgrady.
July 27th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
karizmatic says:
Why don’t these guys adopt the Grant Hill motto, stay quiet accept whatever role a team is willing to give you and play your way into the starting lineup. If you think you’re a starter why talk about it, just let your play reflect it.
July 27th, 2010 at 5:18 pm
Dapro says:
I don’t get what he said that was wrong. The Bulls signing him can’t hurt their chemistry. If Mac outplays Brewer, Korver, or even Deng then he deserves their spot- simple as that! I see no problem with his comment
July 27th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
Stunnaboy09 says:
T-Mac said all the right things and I believe he could go back to his last year form of 16/5/4 or a little worse than that depending on his minutes. T-Mac of the bench for Chitown has no downside, he sucks on D and is ineffective on offense? No problem play Brewer/Korver/Deng down the stretch. He blows up and has a good game? He plays. The Bulls have NOONE besides Rose who is a potential creator (though CJ Watson has potential) A 2 year 10-11 million deal would be a smart move.
PG Rose/Watson
SG Brewer/Korver
SF Deng/T-Mac/James Johnson
PF Boozer/Gibson
C Noah/K-Thomas
I can see this team winning 50+ games in the east ad making a deep playoff run. Rose pans out into his mini-Wade ceiling and they could make a run at the chip.
July 27th, 2010 at 5:37 pm
100k says:
LOL @ Mac still thinking he can be more than a 6th man. I’m a Knicks fan and watched him play since he came to us last year…dude is cooked
July 27th, 2010 at 5:40 pm
BV says:
I wouldn’t want TmAC to sign with the Bulls if I was a Bulls fan for the simple reason that he still thinks he’s got it and isn’t willing to be a role-player coming off the bench.
July 27th, 2010 at 6:25 pm
vince says:
sorry clippers just signed marqus blakely. no tmac there.
July 27th, 2010 at 6:31 pm
Swoopster says:
The management of the Chicago Bulls must be a little slow.
They do not want some one as a backup that is trying to get better so he can be a starter. No, these guys want someone that is mediocre and wants to stay that way. It is easy to see that the management is not as eager to win games as their players are. Either fire some of these guys in management or reduce their pay (a lot). Without another playmaker they are going nowhere, which seems to be just fine with them.
July 27th, 2010 at 6:56 pm
D. Head says:
The thing that I cant understand is that from tiny tot ball is you are taught to play hard so if he was to come in and outplay deng why not give him the starting spot as long as it doesn’t harm the chemistry of the team because everyone already knows it’s D.Rose team anyway. he just wants to start. Thats what you are taught that you want to start and be on the floor at the end of the game.
July 27th, 2010 at 6:58 pm
s.bucketz says:
soooo….the nba issued a warning to all teams not to contact cp3 or his agent threatening w/ fines and suspensions and shit like that…but they do absolutely nothing about ru paul, dwayne wayne and jebron lames givin each other handjobs and zjs all summer long???
no team should be having communications with Chris Paul or his agent or representative about a potential trade for Paul that have not been authorized in advance by the New Orleans Hornets.”
The memo, sources said, also threatens penalties for any such communications that could potentially include “suspension of the offending person, prohibition of the offending team from hiring the person being tampered with, forfeiture of draft picks and individual and/or team fines of up to $5 million.”
Read more: http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/68392/20100727/nba_issues_memo_warning_teams_about_contact_with_paul/#ixzz0uvV21gmy
July 27th, 2010 at 6:59 pm
KD says:
I can usnderstand why some ppl want him, and some don’t want him, there are some good reasons to get him, and some reasons to be a skeptic. To simply bash the dude, just makes you sound bitter.
Give him a chance explain to him that he’d actually have to work for that starting position, what he does from there will show where his head is.
I love the guy, but karizmatic said it best, I just wish that he’ll keep it quit and get signed already.
July 27th, 2010 at 7:02 pm
KD says:
*quiet*
July 27th, 2010 at 7:10 pm
ab_40 says:
it’s not how you start a game.. it’s how you end it
July 27th, 2010 at 7:13 pm
KD says:
@s.bucketz, that would be anyone in the front office of the team or coaching staff. You can’t stop players that are also friends from talking to one another during the off season. Yeah, someone may have helped D Wade along with the thought process of getting LBJ and C Bosh, but I believe DWade did all the talking.
July 27th, 2010 at 7:15 pm
Stunnaboy09 says:
@ab_40
I think it is “It’s not who starts the game, its who ends it”
Being a starter is overrated in the league, its about th minutes you play. I’d rather be Jamal Crawford and come off the bench and get serious clutch time minutes than be Marvin Williams ad start yet do nothing.
@s.bucketz
I think it is because of the Miami big 3 that the NBA is making an example out of CP3.
July 27th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
LakeShow84 says:
Honestly TMac used to be one of my favorite players back in his heyday..
BUT
I got EXTREME disdain for players who play for status and not for greatness.. ESPECIALLY when they have it in their reach.. Dude aint even concerned about kickin the whole first round issue.. BOUT TO SIGN WITH THE CLIPPERS?!?! Ni$$a u still think you got it like that?? WTF??
Whats he going to do in the Bizarro LA world?? Drop weak #’s and his team wont sniff the playoffs and if they do they gonna get WHACKED in the nose cuz it’ll be over after that.. Unless Blake is as advertised but i digress lol
Another player who, as heckler said, doesnt care about the TEAM but rather showing people his style is still relevant.. SO WACK TMAC, SO WACK..
Your career is almost over and there is something GOLD missin in there and all he cares about is showing people he can still go out and drop 20ppgs..
Half the people who score 20ppgs are so irrelevant some of us dont even notice.. u would think maturity would quench that thirst..
July 27th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
sh!tfaced says:
Whatever they all say, T-Mac can still be the man
…in CHINA!
July 27th, 2010 at 9:43 pm
Promoman says:
Putting Tracy McGrady in the malcontent category is insane. If anything, people should take what he said as a positive. One of the biggest criticisms attached to T-Mac is that he’s not competitive. He showed that he was willing to prove that he put his work in. Allen Iverson has never shown that and nobody has documented him putting in offseason training time in.
July 27th, 2010 at 10:24 pm
the cynic says:
I would be pretty surprised if Chicago signed Tmac, since Thibodeau already knows that Tmac doesn’t even pretend to try and play defense. He fits better with the Clips
July 27th, 2010 at 10:33 pm
Ryan Carpel says:
Tracy Mcgrady messed up any chance of landing on the bench for the Bulls. If he was a little more political about his comments after the workout that could have helped his odds. Right now the Bulls need pieces to make the team a strong 12 guys that all add positive value. At this point Tracy brings a quasi negative vibe. I think the Bulls at this point would be better off bringing in Eddie House or Shannon Brown. I really like Eddie House’s demeanor and playmaking capabilities beyond the arc. Shannon Brown might be seen as a replication of Ronnie Brewer; hence, not bringing enough different qualities to the table. Furthermore, we probably will see the Bulls ink Eddie House to a one year deal given their coaches ties to him when he was Celtic.
Thanks,
Ryan Carpel
July 28th, 2010 at 1:12 am
OneZero says:
Eddie House should get a contract, he can lights it up, but how come nobody’s trying to sign him
as for T-Mac, why cant David Kahn take a chance and sign him? I mean..the Wolves’s roster already sucks anyway, why cant he give it a try, and T-mac might just accept.
July 28th, 2010 at 1:14 am
C.B says:
i dont get whats the problem. He said he’s willing to take a bench role, and he’ll work in training camp to prove that he’s a starter..that’s what every player is suppose to do, so why is everyone complaining and saying he wants to be the man? just shut up fools
July 28th, 2010 at 1:18 am
Drew Wonder says:
@s.bucketz
the big difference is Wade, Bron, and Bosh were free agents. And CP is under contract with the Hornets.
July 28th, 2010 at 5:08 am
datnigga says:
There’s a difference between not being able to play D and electing not too. I’ve seen tmac shut down kobe and his cuz Vince. A lot of you guys forget if he heal and nearly as good as he was b4 he started hurting he’s better then 80 percent of the league. Give him a chance.
July 28th, 2010 at 8:28 am
jerry smith says:
in my opinion,there are few good choice for Tracey McGrady,one, Chiago Bull, L.A Laker,New York Knick.Miami.
If tracey Mcgrady want a championship, Miami and Laker one of both is the best choice, of coure, i really hope that he will go to Laker,cuase pill jackson is a good coach and he know how to arrange Tracey and how to make him enter the whole team.and Tracey will have more time to show and will be a big help for Laker;but Laker cant offer a high salary to Tracey.Of course Miami is a good choice.Bulls and Knick both of them are ok.
For Championship, Please go to Laker.
July 28th, 2010 at 11:21 am
Darvin33 says:
I´m not sure about that, besides being a huge fan of tmac, i dont really think that he has much left to give. Chicago would be the best choice as he could play as a small forward, coming off the bench or as a starter. Deng is a good player, maybe a best defender than mcgrady, but we cant compare him to mcgrady, tmac skills are supreme…
July 28th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
POPPI GEE says:
Chicago needs to sign dude and stop playing. They need T-Mac and he needs them. He is saying all of the right things and doing what needs to be done. He is totally right he should have a right to earn the starting spot. If he does that well he deserves it, and if not sit on the bench.
I don’t see the prob.
July 28th, 2010 at 3:00 pm
POPPI GEE says:
Well it’s not apparently happening with the Bulls.
Why not T-Mac in Minnesota or Cleveland?
I understand he wants to play for a contender. Thing is no contenders really want to be bothered with dude starting or at all at this point (seems like overseas is calling).
Yet if he really wants to recreate himself why not do it in Minny or Cleveland?
Just a thought?
I know it’s more on him than teams but he really is black-balling himself at this point.