A multiple-time NBA scoring champ abruptly left his team in the middle of a road trip yesterday, amidst rumors that the longtime superstar and the organization couldn’t come to an agreement on his playing time and role on the court. No, this isn’t Memphis, and this isn’t Allen Iverson. This is about Tracy McGrady, who after being told he wouldn’t play in Houston’s two games this weekend (at Nets, at Cavs), left the Rockets and went home. Nobody affiliated with the Rockets has officially said whether this is one of those, “Call me when you decide to play me, trade me or buy me out,” situations, but it seems obvious enough, right? Read More »

Last year we debuted the “Highs and Lows” system — previewing the NBA season by predicting the respective ceiling and basement for each team. Same theme, different season…

Added: Jonny Flynn, Ramon Sessions, Wayne Ellington, Ryan Hollins, Damien Wilkins, Sasha Pavlovic, Antonio Daniels, Oleksiy Pecherov, Jason Hart, Nathan Jawai, Mark Blount, Henk Norel

Lost: Randy Foye, Mike Miller, Sebastian Telfair, Craig Smith, Rodney Carney, Mark Madsen, Kevin Ollie, Jason Collins, Shelden Williams, Bobby Brown Read More »

When Kevin Love went down with a hand injury this preseason, Minnesota’s frontcourt of Love and Al Jefferson was cut in half. That’s why it made complete sense for them to find a good, young and cheap replacement in the meantime. Enter Nathan Jawai. Read More »

While I don’t know what tomorrow will bring, I have to say that today could be the slowest day of the basketball year. Summer League is over, as is the USA Basketball mini-camp, so what is everybody doing? I have NBA TV on in the office right now, and they literally have nothing to talk about. Read More »

Once upon a time, Drew Gooden would be considered a big-time offseason pickup. And even though he’s technically still a guy who can get you close to a double-double every night (11.9 points, 7.1 boards last season), nobody seems to consider it a big deal that Gooden signed with the Mavs yesterday. Dallas needed depth in the frontcourt after losing Brandon Bass and just missing out on Marcin Gortat (plus Ryan Hollins could leave as a free agent), and Gooden’s one-year deal for $4.5 million isn’t a bad risk. Read More »

There are two realities the Houston Rockets need to accept and address this summer: First, as much as it pains me to say it, Tracy McGrady will never be “T-Mac” again, the dude consistently dropping 30 points a night against any defense in the League and sitting right up there with Kobe and D-Wade in the two-guard hierarchy. And second, Yao Ming is not a reliable superstar and needs to have his minutes monitored closer than a baseball team monitors an ace pitcher’s pitch count. Read More »