The case of the Houston Rockets vs. Tracy McGrady appears to be nearing its end.
The two parties came to a mutual agreement on Monday that the Rockets will look to trade the seven-time All-Star.
In the time being, he will be away from the team. In short, his days as a Rocket are done.
McGrady averaged 3.2 points in 7.7 minutes in six games this season, making 7 of 19 shots
He has appeared slow and of little confidence on both ends of the floor since his return from microfracture surgery, settling for way too many outside jump shots while showing little ability to contest the league’s top players defensively.
It is clear since day one of this season that coach Rick Adelman and the Rockets wanted no part of McGrady.
They didn’t see the ways of McGrady – who needs the ball in his hands to be effective and often has to dominate play to be satisfied – fitting in to this year’s preferred style of quick and precise ball movement, stingy defense and, above all, team basketball.
This final settlement will likely be a breath of fresh air to the Rockets, who surely were feeling the tension between player and team.
This is a young, talented bunch that does not need a distraction, let alone one that is magnified when it involves one of its more talented players.
McGrady, who said re-signing with Houston was his priority once free agency hits next summer and has played the PR role perfectly as the toxic environment has prospered, showed signs of being able to aid the offense by way of his passing ability, as he can see over defenders and deliver the ball where it should go in most cases.
But the fact remains that the uncertainty revolving his future was as big a cloud as any.
No one was sure whether he’d be in Houston long-term, and that has to sit in the back of the minds of his teammates, even if they refuse to publicly admit so.
A similar case is going on in Utah, where free-agent-to-be Carlos Boozer is as good as gone, yet remains a central figure of the Jazz.
“We don’t think about it and don’t let it effect us,” forward Chuck Hayes told the Houston Chronicle. “We stay focus and get ready for the game. We only have control of the game and how we play. It is an on again, off again type deal. But our opinion doesn’t matter. We just play the game.”
Adelman was in a bind. He, of course, did not want to integrate McGrady into this year’s plans, but he also had to “showcase” him to potential trade partners, which reportedly include New York and Miami, and possibly Chicago.
McGrady often played seven to eight minutes in the first half of the games which he participated. Nothing more, nothing less.
“I understand fully seven or eight minutes is not an easy thing for a player to just do, although he knew he was going to play those seven or eight minutes so it was a time to do whatever you can do in those seven or eight minutes,” Adelman told the Chronicle. “If you start putting somebody in the game for 20, 25 minutes, somebody’s not going to play somewhere else. That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Where are we going to go and keep the rest of the guys moving forward.”
It had gotten so bad that Adelman preferred to go with Trevor Ariza (a glorified role player) and rookie Chase Budinger instead of seeing what McGrady could bring to his rejuvenated squad.
It’s a sad ending to the McGrady era in Houston. He will leave second in franchise history in scoring average, fourth in assists average and sixth in 3-pointers made.
Instead of his most remarkable moments – such as scoring 13 points in the final 33 seconds to beat San Antonio – and his status as the best perimeter player in Rockets history, it will be this bitter farewell that will reside prominently in the minds of Houston fans.
He provided a lot of memories (dunk over Shawn Bradley, anyone?). But he provided plenty of disappointment as well (no second-round playoff appearances, and last season does not count as he was not a participant).
Fool’s gold. So tantalizingly talented is Tracy McGrady.
What started as a marriage with such promise and hope, is now a divorce that will leave many wondering how it ever got to this point so quickly.
- Dennis Silva II/The Katy Capsule
