Tracy McGrady "I'm playing tonight"

[NovU]

When will T-Mac play more minutes. Tonight again 7 minutes. On the bright side, Landry posted a huge number with no teeth. Good to see him back, but I wonder how Dirk is doing.

[Andrew]

The loss to the Blazers aside, I'd say Dirk's doing OK. 27 points on 10/13 shooting, 41 minutes played.

[Al Ka Pwn]

Looks like Wafer will be providing competition for McGrady.

[Andrew]

Isn't Wafer heading to Memphis?

The Grizzlies moved closer to signing Von Wafer Monday when the free-agent guard went through a series of physicals for the team. Memphis is expected to officially announce the addition of Wafer as soon as today. Wafer, a 6-5 Florida State alum, recently agreed to a buyout with a Greek team, Olympiakos. Wafer last played in the NBA with the Rockets during the 2008-09 season, when he averaged 9.7 points on 44.7-percent shooting. He connected on 39 percent of his 3-point attempts.

[Al Ka Pwn]

could be

Wafer didn't enjoy his time in Greece, and earlier this month reached a dissolution agreement with the club. He had been linked to Memphis of late, but, like Iverson, Wafer has proven you can go home again: the guard will reportedly sign with the Rockets, according to Mark Berman of MyFox Houston.

[Andrew]

I see; the plot thickens.

[shadowgrin]

Houston it is.

Wafer is flying to Houston Tuesday night from Memphis, where he acknowledged he almost signed with the Memphis Grizzlies.

[Abctest123]

Houston it is.

Wafer is flying to Houston Tuesday night from Memphis, where he acknowledged he almost signed with the Memphis Grizzlies.

Not so fast:

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpp/sports/nba/091222-rockets-harris

[Modifly]

Wafer failed his physical test. I wonder why but hopefully it's nothing to do with drugs problem. Bah, I wanted Wafer, but Mike Harris is a decent addition.

[Andrew]

I doubt it, they'd probably specifically report it as a drug violation. I'd say it's more likely his conditioning.

[NovU]

As expected, T-Mac isn't too pleased with his role on the team, and he'll be benched for next two games. Rick wouldn't play him so much and I think he isn't giving him a chance to play at high level where people want him to be at. I know the Rockets are doing really really well right now, but it'd be great to see T-Mac being a bigger part of the team than now.

[Andrew]

If he's willing and able to continue his career and the Rockets have no interest in playing him, then frankly I think the reasonable thing to do would be to try to trade him (easier said than done, of course) or try to negotiate a buyout.

[shadowgrin]

T-Mac is just being a bitch like Nate Robinson.

[Modifly]

You cant really blame a player for wanting to play more minutes, especially someone of Tracy's caliber. In those games he have played in, even though in limited minutes, you can see that he did try to fit in with the new system. He's not demanding the ball and he's not really looking to shoot the ball himself. Both the Rockets and Adelman aren't handling the situation as well as they should right now. The worst thing they could do is bench him for asking more minutes. They should continue to play him and let him earn the minutes he wants and at the same time allow him to adjust himself back into game shape. To be precise, both McGrady and his agent claimed that they have not asked for more playing time, but McGrady only said in an interview after the Magics game that his minutes should be increased by now. And it's not like he's asking to play 30 minutes or something, he just wants to play more than 7 minutes so that he could help the team more. Adelman said that he benched McGrady because he couldn't figure out how to give McGrady more minutes and fit him into the system. Giving McGrady more playing time would mean that other players will get their playing time reduced and that is Adelman's excuse for putting McGrady on the bench for at least the next two games. Sounds like an excuse to me. If Adelman couldn't work out how to give McGrady more minutes he could at least continue to play McGrady for 7-8 minutes a game, not just completely bench him until he figures how. That's just lame. But all that aside, the only reason why McGrady is benched might simply be because he's shown frustation and is dissatisfied with the situation, which causes the Rockets and Adelman to be frustrated in return and decided to not give him any playing time instead of increasing it.

[shadowgrin]

To be precise, both McGrady and his agent claimed that they have not asked for more playing time, but McGrady only said in an interview after the Magics game that his minutes should be increased by now.

If you were the Rockets coach/management, how would you feel if your player 'complains' to the media instead of talking about it to you directly?

Adelman said that he benched McGrady because he couldn't figure out how to give McGrady more minutes and fit him into the system. That's just lame.

Could be true. Instead of having a player of McGrady's caliber complain to the media about increasing his minutes and ruin team chemistry, the Rockets could just bench him which does affect the team chemistry a little but not to a greater extent when T-Mac is playing even with limited minutes.

[Andrew]

There's probably fault on both sides. T-Mac hasn't handled the situation as well as he perhaps could have in making his complaints public (and I'm sure the supposed rift with Adelman goes back to his announcement about his surgery last season) but then who knows, perhaps the Rockets aren't listening so he had to up the ante. At the same time, it sometimes seems like Adelman and the Rockets don't want him back regardless of how healthy he may be or eager to be a part of the team so his frustration is understandable. If they can't work it out, then a trade or buyout would seem to be in order.

[Modifly]

I think the thing about all this is the rift between T-Mac and Adelman. Adelman doesn't like T-Mac. This goes way back to the announcement about the surgery last season, like Andrew said. I think this way because T-Mac and his teammates seems to be really cool with each other. T-Mac has been nothing but supportive this season, before he got playing time he always travel with the team and he was the first person on the bench to stand up and clap or wave his towel everytime the Rockets made a good play. T-Mac has not done this before in his career, which shows that he is really trying to be part of the team. Before his first game back this season Kyle Lowry even excitedly made a twitter post about T-Mac's debut. Carl Landry gave T-Mac a standing ovation when T-Mac first step on the court to show his appreciation for T-Mac's recovery from microfracture surgery. So if T-Mac and his teammates are cool with each other, then it must be Adelman. But then again, there's fault on both sides, just like Andrew had already mentioned. The Rockets could have handled the situation much better right from the start of the season, and T-Mac should have kept his mouth shut and just play hard and practice hard in order to earn the playing time he wants. I think all the problem and drama with T-Mac all boils down to the fact that he talks too much.

[shadowgrin]

Heck, if I were Adelman I would hate T-Mac too. My team finally makes it to the second round after all these years, the players, fans, and management are hyped and are hoping to do better. The team plays hard through the playoffs and then suddenly T-Mac undermines all those efforts by siding with the opposing team...while the series was currently on-going...if that's not a superdickery, I don't know what is.

[Modifly]

I agree with you, but I still think that all these on-going drama should not be a factor in the decision to give a player playing time. If a player can and is willing to help the team on the floor, then it shouldn't matter that much how that player is off the court. Instead of boycotting that player because they dont like him, while he is still on the team, the coaching staff should find ways to insert him in as part of the team so that he could help them on the floor. Playing time should be judge by performance and not personal feelings between the player and coaching staff. That being said, T-Mac might not perform well in practices and such either, that's why he got limited to 8 minutes. Right now I think it's best for the Rockets and T-Mac to part way, be it a trade or a buyout. Both the Rockets and T-Mac need a fresh start that doesn't involve each other. It's too much of a mess to clear up and there's fault to blame on both sides.

[Andrew]

Sending T-Mac home isn't going to resolve anything. Both sides need to sit down and try to work this out and if they can't, immediately proceed to exploring trade options or negotiating a buyout. We don't need to see another Marbury/New York or Tinsley/Indiana type situation unfold.

[Patr1ck]

It's punishment for his decision and announcement to have surgery without consulting the team first.

[nextnba]

You can't trade T-Mac..he's contract is worth 25mil. Looks like Mac will get what he wants, be a pain enough and separation will happen. He may even end up with the lakers now that artist is out for the season.

[Valor]

artist is out for the season.

It's Artest, and Proof please

[Andrew]

Adrian Wojnarowski's take on the matter is fairly glib but probably accurate, though even if T-Mac is a fading star he's probably still capable of being a more noteworthy player than he's currently being given credit for.

You can't trade T-Mac..he's contract is worth 25mil.

It's easier said than done, but the key point to remember here is that his contract is an expiring $23 million, the year before a high profile free agency crop. Anyone looking to dump contracts to make a run at the big names might be able to work out a deal, providing they're able to give the Rockets something of value in return for that cap relief at the end of the year.

UPDATE: McGrady to leave Rockets, waiting on trade

Trade or buyout it is.

[NovU]

T-Mac could run with Dwyane Wade(notes),

I like the sound of it, if it is at affordable price but more than that, I'd love to see a legit big man running with Wade, somebody like Amare, Boozer or Bosh.

Just like Wojnarowski says from the link given by Andrew, I don't think the Rockets are really interested in T-Mac's service anymore and there is no way both are going to be content with each other, but as much as T-Mac has been a dick to the team, I think the team is returning a favor as well. I do not want to believe that he's Iverson in making, but the team is somewhat making him look like one. 7 or 8 minutes regardless of his capability, I just think isn't fair, maybe just not yet, seems it's too early to put him off.