The Rockets are having a pretty decent year so far, with a record of 24-16. They're definitely better than they were at this exact time last year, when they 20-18.
But it seems all is not well in Houston, mainly because Tracy McGrady is injured yet again. Or not really injured, he's just taking two weeks off to do his "offseason conditioning routine" that he didn't get to complete over the summer because he had to have surgery.
Keep in mind, McGrady already sat himself down for two weeks earlier this season because his knee was sore. That first incident pissed off the Houston Chronicle enough that they actually put a ticker up on their web page alerting fans of how much money McGrady was pulling in while sitting on the pine.
And now it seems it's not just the media that's getting sick and tired of McGrady sitting himself down every month or so, because apparently at least one of his teammates wants him shipped out of town. And that somebody is Yao Ming. According to NBA.com's David Aldridge:
The Rockets are putting a positive spin on this, but Waiting for Tracy is a play that nobody in Houston wants to see anymore -- up to and including the big man, Yao Ming.
"They don't speak," an extremely plugged-in person tells me. "And Yao wants him out."
That's not likely this season, as McGrady's $20.3 million is toxic to too many teams' luxury tax plans. Next summer, though, when McGrady will have an expiring, $22.4 million contract, teams may well circle the Rockets looking to make a deal.
"They don't speak," an extremely plugged-in person tells me. "And Yao wants him out."
That's not likely this season, as McGrady's $20.3 million is toxic to too many teams' luxury tax plans. Next summer, though, when McGrady will have an expiring, $22.4 million contract, teams may well circle the Rockets looking to make a deal.
Now, my immediate reaction was, how can a guy like Yao, who's averaged more than 28 missed games per year over the past 3 seasons, possibly have anything against McGrady? But then I realized that if a guy as injured as Yao is happens to be pissed off about McGrady, then there must really be a problem here.
And you know what, there is. Yao's missed games have been the result of what I would classify as "real" injuries, like a broken foot. McGrady, meanwhile, seems to just say, "You know what, I don't feel so great, I'm shutting it down for a few weeks." Good thing McGrady never tried for become NFL player.
That's a bad attitude for the best player on your team to have, and it probably also speaks volumes about why McGrady has never gotten out of the first round of the playoffs. He's just not willing to go all out when it's necessary.
So as talented as McGrady is, I'm on Yao's side here. McGrady's attitude as the star of this team is reaching unacceptable levels. Houston would right right to ditch him while they can still get something decent in return.
Houston grows weary of waiting for T-Mac [NBA.com] via [Fanhouse]
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