Is Tracy McGrady Blaming Management For Not Surpassing The 1st Round?

Is Tracy McGrady Blaming Management For Not Surpassing The 1st Round?

Tracy McGrady left his first team, the Toronto Raptors, because he didn’t want to be in Vince Carter’s shadow and he also didn’t feel the love from the Raps’ coaching staff, so he was gone.  That being said, he moved on to Orlando where he knew he’d be sharing the limelight with Grant Hill.  When Hill’s injuries appeared chronic, T-Mac was happy moving on to Houston.  Now, his team got through the first round without him – something which he hasn’t done in his career.

Will he be content re-joining a team which is doing pretty well without his services?

He seems to blame management for not putting a winning team around him while he was on the floor, he refers to the Rockets as “They” (which I find odd), and he did pick the Lakers to win it all prior to the playoffs without even mentioning his team’s chances.  Combined with the rumors which had him being traded (primarily to New Jersey for cousin Vince) at the deadline, and his future in Houston is murky at best.  Tracy McGrady joined The Dan Patrick Show to discuss the Rockets’ hardships this season, his knee being ahead of schedule, and if Houston is a better team without him.

The media has been saying the Rockets a better team without you? Are they?

“In the past, when I was out, you really never heard that.  Because, finally, they put a team together to start winning when I’m not in the lineup, I mean, that’s expected.  Those guys did a great job, can’t take anything away from them, they played well, they played well without me.  Are they better without me?  I don’t think so.  If you asked those guys on the team, they’ll tell you the same thing.  They played well, it looked good, but again, I’m sure all those guys would take me on that team.”

When can Houston expect you back?

“I’m shooting for training camp.  Right now in my rehab, I’m so far ahead of schedule.  (Host: I keep hearing it’s gonna be middle of next season for you).  Well, I mean, that’s the timetable we put out there, but, you know, I’m definitely shooting to be ready for the first pre-season game.

What was tougher: the injury, or watching your team lose to the Lakers?

“Watching my guys lose… They just went through so much with me being in and out of the lineup this year, Shane missing some games this year, Ron as well – for them guys to overcome that and get the chemistry they had late in the season and prevail, it was great to watch.  I was at my place in Chicago just jumping up and down watching guys go out there and compete…”