Tracy McGrady's Health Status - What's your opinion?

by UofTOrange on Feb 23, 2009 9:34 AM CST

Poll

Tracy McGray's Status is up in the air, but what status would he have to have to be welcomed back by you, the fan?

Nothing, he's always welcome back

29 votes

Be 50% or better but come off the bench

8 votes

Come off the bench no matter his health status

18 votes

Be 75% or better and start

15 votes

Be 90% or better and start

47 votes

Be 100% or don't come back

150 votes

267 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

As long as he's at least 75% healthy

that is enough. I would not start him though immediately, or maybe never. Artest has indicated that he really wants to start, since this is his contract year. Once again making him come off the bench could cause some additional drama between him and McGrady. I don’t want to bench Battier either for obvious reasons. I would rather just let McGrady take all of Wafer’s minutes. Barry deserves to play.

We’re finally seeing the results of the 2-headed defensive monster of Battier and Artest. Both are healthy (though Battier might have gotten hurt yesterday), so I want to see them start to get us off a good defensive start.

T-Mac shouldn’t mind coming off the bench, since he did it last year too. People probably will have a problem with a guy getting paid 22 million coming off the bench, but whatever.

Adelman wants to establish a firm rotation, but maybe the starting lineup should just depend on the matchups. For one thing if we do play Utah again in the playoffs, then I would not start Battier. We have already seen twice that he’s not nearly as effective against the Jazz than teams with G/F as their top scorers. Since Utah’s best players are PFs and PG, and Battier doesn’t guard any of them, he’s not as useful. In that case I would start Ron and T-Mac.

by goingforthecorner on Feb 23, 2009 10:53 AM CST reply actions

yeah

if McGrady comes back, it might be best to use him in the 6th man role slated for Ron at the start of the season, provided he feels healthy enough for it.

As for his health, I think he can come back however he feels. But he has to be self-aware enough to understand what his limitations are on the court, play within the system, and play to his strengths.

by Only_A_Lad on Feb 23, 2009 11:06 AM CST up reply actions

He definitely must play within the system

he must move the ball, and move without the ball, and take shots within the offense. He needs to be competent on defense, but at least we have Battier and Artest to cover him. I hope he’s at least been watching these games in NY and Chicago. We’re playing the way we did during the streak, so he should have a nice idea on what’s going on.

If T-Mac can comeback as a facilitator, that’s really going to help Brooks play his more natural role of a scoring PG.

by goingforthecorner on Feb 23, 2009 11:19 AM CST up reply actions

play within the system? haha

Tracy will say all the rights things if he comes back, i.e. “yeah, I just want to be part of the team” or “I just need to play within the system” or “I just need to be aggressive.” Then when the ball goes up in the air… Tracy will find himself jump shot happy again. Why we try to convince ourselves otherwise is a maddening exercise in futility. T-Mac is not going to change his ways, not even if he comes off the bench.

by grungedave on Feb 23, 2009 11:22 AM CST up reply actions

see, that's the thing

the jumpshot is really all he has right now. He’s shooting his best 3-point percentage since his Orlando days. He’s essentially been limited to Brent Barry’s skill set.

As much as you’ve derided his shot selection, he’s also taking the second-fewest three point attempts since he was in Toronto. The problem, from looking at the stats, is that his mid-range shot is way off right now and he hasn’t been able to get to the basket. He’s fine as an outside shooter, but he hasn’t been able to do much else.

And unless that’s fixed, he’s essentially a worse-shooting Brent Barry. Maybe that evaluation changes if he distributes the ball better, I don’t know.

by Only_A_Lad on Feb 23, 2009 12:01 PM CST up reply actions

This thread is now moot

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6276595.html

McGrady scheduled for season-ending surgery

Rockets guard Tracy McGrady will have season-ending microfracture surgery on Tuesday, the team announced Monday.

McGrady met with the Dr. Brian Cole, who will perform the surgery, in Chicago on Monday. Cole is considered an expert in alternative procedures, but the recommendation that he have the microfracture procedure remained unchanged.

by goingforthecorner on Feb 23, 2009 12:45 PM CST reply actions

unfortunate

but hopeful:

McGrady’s procedure would be on a non-weight-bearing part of his knee, dramatically improving his prognosis.

by Only_A_Lad on Feb 23, 2009 12:51 PM CST up reply actions

He should be back next season at some point

we can only hope we’re talking about 100% back.

by goingforthecorner on Feb 23, 2009 12:57 PM CST up reply actions

it really won't matter

He’s done his damage to the team, they won’t welcome him back. Once he is healed he will be traded. I wish there was another possible outcome, but there just isn’t.

by UofTOrange on Feb 23, 2009 12:59 PM CST up reply actions

what gives you that idea?

by Only_A_Lad on Feb 23, 2009 1:03 PM CST up reply actions

Nothing specifically

But everything I’ve heard is bad. The front office is just not happy with him in any way, despite Les Alexander’s glowing review of him.

Plus, there is no way they extend him, not after microfracture surgery at 30, not after the way he acted this year on and off the court, not with his work ethic in the weight room. That takes nothing away from Tracy McGrady as a person, I think we all respect and appreciate his charity and community work, but this is a business decision

by UofTOrange on Feb 23, 2009 1:07 PM CST up reply actions

perhaps,

and a trade is certainly likely if he comes back poorly, but I don’t see them trading McGrady if he’s anywhere close to 100%.

And I keep hearing so many conflicting reports from reporters talking about the team atmosphere and the coaches’ and front office’s opinions of McGrady that I wouldn’t believe anything I hear about it. Two weeks ago, everyone was saying that Artest was certainly going to be traded because of his poor play and worse attitude. Didn’t happen, and the team’s playing fine. Nobody knows what Morey’s going to do but Morey himself, and nobody knows what’s going on in the locker room but the players and coaches involved.

by Only_A_Lad on Feb 23, 2009 1:12 PM CST up reply actions

and yet

The fact that NOT ONE single person on the Rockets considers McGrady’s absence to be “devastating” (or some equivalent) speaks volumes… Battier’s quote put it best – it’s Yao’s team and at least there is certainty whether McGrady will play or not now. Nothing more, nothing less.

by grungedave on Feb 23, 2009 1:22 PM CST up reply actions

speaks volumes about what?

That McGrady’s played like shit this year? Big whoop, we all knew that!

Or perhaps you mean it speaks volumes about the job Morey has done in putting this team together. Part of the reasoning behind the Artest trade was to shore up the lineup in case of something like this. Unlike Yao, McGrady has several legitimate offensive backups.

by Only_A_Lad on Feb 23, 2009 1:45 PM CST up reply actions

my point is that...

If McGrady was truly well-liked by his teammates, at least one of them would have said his loss is devastating… even if they know it’s not. Why? Because it’s a public show of support that the team really needs him…

yet no one said anything.

That speaks volumes.

by grungedave on Feb 23, 2009 3:16 PM CST up reply actions

I don't get it

if the loss isn’t devastating, why would they say it is? They wouldn’t lie like that. They’ve said they wished they had him back healthy, but he’s not.

by goingforthecorner on Feb 23, 2009 3:24 PM CST up reply actions

oh come on

Any time a buddy goes down you try to build him up by saying it’s a huge loss and the team really needed him, blah blah blah. Everyone knows it’s not necessarily true, but it’s a solidarity thing.

by grungedave on Feb 23, 2009 3:26 PM CST up reply actions

well,

McGrady himself admitted that he wasn’t playing well. Most of the comments I’ve seen (and they tend to be limited to Shane, Yao, and Rafer) are of the “When McGrady is healthy, we are a much better and more dangerous team, but we’re still a good team without him.” I recall the same sort of thing being said after the loss of Yao last season. That’s accurate and also shows solidarity with the injured player as well as the rest of the team, in my mind.

For what it’s worth, here’s some quotes from Battier’s chat on chon.com today:

3:33
[Comment From ScottC]
Do you feel you have the pieces to win a title this year. Without T Mac?
3:34
Shane Battier: We have talent, we play hard, have a good coach. If we can put it all together and maximize this team, then nothing would surprise me.

3:40
[Comment From Rajeev]
I am a season ticket holder. I along with most fans think the Rockets are better off without McGrady. There seems to be better ball movement and defense the past few games without him. In addition, his presence on the team created uncertainty amongst other players regarding their role. What are your thoughts?
3:42
Shane Battier: There is no question thatwith a healthy McGrady playing at a high level we are the most dangerous. Because of the talent vacuum that was created when he left, we know we have to play harder and more together to win games. Teams that have the most talent and play the hardest win ulitmately.

by Only_A_Lad on Feb 23, 2009 3:48 PM CST up reply actions

yes, exactly -- read between the lines

It’s not like Battier is going to actually SAY that the team is better without Tracy. That’s our job here. Read between the lines, he’s not exactly disappointed with the news…

by grungedave on Feb 23, 2009 3:52 PM CST up reply actions

you're moving the goalposts, Dave

He said they’re a better team with a healthy McGrady, and that they need to step it up to win without him. What would qualify as support for Tracy to you? “Oh, the season is over! There’s no way we can win without Tracy! We’re doomed!”

by Only_A_Lad on Feb 23, 2009 4:00 PM CST up reply actions