Orlando Sentinel: T-Mac "I've never been so hungry motivated."

The best article to come from this God foresaken newspaper.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/spor...n30,1,2058198.story?coll=orl-sports-headlines

Tracy McGrady still would rather play for the Orlando Magic than the Houston Rockets, but he says the Magic made no genuine effort to keep him and "kind of wanted me out."

McGrady was traded to Houston on Tuesday, completing a much-anticipated multi-player trade that delivered Rockets star Steve Francis to the Magic.

"I just felt they kind of wanted me out," McGrady told the Sentinel from his home in south Orlando. "That's how I felt."

McGrady said he told the club after a 21-61 season that it would be best for him to move on. But he also said it was "shocking" when the Magic stopped communicating with him and made little or no attempt to persuade him to stay.

McGrady had made it clear that he wanted to be a part of a playoff team, not a rebuilding project, and said he didn't believe the Magic's No. 1 draft pick could provide help immediately.

T-Mac first told the Sentinel last month that if he were traded, the Rockets appealed to him most because they had 7-foot-6 center Yao Ming.

Magic General Manager John Weisbrod declined to comment, but he previously had said that the club did not want to lose its superstar. But McGrady was preparing to enter the option year of his contract, and the team did not want him to leave after next season without getting some compensation for him if he decided not to stay.

"As far as keeping me . . . if they had done some things, I'd be here. I don't want to leave," said McGrady, traces of bitterness seeping into his voice. "I'd be crazy to leave home. This is where my family is.

"What would you do if you were a GM and your star -- a great guy who's never been in trouble -- came to you and said he wanted out? Not call him? Not talk to him?

"Why not call him and wish him 'Happy Birthday'? Why not ask him about offseason acquisitions? Why not tell him how Grant Hill is doing, if he'll be ready? They obviously decided to move on."

A two-time scoring champ, McGrady, who turned 25 on May 24, will travel to Houston today for a news conference. Francis arrived in Orlando late Tuesday afternoon to meet with Weisbrod and other team officials.

Along with McGrady, the Magic will ship forward Juwan Howard and point guards Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines to the Rockets. The Magic will receive Francis, center Kelvin Cato and guard Cuttino Mobley.

McGrady and Francis were the principal figures in a long-talked-about deal that hit a snag when Francis initially balked at coming to the Magic.

But Weisbrod apparently sold Francis on his rebuilding vision, and Francis told reporters in Houston that he was "cool" with the trade.

Francis is expected to fill one of the Magic's biggest needs at point guard. A five-year veteran, he averaged 20.1 points and 6.4 assists for his career until tailing off last season. He averaged 16.6 points and shot just 40 percent and led the league in technical fouls in the season that just ended.

Mobley, a six-year veteran, could assume McGrady's spot at shooting guard. He averaged 15.8 points last season, down from 17.5 the previous season. Cato, 6 feet 11 and 275 pounds, might open as the Magic's center. He averaged 6.1 points and 6.8 rebounds.

But sources say Mobley and Cato could be packaged into other trades by the Magic later this summer.

The Magic lose one of the league's most dynamic and popular players in McGrady, who they signed in the summer of 2000, along with Grant Hill. McGrady blossomed in Orlando and won his second consective scoring title last season, averaging 28 points a game. He scored a career-high and franchise-record 62 points against the Washington Wizards on March 10 at TD Waterhouse in one of his final appearances with the Magic.

McGrady grew up in nearby Auburndale and was delighted to play in Orlando. He said he'll miss the fans tremendously, adding, "I don't want to leave Orlando. This is home. I established my stardom here. I wouldn't change anything about coming to Orlando.

"Change is good. It's time for me to start new. I definitely won't forget how the fans embraced me. I appreciate the love I got. Hopefully, they can understand why this deal was done."

McGrady was placed on the injured list March 31 with a sore knee two weeks after his record-setting game, missing the final seven games.

McGrady experienced his most tumultuous and frustrating season in his eighth year as a pro. The Magic lost a club-record 19 consecutive games after winning their opener. The burden of carrying the load without Hill started to wear down McGrady mentally and emotionally, and he received uncharacteristic criticism. He also shot a career-worst 41 percent.

"It wore me down, mentally. I hear people say, 'Stop complaining, stop whining,' but it's a lot to shoulder. You can only take so much of something. . . losing 19 games. And I had stuff off the court . . . deaths in my family," McGrady said.

McGrady had helped the Magic reach the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, but they were knocked out in the first round each time, blowing a 3-1 series lead in 2003 to the Detroit Pistons.

"It wasn't going in the direction I wanted for four years," he said. "I hear people say, 'T-Mac didn't do this, didn't do that.'

"But it would have been nice to have Grant Hill by my side."

McGrady said he was "crushed" to hear from various sources that the Magic have been critical of his work habits.

"It crushed me. It straight crushed me. I keep hearing they say I had a bad work ethic and missed practices. But if that's true, how can I do the things I do on the court? It just doesn't come naturally. You have to work at it. That really hurt me.

"It drives me. I've been working out like crazy, and people are going to see the T-Mac of a couple years ago, who averaged 32, next season. That guy's coming out. I've never been so hungry and motivated."

McGrady admits he did not handle last season's failures well. He criticized his teammates and admits he wasn't the leader he should have been as captain of the team. "Oh, absolutely. I definitely apologize for some of the comments about my teammates," he said. "The whole year was just too much too handle."

McGrady said he had some difficulties with Weisbrod, a no-nonsense hockey guy who took over as general manager in March. "I don't really know Weisbrod so it's tough for me to comment," he said. "I don't have a relationship with him. He's different, I'll say that. I don't agree with the way he handles things. But I wish the Magic the best. I read where he said I don't like him, but he has no reason to say that.

"I'm not going to bash the organization," he said. "I appreciate Weisbrod with having the patience to get me to a place I'd be happy.

"It would have been special to win here. It didn't work out. I wish them the best again. I think it's a good trade for both teams. I've always stressed playing with a big guy like Yao Ming. I'm definitely excited going to Houston.

"I need some cowboy boots and some spurs."

 

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