Last weekend, Tracy McGrady told reporters that he was close to deciding whether to return to China or continue trying to secure a roster spot in the NBA.
McGrady, known by most Rockets fans as T-Mac, posted on Chinese social networking site Weibo.com that he intends to make his announcement on Weibo so his 2.9 million Chinese fans will be the first to know about his decision. McGrady had an excellent season with Qingdao DoubleStar, averaging 25 points and 5.1 assists per game. After the Chinese season ended, McGrady joined the San Antonio Spurs as a bench scorer for their playoff run.
Few expect McGrady to play a full NBA season, and his return seemed less likely after he immediately went back to China after the Spurs fell to the Miami Heat in the NBA finals. In fact, McGrady's last "full" NBA season was in 2011-12, when he was played in a total of 52 games.
McGrady's value as a player depends on his health and overall fitness, and it's unlikely that he'd earn a starting spot for an NBA team at this stage in his career. The Rockets, a team in the hunt for a player who can provide points off the bench, should take a close look at McGrady. Although McGrady never made it past the first round of the playoffs with the Rockets, he became one of the NBA's most popular players in his last stint in Houston.
If the Rockets decide against bringing back T-Mac, or if the player elects to remain in China, the Rockets are rumored to be taking a look at mercurial swingman Stephen Jackson, who McGrady replaced in the Spurs lineup. Jackson was livid after being unceremoniously dumped before the playoffs, and the Rockets could try to harness this anger and help Jackson use it as motivation.
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