ducks
07-15-2005, 10:30 AM
Swift, Stoudamire at the top of McGrady's wish list
Two months after the Rockets' postseason run ended, All-Star forward Tracy McGrady still thinks about the playoffs. The 2006 playoffs.
McGrady is trying to target exactly who the Rockets need to acquire to help them get past the opening round of the postseason for the first time since 1997. Rockets management has spent much of the past two weeks targeting power forward Stromile Swift, 25, who McGrady said could be the team's missing piece.
"He has unbelievable talent, and he's young," McGrady said Thursday. "That's a guy I can grow with. With his athleticism and power out there at the four position and his ability to play the five, it creates mismatch problems on the opposing end."
Swift visited the Rockets last week and also has been in talks with the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets. Money may become the deciding factor in the next few days, though. The Rockets are over the salary cap and can offer only the mid-level exception. Swift is expected to receive offers higher than that.
"He's still looking," Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said. "I think he's got it narrowed down to two or three teams, and he says we're in great shape. But you never know. Money means so much in this business, and we're limited with what we can do. If everything's equal, I think we're in pretty good shape."
Swift is one of two players McGrady mentioned from his short wish list. He said Portland point guard Damon Stoudamire, who lives in Houston, also would fit well, though Stoudamire would have to accept a major pay cut to fit within the Rockets' budget. Stoudamire, who averaged 15.8 points and 5.7 assists per game last season, played with McGrady in Toronto for part of McGrady's rookie year.
"He was Mighty Mouse then," McGrady said. "He's toward the end of his career where he just wants to win. It's not about being the man.
"When it's all said and done, everyone wants to win a championship. I think that's the attitude of everyone on this team. A lot of sacrifices need to be made, because we're definitely trying to put together a hell of a team. Some guys are going to be without minutes, and some guys are going to have to sacrifice their games. But to be that team that we want to be, we're going to have to be willing to do that."
McGrady is confident about the direction the Rockets are headed. He said his first year in Houston was a far cry from the four he spent with the Magic.
"I spent four years down in Orlando, and it was obvious that we needed to make changes for our team, and it just wasn't happening at the time," McGrady said. "These guys are strictly about winning, and that's where I'm at right now in my career."
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Two months after the Rockets' postseason run ended, All-Star forward Tracy McGrady still thinks about the playoffs. The 2006 playoffs.
McGrady is trying to target exactly who the Rockets need to acquire to help them get past the opening round of the postseason for the first time since 1997. Rockets management has spent much of the past two weeks targeting power forward Stromile Swift, 25, who McGrady said could be the team's missing piece.
"He has unbelievable talent, and he's young," McGrady said Thursday. "That's a guy I can grow with. With his athleticism and power out there at the four position and his ability to play the five, it creates mismatch problems on the opposing end."
Swift visited the Rockets last week and also has been in talks with the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets. Money may become the deciding factor in the next few days, though. The Rockets are over the salary cap and can offer only the mid-level exception. Swift is expected to receive offers higher than that.
"He's still looking," Rockets general manager Carroll Dawson said. "I think he's got it narrowed down to two or three teams, and he says we're in great shape. But you never know. Money means so much in this business, and we're limited with what we can do. If everything's equal, I think we're in pretty good shape."
Swift is one of two players McGrady mentioned from his short wish list. He said Portland point guard Damon Stoudamire, who lives in Houston, also would fit well, though Stoudamire would have to accept a major pay cut to fit within the Rockets' budget. Stoudamire, who averaged 15.8 points and 5.7 assists per game last season, played with McGrady in Toronto for part of McGrady's rookie year.
"He was Mighty Mouse then," McGrady said. "He's toward the end of his career where he just wants to win. It's not about being the man.
"When it's all said and done, everyone wants to win a championship. I think that's the attitude of everyone on this team. A lot of sacrifices need to be made, because we're definitely trying to put together a hell of a team. Some guys are going to be without minutes, and some guys are going to have to sacrifice their games. But to be that team that we want to be, we're going to have to be willing to do that."
McGrady is confident about the direction the Rockets are headed. He said his first year in Houston was a far cry from the four he spent with the Magic.
"I spent four years down in Orlando, and it was obvious that we needed to make changes for our team, and it just wasn't happening at the time," McGrady said. "These guys are strictly about winning, and that's where I'm at right now in my career."
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