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 at ude of everyone on this team. A lot of sacrifices need to be made, because we're definitely trying to put together a 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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Hmmm, this is an interesting thought. I had a front row seat to watch Steve Francis bang his head against the wall of Jeff Van Gundy. I don't know if Stoudemire's at ude and style fit well into the grind it out style that JVG likes to play. If he can behave himself and signs with the Rockets then look out. The only thing standing between them and a four seed is consistent PG play. Swift would be a worthwhile pickup as well, but Stoudemire is really the one I'd watch for.
How would a lineup of Tony Parker, Tracy McGrady, and Yao Ming do>?s
wtf
mcgrady sounds like hes the Kobe of houston all of a sudden....also, his about sacrifices, yeah easy for him to say when hes eating up most of that cap space
what a joke
That's exactly what I was thinking when I read the article.
...How would a lineup of Tony Parker, Tracy McGrady, and Yao Ming do>?
Not as well as Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Timvp Duncan.How would a lineup of Tony Parker, Tracy McGrady, and Yao Ming do>?
The only joke is you getting into that hype about Kobe Bryant and LAL. Kobe is not the same without Shaq. He will always be a turnover machine and shoot a low percentage now he doesn't have Shaq. Mcgrady has always had bad teammates and has overachieved every year except 03-04. Lue is a sorry point guard and they had no good defenders. Mcgrady>Bryant
if you call making it to the first round in the eastern conference overacheiving then ok
i dont know why you're ranking on me cuz i pointed out how mcgrady sounded like a big fat in that article
he was talking about players having to make sacrifices man....as if his only intention in the nba is to win a championship...hes a ing phony
i dont know why you're defending him, are you a houston fan too? Every houston fan i talk to is already all over mcgrady's jock after just 1 season. They ignore his pompous at ude and stuff. They'll see soon enough.
I misunderstood your post. I thought this was another comparison between Kobe and Mcgrady. I don't like Mcgrady but I know how good he can be. Lebron did the same thing about wanting certain players. Kobe took it to another level by using his free agency to get his way with them catering to him. I dislike Kobe more than Mcgrady all together.
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