Tracy McGrady, who last played in the NBA during the 2011-2012 season for the Atlanta Hawks, has agreed to a deal with the San Antonio Spurs and will replace the recently released Stephen Jackson.
McGrady averaged 5.3 points, three rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes per game for the Hawks. McGrady, nicknamed T-Mac, was once considered one of the best players in the NBA, but hasn't averaged more than 15 points per game since 2008-2009. His productivity was derailed by a litany of injuries to his knees and back.
This year, McGrady was dominating in the Chinese Basketball Association for the Qingdao Eagles, averaging 25 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while the Eagles finished 8-24 and in last place. T-Mac's best season was in 2002-2003 with the Orlando Magic, when he averaged a stunning 32.1 points a night to go with 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists.
McGrady has been signed to fill the roster role created by the Spurs' surprising release of small forward Stephen Jackson last Friday. According to Yahoo! Sports, Jackson was released after butting heads with head coach Gregg Popovich several times about playing time.
The Yahoo! report said, "After recurring disagreements with his coach about his diminishing role, the San Antonio Spurs released forward Stephen Jackson on the cusp of the playoffs, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. The Spurs had threatened the release for several days, but Jackson was still surprised that coach Gregg Popovich carried through with it on Friday."
On Twitter, Jackson reacted to his release by tweeting, "I ain't tripping at all. No worries. Don't worry about what [you] can't control. Breathe easy."
When asked how much McGrady can add to a team that relies so heavily on teamwork and chemistry, he responded, "I guess that's the unknown." He also expressed his excitement via text message about joining the Spurs. "Whatever happens, I'm just glad to be a part of this environment. [It's] something I never experienced while being my best!"
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