Tracy McGrady would like to sign with the 2010 NBA champion Lakers, and has forwarded
that sentiment to his agent and close colleagues, according to sources within the Lakers'
front office.
湖人高層傳出T-mac有意加盟湖人。
Tracy McGrady, a perennial All-Star and two-time NBA Scoring champion, has undergone
a significant hit to his reputation after failed stints in Toronto, Orlando, and Houston.
To date, McGrady has not gone past the first-round in the NBA playoffs.
T-mac是一位全明星球員，兩屆得分王，但從未帶領球隊闖過季後賽第一輪。
After having battled various knee and back injuries in the past couple years,
Tracy McGrady has been working himself back into shape under the strenuous regimen
of esteemed athletic trainer Tim Grover. Now that he has finished his physical
rehabilitation program, McGrady is feeling rejuvenated enough to make a return in the
2010-2011 NBA season.
Despite having limited intentions to use the Mid-Level Exception this summer, Lakers
general manager Mitch Kupchak would consider pulling the trigger on the seven-time
All-Star swingman should he accept a paycut at the MLE. Ron Artest, the
defensive-minded role player who played a huge factor in this year's Lakers-Celtics
NBA Finals, has reached out to McGrady to "end his career as a champion."
The Lakers are willing to explore a potential reunion of former Houston teammates
Ron Artest and Tracy McGrady once the July 1 free agency begins.
湖人希望T-mac能跟前隊友阿泰再次碰面。
In Los Angeles, Tracy McGrady would be asked to come off the bench as a role
player, similar to what Lakers' forward Lamar Odom has done in the past two
seasons. McGrady would provide the Lakers' bench unit with some offensive
firepower and stability, and be another deadly weapon in the already loaded
Lakers' arsenal.
Most importantly, the acquisition of Tracy McGrady would address the important
need for a secondary slasher besides Kobe Bryant. As advocated by Laker great
Jerry West, "I think they do need some changes. If you look, they have some free
agents that are coming up but the thing that would most concern me is I think
they need someone else other than Kobe Bryant getting in the lane."
Moreover, unlike former teams in which he was asked to carry the team throughout
the entire season, Tracy McGrady understands that a potential role with the Lakers
would not require such an emotionally draining position of leadership. McGrady has
tremendous respect for the reigning Finals MVP Kobe Bryant, and has made it known
that he would gladly accept a lesser role to play alongside whom he considers the
best basketball player in the world.
As expressed by one high-ranked official within the Lakers' management, should
Tracy McGrady not return to the New York Knicks next season or spurn retirement,
"expect the deal to get done by end of July."
