T-Mac shines in Knicks debut, wants to stay in New York

Even before he played his first game as a member of the New York Knicks, Tracy McGrady said he wanted to remain with the team beyond this year and would take a discount to make it happen.

The team has yet to express mutual feelings, but if he keeps playing like he did in his dazzling debut, the Knicks may want to pencil him in long-term.

McGrady, a longtime Houston Rocket who was traded along with his $23 million expiring contract as part of a three-team trade to New York, had only played in six games this season for the Rockets prior to the move.

He was cleared to play more than two months ago, but Houston wanted nothing to do with him. To them, he was just an expiring contract and a valuable asset on the trade market. The Knicks, in need of expiring deals so they can free up money for this Summer’s free-agent class, jumped at the chance to acquire him. Although he is a contract to the Knicks, they planned on playing him, unlike the Rockets.

The 30-year old 12-year veteran made his debut with New York and dazzled, scoring 26 points. He made 10-17 shots, grabbed 4 rebounds, and dished 5 assists in 32 minutes. He wasn’t the game’s star, though. Nor was guard Eddie House , who was also making his debut upon being traded from the Boston Celtics for Nate Robinson.

House scored 24 points and hit a few big shots in the fourth quarter and overtime, but as always, Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant outperformed the opposition.

Durant has been one of the best players in the NBA this year, if not the best. He has averaged nearly 30 points per game, making 48 percent of his field goals, including 38 percent from three-point range. He entered the contest having scored 25 points in 26 straight games and extended the streak, shining in Madison Square Garden like many opponents before him.

He drained a three-pointer with six seconds left in regulation, then hit a catch-and-shoot mid-range two to ice the victory in overtime. In all, he finished with 36 points, a point total he seems to reach on a gamely basis.

Though Durant led the Thunder to their eighth straight victory, McGrady’s performance is uplifting for himself and the Knicks. New York is eight games out of the playoff race  behind eighth-seed Charlotte, but they received a very popular star that can fill the seats and bring excitement back to the Garden. Also, performances like this help McGrady’s free-agent status.

Not much would have been going for him if not for this trade. Houston wasn’t going to play him. And if he remained with the Rockets, teams would have been hesitant to take a chance on him this Summer. They would have taken into account his injury history, which has forced him to miss 156 games over the past four-plus seasons, and also would have questioned whether he could still play at a high level.

It’s one game, but McGrady is showing he still has talent. New York may not want him as a free-agent given their adoration for LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, but someone will.

Howard Beck of the New York Times wrote in his recap of the loss: “With 7:55 left, and the Knicks trailing by five, a pocket of fans began a chant: ‘We want T-Mac!’ Within seconds, the entire arena was booming with the request. When the crowd was prompted to chant ‘de-fense,’ they turned it into a ‘T-Mac’ chant.

And when McGrady tried to check in with 6:54 to go—only to be turned back by the referee Ron Garretson—the fans booed.”

This was McGrady’s first game since December 23rd. And if he continues to play at this level, more chants of “We want T-Mac” will reign throughout MSG. And maybe the higher-ups will listen and grant McGrady’s wish with deal this Summer. They should, especially considering “Money will not be an issue,” according to McGrady , and that he would play for the veteran’s minimum to stay right where he is."