NBA Rumors: Why Tracy McGrady Make Sense for Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers should sign free agent Tracy McGrady.
McGrady might not be a big name that has been linked to the Lakers like Dwight Howard or Andre Iguodala, but he is a realistic one that could undoubtedly help the club.
Despite many believing that McGrady was over the hill prior to the start of the 2010-11 campaign, the veteran swingman made a believer out of his doubters with a solid comeback campaign in Detroit.
Although his season averages are nothing overwhelming, considering that he logged just 8.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 72 games (his most since 2004-05), McGrady was better as a starter, registering 10.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 39 games with the first unit.
Most interestingly, much of McGrady's playing time as a starter came at the point guard position, and T-Mac's being a legitimate 6'8" and 225 lbs really speaks to the versatility of his game.
McGrady has battled chronic knee troubles that have hampered his ability to contribute since the 2008-09 season, but from 2000-08, McGrady consistently averaged more than 20 points per game and consistently contributed in the rebounding and assists departments as well.
While Los Angeles fans would be foolish to think that he could suddenly re-gain his prime form in one fell swoop, we saw last season that McGrady is clearly on the right track toward getting all the way back.
Over the weekend (on July 15), McGrady tweeted a simple "yes or no" with an edited image of himself wearing No. 1 in a Lakers uniform, which would seem to indicate that he's considering a possible stint in Hollywood alongside Kobe Bryant.
So, should the Lakers pursue him?
Yes.
Los Angeles really struggled when the second unit hit the floor last season; they simply didn't look like the same set of reserves that carried the Lakers to a championship during the 2009-10 campaign.
Shannon Brown has opted out of Los Angeles, Steve Blake really struggled to adapt in the first year of his ridiculous four-year contract, and the team got absolutely nothing from the big men off of the bench outside of Lamar Odom.
McGrady could come off of the pine and back up three positions while providing a stabilizing source of production among the reserves.
He'd likely come at minimal cost and should be willing to accept a one-year contract in an effort to re-establish his standing around the league.
It's a gamble, but it's one that the team should explore taking if they're serious about keeping Kobe Bryant's championship window open.
They'd be wise to explore every avenue in an effort to do exactly that.
