The Pistons confirmed that Tracy McGrady and the Pistons have agreed to a one-year deal, reportedly worth $1.3 million. This from the official Pistons twitter account:
We've agreed to terms with Tracy McGrady (@TheREAL_TMAC). Analysis from Keith coming shortly #pistons
Personally, I don't think it's a bad deal, but it does create a logjam of sorts and might even suggest a trade is imminent. But if you need some Kool-aid for why this deal is a win-win, well, Keith Langlois is your man:
There’s also this to consider: Many NBA veterans, Shaquille O’Neal a shining example, take veteran minimum deals late in their careers to join contenders for one last grab at the gold. Don’t confuse McGrady’s situation with theirs. At 31, McGrady almost certainly feels he has one more big contract in him and he’ll be out to prove it this season, presumably working under a one-year. He’s been working out again this summer under Chicago-based trainer Tim Grover, and Will Bynum, another Grover protégé, said after re-signing with the Pistons in late July that McGrady is looking like, well, McGrady.
That gives McGrady something else in common with the Pistons. Expectations for the Pistons nationally are low this season, as they are for McGrady, most NBA analysts placing them outside the playoff field. Inside the practice facility, they’re embracing the doubts, feeding off of them, anxious to roll up their sleeves to prove nobody really got to see the real Pistons last season for all the injuries and adversity they endured.
I suspect Tracy McGrady is pushed by similar motivations. That holds intriguing potential for what their marriage could yield. It’s not often such a relationship comes with so little downside. This should be fun.