Tracy McGrady was looking for another year in the NBA, a 16th NBA season.
But not finding a guaranteed deal, he is taking his talents to the port city of Qingdao, China, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.
McGrady, 33, will likely complete the deal within the next couple days and leave for China within the next one to two weeks, sources said. McGrady’s long-time partnership with former Houston Rockets center Yao Ming made McGrady a popular player in China, and he’ll be afforded star status there.
As Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith (among others) did last year, the Chinese Basketball Association ending in March allows McGrady to come back as a free agent at the end of the season and latch on with a team.
If a team wants him. He’ll need to show it with his play. Last year with the Hawks McGrady barely played 16 minutes a game and averaged 6.3 points a game. He no longer has the explosive athleticism that so long defined his game, but he still brings some veteran presence to a locker room.
