Tracy McGrady is retiring

Sorry about the headline – don’t get all worked up.

This isn’t happening like, immediately. Sooner than we’d all like to think, though.

Last night during the TNT showing of Bulls v Rockets, Tracy McGrady stated that he plans to retire when his current contract is up.

That’s three years from now, when he’ll be only 30 years old.

Why walk from the HOU, especially with Yao there? He’s the only non-declining center in the NBA with any true impact. The two of them should have the Rockets contending every year, even though it hasn’t happened yet.

Who knows what he’s thinking, but the problem so far this year , despite their record, is they’re continually giving up big leads, as they did again to CHI last night. The Bulls almost came all the way back from 21 down to steal one on the road.

The retiree…analyzes.

“I’m not happy, despite the win,” McGrady said. “I’m not happy at all because I know this is an ongoing process. To be in the game like that, you have to be happy about the win, but the overall picture is not good.

“We know those games can slip away, and have slipped away. It’s not new to us,” McGrady said.

There’s a lot to be read into that, and it doesn’t take much to do so:

1) “I’m not happy”. This is nothing new. See: Toronto, Orlando, last year’s All-Star Game.

2) “I’m not happy at all because I know this is an ongoing process.” Yeah, things suck when it’s not just handed to you complete, don’t they? See: Toronto, Orlando.

We were gonna do a “3)”, but a combo of not having anything to put there and a general apathy toward Tracy McGrady nixed it.

Here’s a thought for T-Mac – maybe if you didn’t state your intentions to quit on the team in the middle of your prime years, the troops could rally around you a little more and such and such. Be a team and stuff.

We’re not one to deny someone their desire to spend more time with their family, or to grow their hair into that little puffy thing Tracy has on his head, but we also decided we don’t really like the show Lost anymore, which is really disappointing.

NOTE: Assuming his spine hasn’t deteriated completely by then, Tracy would probably be leaving another max deal on the table, so that’s something significant. (In some way we haven’t determined yet.)

NOTE 2: Put T-Mac on that list of guys who would retire instantly upon having microfracture surgery.