McGrady, who is a seven-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA scoring champion, played just 30 games last season with the Houston Rockets and New York Knicks averaging only 8.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 22.4 minutes per game. A far cry from his career averages of 21.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 814 games.
The 31-year-old McGrady told Pistons.com that while he might not be the same player he was during the NBA's 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons when he led the league in scoring, nevertheless he is still effective.
"I might not be dunking on anybody like I used to, but I’m still effective.
"I know I can put the ball in the hole. … I’m not changing anything. I’m 31 years old. I’m not 44, 41 – I’m 31. There’s still a lot left in the tank.
"At this point in my career, 14 years, it’s a competition. You come off the bench – if that’s what it is, that’s what it is. I’m just ready to play basketball, y’all. Seriously. That’s what I wake up thinking about. That’s what I love to do. For these last two years, I’ve been kind of alienating my family a little bit because I’ve been fighting so hard to get back."
McGrady's career has been blighted by injuries but last season the forward showed glimpses of the type of form which established him as an NBA star for nearly a decade - including a season-high 26 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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