McGrady dazzled by Houston
Tracy McGrady was escorted to his new home court in a white stretch limo, treated to a Jumbotron video of his most impressive highlights and greeted by hundreds of cheering fans.
McGrady, who spent much of the past four years playing in nearly empty arenas with the Orlando Magic, was almost overcome by the hearty welcome to Houston.
“This is, by far, probably the best time that I’ve experienced in my career,” McGrady said Wednesday. “This is unheard of. I’ve never seen or experienced anything like this. I’m not a guy that gets emotional but … man, I almost got emotional up there.”
That says a little about the reception in Houston and a lot more about the time he spent with the Magic.
McGrady, Tyronn Lue and Reece Gaines were showered with applause during a Wednesday news conference that was really more of a pep rally, a day after a blockbuster trade sent them and Juwan Howard from Orlando to Houston.
The Magic got guards Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and forward Kelvin Cato in return.
McGrady, a two-time NBA scoring champion, hopes to find the kind of postseason success in Houston that eluded him in his hometown.
The 25-year-old becomes the fourth defending scoring champion in NBA history to be dealt away, and the first since the Buffalo Braves sent Bob McAdoo to the New York Knicks in 1976.
The Rockets hope a McGrady-Yao Ming combination can replace Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant as the dominant twosome in the NBA. They might get an early start, considering the Los Angeles Lakers are splintering apart since losing to Detroit in this year’s NBA Finals.
Dampier opts out of contract
Golden State Warriors center Erick Dampier has opted out of his contract as expected and becomes a free agent.
The 29-year-old is coming off the most productive season in his eight-year career. He averaged a double-double with 12.3 points and 12.0 rebounds while also blocking 1.85 shots in 32.5 minutes per game.
•The Warriors also hired former Atlanta Hawks head coach Terry Stotts as an assistant on Mike Montgomery’s staff. Stotts, who went 28-54 last season with Atlanta, joins Mario Elie as the first two assistants hired for Montgomery, who left Stanford after 18 years last year to take the job with Golden State.
Sale of Suns completed, approved
The $401 million sale of the Phoenix Suns to San Diego banking executive Robert Sarver was completed as scheduled.
NBA owners unanimously approved the transaction, the Suns said in a brief news release.
Sarver owns about one-third of the franchise, with the remainder split among a group of investors that includes former NBA player Steve Kerr and Suns’ president Bryan Colangelo.
Former NBA stars Charles Barkley and Sean Elliott had been listed as owners but decided against making the investment before the transaction was completed.
Bryan’s father, Jerry Colangelo, who came to Phoenix as general manager of the expansion Suns 36 years ago, relinquished his 20 percent ownership but will remain as Suns chairman and chief executive.