Former NBA All-Star Tracy McGrady is reportedly working out with Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant this summer, leaving the possibility of a comeback after a one-year hiatus from competitive basketball.
The 35-year old McGrady told Yahoo Sports via e-mail that he's indeed working out with Bryant three days a week in a Southern California gymnasium. The former Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets scoring machine admitted that he's using his training with Kobe to gauge if he's ready to make a comeback in the NBA.
"Yes, I was working out with K.B. to get in shape and see how my body feels," McGrady told Yahoo Sports in an email Tuesday night. "The comeback will not happen, unless I have the drive whenever I get back."
McGrady last played in the NBA as a member of the San Antonio Spurs team that was beaten by the Miami Heat in seven games of the 2013 NBA Finals.
While he's off the hardcourt, T-Mac tried to resurrect his baseball career by auditioning for an amateur league squad Sugar Land Skeeters. He managed to have four starts, allowing four hits and four runs over 6.2 innings before he was waived by the team.
T-Mac with Purple and Gold?
According to Sports Illustrated Fansided reporter Marcus Bass, the Lakers might have some interest in giving McGrady another shot at reviving his NBA career. The writer believed Bryant's action to work out with McGrady could be his way to recruit the former All-Star and address a big issue at the small forward spot.
"Undoubtedly there's interest from the Lakers front office with regards to McGrady, especially if he looks healthy. When a player of his caliber starts talking about lacing up his kicks again, you've got to pay attention," Bass claimed in his report.
"For the Lakers, their best case scenario is a starting wing of Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady later in the season. A late addition and final push to help the Lakers thrive in the playoffs."
The Lakers recently worked out Michael Beasley for the second time this offseason. With Wesley Johnson only the natural small forward in the roster, the Lakers could make a gamble on the mercurial Beasley.
However, exploring the T-Mac situation could be another option for the Lakers. When healthy, McGrady can still put up decent numbers across the boards and provide some firepower from the perimeter. Will McGrady make his NBA return with the Lakers? Perhaps, It won't be surprising at all. He once defied the laws of physics when he dunked on Shawn Bradley, why not do it again - with fragile knees - one more time.
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