Tracy McGrady on Damian Lillard’s trade request to Miami: “Dame has done his job of doing everything he possibly can to win a championship in Portland, he’s giving them everything and I think Dame, his agent, they’re just looking at it like they don’t have too many great years left in that body so he wants to win a championship and he wants to be a really huge part of why he wins the championship, and that’s with a particular team and he sees that in Miami. I have no issue with that. The man has really done everything he possibly can so to reward him and be rewarded is to go with the team that he feels his best chance of winning the championship. I have no problem.” -via Celtics Wire / August 1, 2023

Still, McGrady — who entered the league straight out of high school in 1997 — didn’t back down from his comments. He merely clarifies that he believes he was on the level of a player like Kobe in talent rather than success. “Regardless of what and how anyone else feels,” McGrady says, “when you talk about the talent, its undoubtedly that my talent level was definitely up with the great players that have played this game. I didn’t play with Shaq. I didn’t play with no LeBrons. Yao [Ming] was my best teammate and we couldn’t stay healthy.” -via Clutch Points / July 31, 2023

According to McGrady, he is of the belief that not all the teams in the league are in it to win a title. He had a very compelling argument, too: “Every organization is not trying to win a championship in the NBA,” McGrady said. “For some of these owners, the NBA might just be a hobby gig for them… They make their money somewhere else.” -via Clutch Points / July 28, 2023

David West: When has a soccer player or baseball player been asked this question after signing a 300 million dollar deal? This question is foolish. -via Twitter @hoopshype / July 27, 2023

Bobby Marks: Here’s what Boston could be on the hook for if the salary cap jumps 10% over the next 2 seasons: Jaylen Brown $304M (starts in 24-25) Jayson Tatum $338M (starts in 25-26) -via Twitter @BobbyMarks42 / July 27, 2023

The source said the deal is fully guaranteed but does not include a fifth-year player option like the one Jayson Tatum received when he signed a five-year extension with the Celtics in 2020, perhaps a mild concession by Brown’s camp. The source said the deal, which will start with the 2024-25 season, does include a trade kicker, which is essentially a bonus the team must pay the player if he is traded. The source said it is for less than the maximum 15 percent. Brown cannot be traded for at least one year after signing this extension. -via Boston Globe / July 27, 2023