Rockets guard Tracy McGrady said he will miss the remainder of the season to undergo microfracture surgery on his left knee, ESPN reported late Tuesday.
Rockets spokesman Nelson Luis said the team would not comment on the report. McGrady could not be immediately reached. According to the report, McGrady told ESPN he would need the surgery because of the ongoing troubles with his knee. Last week, he said he was not even considering surgery and would play after the NBA's All-Star break.
McGrady was examined Tuesday in New York and has another examination scheduled there today. Rockets owner Leslie Alexander said there would be news about McGrady's condition sometime this week.
"I always thought he was injured and has problems," Alexander said. "There will be more news coming out in the next couple days. He's a great player when he's healthy and a great competitor."
McGrady has missed 19 games this season while trying to rehabilitate his knee after arthroscopic surgery May 6. He shot 1-of-9 in his last game, a Feb. 9 loss at Milwaukee. He then decided to seek additional opinions on the knee.
McGrady is averaging 15.6 points per game this season and has made a career-low 38.8 percent of his shots.
With Thurday's NBA trade deadline approaching, Alexander described McGrady as a "superstar" and said that the team had no interest in dealing him.
"I don't think we're going to part ways with Tracy," said Alexander. "Everybody wants us to. We acquired a great superstar, and everybody wants us to trade the great superstar. You don't get superstars that often.
"Daryl (Morey, the Rockets general manager) and I were talking this morning. We both discussed how great Tracy is in the playoffs. There's very few people who have the ability to step up their games in the playoffs, and he does. So we're not looking to run away from Tracy."
