NBC's Tracy McGrady comes out against NBA expansion: 'I see bad basketball around the NBA'

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NBA is anticipated to vote on expansion during next week's Board of Governors meetings, with Seattle and Las Vegas widely expected to be awarded new teams. To maintain conference balance, one existing team—potentially from Minnesota, Memphis, or New Orleans—might move to the Eastern Conference.

NBCAnalyst Tracy McGrady strongly opposes expansion. On The Dan Patrick Show, he cited Bam Adebayo's recent 83-point performance against a struggling Washington Wizards team as evidence that the current talent pool is too diluted to support two additional franchises. McGrady criticized the overall quality of play in the league, noting injuries to stars like Tyrese Haliburton and Steph Curry as factors contributing to what he views as subpar basketball.

McGrady argued that while there is abundant scoring talent, the league lacks enough true franchise cornerstone players—individuals like Steph Curry or Damian Lillard who can carry and define a team. He emphasized that starting new franchises requires such foundational stars, not just players who can "score buckets."

His perspective raises relevant concerns about league quality, especially amid ongoing issues like tanking and injuries. McGrady, having been a franchise player himself, highlighted the immense responsibility these cornerstone figures bear. The implication is that expansion could risk diluting talent further, potentially leaving new teams without the transformative players needed to build competitive and respectable rosters.