John Weisbrod earlier this week revealed that although Tracy McGrady requested to be traded from Orlando earlier this offseason, his departure from the Magic was far from one-sided.

Weisbrod implied that the Magic were never going to be able to win with McGrady on the roster because the players had become accustomed to losing.  McGrady could score 35 points a night and feel he did all he could and the other Magic players felt that they were not the leader of the team so the blame for the team's major struggles last season was not their fault according to Weisbrod, and everyone went home and slept without guilt.

While the implication was that McGrady could not lead a winning team, McGrady himself is saying that faults from the season past should not lie with him and his ex-teammates alone.

"When you say things like [Weisbrod] said, that's just covering [yourself]," McGrady said. "I hated losing, but it just got to the point where we were losing so much, you kind of get used to it.

"Going into games, it was like 'Oh, we're going to lose, so let's just get it over with.' That's how the mentality was with a lot of guys, not just me."

McGrady, how in Houston as a member of the Rockets, was due to face his old ballclub last night but coach Jeff Van Gundy chose to rest him, saying he wanted to look at other shooting guards and small forwards.

T-Mac understood why he wasn't playing Saturday and joked he probably would've hurt himself because he was so amped up.

"I had a high going," McGrady said. "(Van Gundy) ruined my high."

Added Van Gundy: "I know the timing isn't great for the Orlando fans. I do feel for them."

Another Rocket feeling the wrath of Weisbrod's comments was forward Juwan Howard, who joined McGrady in Houston as part of the trade which saw Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato head to Florida.

Howard, who also sat out the exhibition game, said he did not appreciate Weisbrod's comments about last year's team.

"What he said was a slap in the face to all of us," Howard said. "I respect his opinion, but I disagree with it. Johnny Davis was with me at training camp, during the exhibition season and all 82 games, and he knows I cared big time."

Davis became head coach after Doc Rivers was fired three weeks into the season.

"Last year was last year, and it doesn't do anyone any good to revisit it," Davis said. "You learn from it and move on. I think fondly of Tracy. I hope he's happy, and I wish him the best."