Report: McGrady wants out of Orlando

According to the Orlando Sentinel, the Magic will most likely trade the superstar rather than letting him walk away at the end of his contract with no compensation.

McGrady, who has won the scoring title in each of the last two seasons, has repeatedly said he would like to leave if the team did not make a quick improvement. Orlando, which finished the 2003-04 season with a league-worst 21-61 record, has the first overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.

However, McGrady said he wanted the team to trade the pick and acquire veteran players, which might have helped the club make a quick turnaround. Orlando, though, is set on keeping the pick with all indications being that it will select Connecticut center Emeka Okafor.

The relationship between the franchise and its All-Star guard worsened over last season and Orlando became increasingly frustrated with some of McGrady’s antics. McGrady was criticized for publicly ripping teammates, his so-so practice habits and his lack of desire to lead the team.

The 25-year-old McGrady has spent four seasons with the Magic and averaged 28.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game last year. McGrady, who was drafted out of high school by Toronto with the ninth pick of the first round in the 1997 NBA Draft, spent his first three campaigns with the Raptors.

For his career, McGrady has posted 21.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per contest and has been named as a member of the All-NBA First Team on two occasions.

McGrady, who signed with Orlando as a free agent in the summer of 2000 received a seven-year, $93 million contact, with a clause that allowed him to opt out after the 2004-05 season.

Several league agents have stated that the team’s asking price for McGrady will be extremely high and the Magic might need at least four players to complete a deal.

There are several teams interested in the four-time All-Star, including Indiana, Houston and Phoenix.

According to one source, the Magic have asked the Pacers for as many as four players - Ron Artest, Al Harrington, Jamaal Tinsley and Jonathan Bender - in exchange for McGrady. To make it fit under salary-cap rules, the Magic would have to send at least one other player, likely Juwan Howard, to Indiana.

Donnie Walsh, the Pacers’ team president and chief executive officer, told the Indianapolis Star that only star forward Jermaine O’Neal was untouchable and he would consider all other deals.