Tracy McGrady Admits ‘Jealousy’ from NBA Old Heads Over Hefty Salaries of Modern Stars

Former star guard Tracy McGrady has spanned nearly three decades of being associated with the NBA, both as a player and now as a studio analyst for NBC.

The 46-year-old was billed to become one of the better players by the time his career ended, but knee troubles slowed his progress, and he never managed to scale the peak he was touted to reach.

Even then, he has put together a career worthy of an entry into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Now, as an analyst, his job is to let viewers associate with the game through his eyes.

As one of the newer generation of broadcasters, Tracy McGrady has to help the NBA navigate the discourse set mostly by older players that the league and its players have gone soft, and that today’s game is much easier than it was during their time.

It’s money. Did you realize, like, in the 90s, Reggie Miller and Michael Jordan, they were only making $2-3 million? And they were the top guys… I don’t think anybody making $2-3 million dollars in the league right now. These guys making so much money.

Tracy McGrady said

This is the former Houston Rockets star’s opinion when asked on Nightcap why there is so much angst from former players about the current generation of basketball talent.

From his answer, he clearly points out the massive pay gap between what the Old Heads used to get in the 80s and early 90s, to what even bench players make nowadays, as the reason for their ‘hate.’

Nothing talks louder than money

In all this time, many have been left baffled by the amount of ‘hate’ coming from the direction of Old Heads. Fans have often vented their frustrations whenever some of them have tried to ridicule today’s NBA.

The likes of Charles Barkley constantly get backlash for his comments, which are either undermining the quality of the game today or pointing out how current players have it easy. But a simple comparison might show what Tracy McGrady pointed out.

When Tracy McGrady arrived in the NBA, he signed a three-year, $4.7 million rookie scale contract. In comparison, the 2025 draft’s ninth pick, Collin Murray-Boyles, signed a four-year, $28,822,764.

In short, the Toronto Raptors’ rookie will earn 4.65 times what McGrady earned when he signed with the same team 28 years ago. In the same span, inflation in the US has seen the dollar grow 100%.

Which means a current generation NBA rookie earns a lot more than Tracy McGrady would have even if his contract was adjusted for inflation.

As the Florida native mentioned while speaking on Nightcap, the difference in money is staggering enough for older players to whine. Nothing talks louder than money.

Tracy McGrady blames NBA for going soft on current players

Even though Tracy McGrady agrees that money, or the lack of it, is what leads older players to criticize the current generation of NBA stars, he does not appreciate the league pandering too much to the highly-paid youngsters.

They made the league soft for these guys, trying to cut the 82 games to 72. I think it’s just all the other stuff of babying and coddling the players when they making all this money.

Tracy McGrady said

The NBC broadcaster was taking shots at recent conversations where players and coaches have been asking the league to reduce the length of the current schedule from the current 82 games.

Even though many have stated that today’s game is vastly more athletic and strenuous than it was when Tracy McGrady used to play, the seven-time All-Star believes the league is allowing players to soften up in the face of competition.

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