Tracy McGrady still can’t believe the Magic let Tim Duncan walk away over a plane-ride policy: “You give that man whatever he wants” originally appeared on Basketball Network.
The 2000 offseason was a pivotal one for the Orlando Magic. A few years removed from the Shaquille O’Neal-Penny Hardaway era, the franchise was poised to make a run at the NBA title once again after they signed two versatile and explosive wingmen, Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill.
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However, Orlando was not done yet, as they set their sights on arguably the biggest prize of the free agent market: the San Antonio Spurs’ dominant big man, Tim Duncan. And according to Hill and McGrady, things were going well at their dinner meeting with Magic head coach Doc Rivers until one question and the response to that query changed the course of the franchise forever.
Doc’s direct response turned Timmy off
In a previous interview, Hill recalled the meeting’s details as if they had happened yesterday. After a filling meal and some small talk, the interested parties got down to the nitty-gritty.
“Tim’s girlfriend asked Doc a question: can wives and girlfriends travel on the team plane? I remember that. And you gotta understand, back then that didn’t happen — it happens now, but back then it didn’t happen,” Grant shared.
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“So Doc said, ‘No, it’s a business trip, that doesn’t happen, I don’t allow that.’ Now, I didn’t know that San Antonio had started doing that, you know, and so that’s why — because I’m thinking that’s a bold question. Like, I’m like, why is she asking that question? But I didn’t pay much attention to it,” he added.
Little did everyone in the Magic organization know that that helped Duncan decide to stay in San Antonio, where he went on to win four more NBA titles and establish himself as one of the greatest players in league history.
Looking back on that event 25 years later, T-Mac said Doc and the Magic should have given Timmy whatever he wanted. They should have made it happen had he asked for Disneyland to be built in Orlando.
“I’m like, this man has won a championship. He’s arguably one of the best power forwards in the game, and this is three years removed from college,” McGrady said. “You give him what he wants, all out, 100%. You’re supposed to give that man whatever he wants.”
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An organization that’s willing to take risks
A common thread among successful organizations in the NBA is their ability to take calculated risks and make informed compromises. From drafting young, unproven talent to making big trades and signing controversial players, these teams are not afraid to go against the norm in pursuit of greatness.
Unfortunately for T-Mac, the Magic was not willing to change its policies to accommodate the best power forward of that era.
“That’s just the difference in certain organizations and certain personnel willing to pull the triggers to change the trajectory of your organization,” Tracy commented. “If you got a chance to get Tim Duncan — you already have T-Mac, who’s an All-Star, and we didn’t know if Grant Hill was going to be unhealthy — but if you could make that happen… come on, bro.”
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While it’s uncertain if the Magic would have been able to win a title with Hill playing in only 200 games in his six seasons there due to various injuries, the duo of T-Mac and TD could have potentially dominated the league for years to come. However, the Magic prioritized maintaining their existing policies and structure rather than taking a risk on change.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 4, 2025, where it first appeared.