"It's five games and counting for Tracy McGrady's pine time, and it's hard to tell when he might appear again for the Detroit Pistons.

That has McGrady frustrated -- so frustrated that he said today it's something that could affect his decision about whether to return to the Pistons next season.

"It's out of my control, man," said McGrady, who will be a free agent this summer. "I can't do anything. When the coach says he puts the guys out there he wants to play, I don't really like it. But it is what it is.

"I can't do anything about it but come in here and practice and wait until I get my number called. It's frustrating. It's really frustrating."

Before his exile, McGrady, by all accounts, had been a model citizen and provided a calming influence for the Pistons.

But then came Feb. 25, when McGrady and six teammates didn't show up for a morning shootaround in Philadelphia. Team sources described it as a boycott aimed at coach John Kuester.

McGrady, who said he had a headache, hasn't played since. The others have, giving the appearance that he is being singled out.

"I hope not. I hope I'm not singled out like that," he said. "I beg that it's not that, because that wouldn't be right. Not at all."

Kuester said it's just a numbers game, and no one is being singled out."