Tracy McGrady is still ailing from off-season knee surgery and will play out the 2008-2009 season with an arthritic left shoulder, but the Rocket forward claims he'll be ready to go when the season starts, the Houston Chronicle is reporting.

"My knee is about 75, 80 percent right now," McGrady said. "It took longer than expected. I was expecting to recover 100 percent in four months, but (ellipses) the doctor told me it would be six months or even more. My shoulder had after surgery kept bothering me. I had another MRI and discovered I have arthritis in there so I have to have surgery again on my shoulder. That?s something I have to deal with again this season, but my knee should be ready by opening night (Oct. 29)."

McGrady said he will not need that surgery until next off-season but that the condition could hinder his play.

?It?s not anything that is going to keep me out of games, but it?s going to bother me,? he said.

?I played through it last year. I didn?t realize how bad it was. I?ll be ready to go.?