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**talula** · 09-27-2006, 10:24 AM

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With a plain white T-shirt and the toothy grin often linked to happy homecomings, Stromile Swift arrived in town Tuesday wearing a clean slate and plenty of optimism.

"I'm going to give 100 percent," Swift said before visiting teammates and coaches during informal workouts in FedExForum. "I don't have any hard feelings against anybody for what happened here. I'm going to come in here and just work hard."

It's almost as though Swift never left the Grizzlies.
In many respects, the 6-9 power forward/center said reconciliation is what will make this reunion work. Swift certainly appeared content while granting his first interview since learning that the Houston Rockets traded him, along with the rights to Rudy Gay (selected eighth overall in the June draft), to Memphis for Shane Battier.

...

"I was pretty shocked about it when my agent called," Swift said. "I just kept asking 'Why?' The end of my last year (2004-05) wasn't good. My biggest question was 'Why?' Honestly, at the end of that last year I was ready to go even though when I left I knew I had a lot of friends here.

"Then, I sat down and thought about it, and I realized it's a business. It's just weird to be coming back here. But once I talked to Jerry I figured I had to let the past go and move forward. I'm happy to be back."

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When asked what fans will notice that's different about him, Swift offered a shrug and food for thought in terms of his maturity.

"My style is still the same. I'm a little wiser in the game," Swift said. "I know there's an opportunity here. I've had plenty of opportunities. But, hopefully, this time it works out for the best."

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