NEW YORK -- Horace Grant always speaks his mind, though, at times, it becomes muffled by mystery. As a principal beam of four NBA championships, he is notorious for confronting teammates and chopping on coaches, not always for attribution.

As the extroverted voice of the Chicago Bulls' initial Three-peat, Grant fearlessly defied deity Michael Jordan (as well as coach Phil Jackson).

Exploiting cameras, radio and the print media on a regular basis, Grant exposed His Airness' hypocrisy, counterfeit character and double standards, on and off the record, hence harvesting his household wrath.

For instance, M.J. ceaselessly ridiculed Grant for passing up an open layup -- which would have sent Game 6 of the 1993 NBA Finals into overtime -- instead, dishing to John Paxson for a title winning 3-pointer.

"Horace was always moaning about not getting enough shots," Jordan mocked after he had retired the first time, "then he gets a free layup and he's so scared he throws it outside for a 25-footer."

Many believe "The Jordan Rules" book never would have attained best-selling status had Grant not been so exceptionally helpful to writer Sam Smith, overtly and covertly; sheer nonsense, I say, because the author had far-reaching sources up and down the roster, throughout the coaching staff and at the ownership level, specifically chairman Jerry Reinsdorf.

On the other hand, Smith went out of his way to campaign for Grant's unmerited inclusion on this year's All-Star ballot.

Years later, Grant still isn't shy about expressing his version of the truth regarding his team's superstar.

Prior to last week's 107-87 Bulls' massacre of the Magic, an ESPN.com article quoted Grant (and Doc Rivers) taking Tracy McGrady to task for not working hard enough AT TIMES on defense. Grant qualified his remarks by stressing T-Mac's age (23) and noted he's still a "work in progress," though "nothing becomes as unfixable as bad habits . . ."

Far worse boiled below. Further down in the article, "an unnamed player" molested McGrady, claiming, "Instead of busting his butt on defense, he likes to take shortcuts. He gambles and cheats so much he puts the rest of us in jeopardy."

As soon as the team charter from Chicago to Orlando took off and the players were allowed out of their seats in the front section, McGrady challenged Grant, attest two sources, accusing him of being that unnamed player.

"That's chicken s---!" Grant responded in a rage, "Don't try to lay off that s--- on me. I put my name on what I had to say, Doc's the one who ripped you off the record."

McGrady and Grant proceeded to tell each other where to go and what they should do alone when they got there. Things were escalating out of control when Ted Arzonico arrived to try to cool them down. Instead, the trainer became a verbal target.

He had given Grant an appointment slip for an MRI (back spasms) the next afternoon and Horace ripped it up, throwing it at his feet. "F--- you!" he ranted.

"You haven't been doing your job for two years. I know Doc put you up to this. Well, I've got my own people who will look at me."

At that point, Rivers, who sits in the back of the plane with the other coaches, got angrily involved.

Sources say he told Grant, "If you've got something to say, say it to my face, don't be bad-mouthing me to T-Mac or my trainer."

Grant exploded with an endless stream of expletives. Rivers refused to back off.

By all accounts, the pair has been at odds on a variety of issues almost from the start of Grant's free-agent signing two summers ago.

Supposedly Doc never forgave Grant for calling in sick (food poisoning) for last year's Laker game in L.A.; knee surgery kept him shelved for all but five games this season.

Grant planned to retire after last season but said a chance meeting with Rich DeVos (the owner can't remember it happening) changed his mind. An unsuccessful attempt was made by GM John Gabriel to buy out the last year of Grant's contract, just like the team did with Patrick Ewing.

At any rate, had players not stepped between Grant and Rivers, their simmering feud may have gotten especially revolting.

In view of the ugly episode . . . and the barefaced fact Grant isn't productive enough anymore to get away with being blunt about the franchise player or disrespectful to the coach or other Orlando employees . . . and the minor detail regarding his easily disposable contract, the Magic had a simple solution:

Following a meeting between Gabriel and Rivers, the decision was made to release Grant with pay (the remainder of this season's $2,6661,538 salary) . . . ending a stellar 15-year, 1,110-game career (11.5 scoring average, 8.3 rebounds) . . . unless the Lakers, who provided Grant the opportunity to win a fourth NBA title ring, or another title contender brings him in for a tryout.

"It's a sad way for him to go out," said an Orlando official. "But it got to a point where Horace became a negative force. When you're no longer a good teammate or a good soldier, there's no other option, you've got to go."

Leaving the Magic yearning for those tranquil days of Shaq, Penny and coach Brian Hill.