1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

Would Yao Ming Be Effective in Today's NBA?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by celebrevida, Jun 12, 2018.

  1. celebrevida

    celebrevida Member

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2016
    Messages:
    860
    Likes Received:
    349
    In today's fast paced, three point shooting, perimeter oriented NBA, it would seem like slow dominant post players like Yao would not fit.

    The modern great centers are quick, stretch 5s that shoot jumpers all the way out to the three point line.

    It makes me wonder if Yao Ming would be effective if he was drafted today instead of 16 years ago.

    Opinions?
     
  2. Giant9erRocket

    Giant9erRocket Hakeem Olajuwon Status

    Joined:
    Dec 30, 2001
    Messages:
    1,511
    Likes Received:
    870
    Yes he would useful and yes he would still be a max salary player in the league if Ryan Anderson's of the world can make $20.4m next year.

    Yao Ming would shoot 3s better than any big man we have currently. He also would not have to pump fake like how Ryan Anderson would.
     
    ak99999, topfive, donkeypunch and 5 others like this.
  3. pocketrocket81

    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2009
    Messages:
    530
    Likes Received:
    189
    Amen
     
  4. Daddy Long Legs

    Daddy Long Legs H- Town Harden

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2016
    Messages:
    10,984
    Likes Received:
    13,588
  5. REEKO_HTOWN

    REEKO_HTOWN I'm Rich Biiiiaaatch!

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2008
    Messages:
    46,767
    Likes Received:
    18,465
    He’d get fouled all the time by smaller players and wouldn’t get the calls.

    Just like before
     
  6. aroundtheblock2

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2013
    Messages:
    1,672
    Likes Received:
    1,755
    He'd have to play less minutes but yes he could manage considering he was mostly a finesse player anyways.
     
    RyanB likes this.
  7. Snow Villiers

    Snow Villiers Member

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2015
    Messages:
    16,814
    Likes Received:
    16,041
  8. BigggReddd

    BigggReddd Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2012
    Messages:
    4,933
    Likes Received:
    5,828
    Yes. Maybe not as effective, but definitely an all-star.
     
  9. Kim

    Kim Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 17, 1999
    Messages:
    8,972
    Likes Received:
    3,664
    He's Brook Lopez on his (Brook's) best days. I hope I don't get flamed for that. I'm trying to pay a compliment.
     
  10. 1Deep

    1Deep Member

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2010
    Messages:
    1,328
    Likes Received:
    2,890
    7'6 with range & high basketball IQ is unique in any era.
     
  11. durvasa

    durvasa Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2006
    Messages:
    37,910
    Likes Received:
    15,377
    Define “effective”. He would not be a featured player on a great team. His inability to defend outside the paint would turn him into a defensive liability against most teams. And offenses centered around post ups are not good enough.

    People saying he’d be a great outside shooter — based on what? He hit 2 out of 10 3 pointers in his entire career. He was mediocre on long twos as well.
     
    TheFreak likes this.
  12. larsv8

    larsv8 Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2007
    Messages:
    21,663
    Likes Received:
    13,913
    Do you like Marc Gasol?

    That's kinda your comp here.
     
  13. durvasa

    durvasa Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2006
    Messages:
    37,910
    Likes Received:
    15,377
    Without the defensive mobility, outside shooting, passing ability, and ball-handling facility.

    If you manage to get him a clean look around the basket, however, he’s a great option.
     
    TheFreak likes this.
  14. dragonwill

    dragonwill Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2002
    Messages:
    1,333
    Likes Received:
    378
    We still have Joe Chee on the bench.
     
  15. meh

    meh Contributing Member

    Joined:
    Jun 16, 2002
    Messages:
    15,348
    Likes Received:
    2,223
    Yao would probably be better today than he actually was in terms of efficiency. Not hating on JVG cause he was old school but he shouldn't have turned Yao into a traditional low post player. Yao had shooting touch and would've been a great P&R or P&P player in today's more guard dominated style. I can also see him doing well as a high post player. If Yao had been lighter and didn't have to bang in the post all the time, he might've had less injury troubles throughout his career. He also wouldn't have so many crappy turnovers due to everyone force feeding him the ball all the time. I can imagine D'Antoni finding more effective ways to get him the ball in better positions to get a good shot. I mean Yao could shoot incredibly well. He had a mid-range game that even Morey would have no trouble with him shooting.

    On defense Yao wouldn't be terrible in a more switching system given his BBIQ, although he'd still have trouble with shooting bigs like he did with Okur in those Jazz series. He's always been good at positional defense and lack of blocks/rebounding stats that people killed him over during his playing days, are less of an issue with today's analytics.

    Pace is probably the biggest issue so he may be more of a 25-30mpg player. But given his injury troubles, that's probably a good thing anyway.
     
  16. rockets1995

    rockets1995 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2011
    Messages:
    5,271
    Likes Received:
    6,479
    If Yao never had foot injuries, China Government forcing him to play during the offseason every year, Yao never had a real offseason to relax his Feet, Body. Jeff Van Gundy forcing him to be Low Post Everytime getting hacked, scratched, bruised down low. If Mike DAntoni had Yao More Midrange Shots and 3 pointers some low post touches. Yao still would be playing today with Harden and Chris Paul.
     
    MyLateRegistration likes this.
  17. Juxtaposed Jolt

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2010
    Messages:
    20,797
    Likes Received:
    16,587
    Yao's game might be relegated to something like LaMarcus Aldridge, in today's NBA.

    And that's a compliment to Yao. Dude would be lethal from the post, whether it's facing you up or backing you down.
     
    saleem and D-rock like this.
  18. ParaSolid

    ParaSolid Member

    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2007
    Messages:
    4,594
    Likes Received:
    1,719
    Im not sure. I’m guessing that, defensively, he’d drop back during pick and rolls. Golden State would murder him if that’s the case.
     
  19. ilovehtownbb

    ilovehtownbb Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2014
    Messages:
    5,544
    Likes Received:
    2,758
    It’s goin be like Chinese BBQ chicken all day.
     
  20. D-rock

    D-rock Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2006
    Messages:
    40,743
    Likes Received:
    64,228
    He would be Boogie Cousins or ZBo, only better.
     

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now