http://www.hoopsworld.com/cgi-bin/news/exec/view.cgi?archive=17&num=4956 Article about Golden State Warriors' president wanting to sign Yao after the rookie contract is up.
The Rockets are approaching a critical juncture. In the near future the Rockets Management will realise that the Team can go in two directions back to pre Yao Ming[The Mobes and Franchise Show] or get serious about finding players who will be in harmony with Yao Ming. The present direction of the Team is not good for its Players its Coach or its Fans.The players look miserable/depressed while attempting to play the NBA Game. Its very hard to accept Steve Francis and Yao Ming playing so far below their potential.JVG needs to use his players to do what they do best, not try and make them into somerthing they are not. Just by watching their play you can see how the mindset is dragging down all of the Team.
Rule #1- Hoopsworld is not reliable. Also, who wouldn't want to sign him. You are confusing your points again. You said Yao wants to leave. That article did not support your point!
I posted an article several threads below concerning Yao desiring to play for the Warriors before he was drafted. The point I make is that when another team really wants another player and that player has made it known he would like to play for that team, it becomes incredibly tough even with the collective bargaining agreement for the team currently holding him to keep him. Golden State could work a deal similar to Denver's signing of Andre Miller. The Nuggets signed him to a deal that front-loaded a whole bunch of money up front. 25% of the entire contract can be given as a signing bonus. Les Alexander would have to be coming up with big cash up front. I'm putting this out there as a potential warning sign since I don't think Yao is happy as a Rocket now. I don't think any of the Rockets are having fun now, and the offense is garbage. It might change, but I doubt it. Van Gundy is the coach. If you were a player with a choice of playing for a team that is fun or a team that is not fun, I'd pick the fun team if the contracts were similar. If I were an employer, I wouldn't be offering a big $90 million contract to anyone who wasn't going to give it all to the team.
Now that hoopsworld has reported it, I am actually quite sure it won't happen, but we would be SOL if Yao decided to bolt. Forget years like this year/last year...I wouldn't expect much more than '01-'02 for years and years.
Steve and Yao are being forced to be players they are not. The transition isn't smooth. It's like being forced fed castor oil like in the Tom and Jerry cartoons. I see Van Gundy maybe trying to force Steve and Yao to face their weaknesses now and get it over with. I would rather see a more fluid metamorphasis to the players Van Gundy wants them to be. I'd like to know what Rudy T has to say about the current state of the team. He's still part of the organization.
Ahhh c'mon....of course it works. Can't you see the logic...it is as clear as the computer monitor in front of you. You just aren't letting go of that secret urge to become a Warriors fan. Keep trying.
Unless trading Yao will net us Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett, then trading Yao is out of the question. If his rookie contract is going to expire and his contingent of agents decide that Yao will not re-sign, then trading him is the best ase scenario (which by the way is two and a half seasons away. This team needs to be built around the post. Francis needs to learn to involve his teammates more, and they in turn need to knock down their shots. The one player that sorely needs to be traded so the Rockets can get good role players/ draft picks/ free up cap room (by packaging an albatross along with him) is Cuttino Mobley. I'm not bashing Mobley, but he and Francis are almost identical, and I'm pretty sure with his contract the Rockets cold get some decent players if not picks. Nonetheless, cut Yao some slack, give the team some time and try to stomach the bad brand of basketall we're watching now, it will get better. And hey isn't htis what being a fan is about, suffering and toiling with your team, watching them struggle and then reaping the sweet rewards when they do make it to that next level. It's difficult for me to watch, just like all of you, but I'll stick with Yao and Steve and hoipe they find some harmony on the court together.
Yes, it's two and a half seasons away. It's probably too early to think about it until the end of his 3rd season and if decides not to sign the extension. However, I'd go up to Yao after this season is over and ask him what's up if I were CD. If I were a player, I wouldn't go play for the Rockets if I had a choice between another desirable team offering a similar contract. Who wants to play for Van Gundy after watching the Rockets? I wouldn't. As far as Mobley goes, he's good. I don't think he's good enough to tack on Moochie's contract though.
Everyone has been throwing huzzahs to Tomjanovich and Dawson for such a quick rebuilding for several seasons now. Guess what? We are rebuilding. Let's make no mistake about that. When RT got canned, we were officially going back to the drawing board. The downside is we are strapped with some bad contracts and players for 3 to 5 years, thereby throttling the ability to make changes. Upside is we have a talented and young group of guys. The challenge is to see if these guys can start over under a new coach and get it together. Our challenge as fans is to be realistic and wait at least a season before we start calling for peoples heads. What is the alternative, really? I have yet to see anyone on any board or sports website come up with a realistic, actually do-able scenario that will actually happen which will jump the Rox out of the rebuilding mode in the next year or so. I challenge anyone to outline a specific, realistic plan for doing it this season. I should say that any plan should start with Dawson being replaced.
MoT and Cat have been very cooperative this year. Cat especially has done an admirable job at fitting into JVG's system. I do agree with you on Steve though. We will never be a good a real contender as long as Steve is running the show.
