Chris Mannix: Yao's 24 min limit may be reevaluated in DEC

even though Yao can be healthy there is still a big issue with his play that the lakers exposed...

What is he going to do "when" he is fronted?

 

i agree. i also agree with your post i have read. yao sitting out back to backs is forcing the rockets to learn to play with 2 styles/strategies and prevents the rockets starting lineup from maintaining a consistent chemistry. his limit restriction is hurting the team from obtaining chemistry. however i do think dampier and miller are good backups for Yao, dampier i think more so b/c hes a big that can defend like yao, but who knows. our center lineup is unique it may work

 

what is up with all you chicken little's? the season is only 2 games old, and you've already doom and gloom? Yao hasn't played more than 55 games a season with Adelman except for 2008-9, and even then he missed the rest of about half the playoffs because of INJURY. i think these Rockets are pretty used to not having Yao for significant parts of the season, including the whole entire season last year. the way they should look at it, especially the veterans (and that includes Brooks and Scola who have dealt with Yao's issues for a few years now), is that every game, every quarter with Yao is a bonus. and fortunately, Yao is going (barring INJURY) to be playing in the vast majority of the games and quarters this season, even if the Rockets got screwed by the NBA's sceduling (stuck Fern!).

 

Akuma,

Being used to it, does not get this team closer to a championship.

DD

 

Granted. But please note that Yao is as frustrated as the guy next to me on this matter.

The current situation is purposely created by this team's management. The goal is to reduce the bargain power of Yao for his next contract, some kind of retaliation because Yao didn't accept the Rockets' last year three year offer.

There is a huge different between playing 24 minutes and playing 26 minutes, but certainly not physically. But the Rockets insist this ridiculous 24 minutes limit, why not 25? Because 25 minutes is larger than half of the game time already.

The Rockets organization is playing fire here. Most likely they are going to end up with burning their own asses. They don't realize one simple fact here: the dude doesn't need the max as money, he need it as sign of respect.

Either playing the dude or release him!

 

hopefully yao will be able to play most of the games come late December when they said they will "evaluate yao's minutes". if yao wont be ready then go back to last years style with Chuck hayes and possibly try to switch back to yao's style before the playoffs if hes fully healthy. who knows. hes hurting us atm

 

And I think that is the poitn Rick has to understand. Sure, Yao is supposed to be your best player when it counts, but in my opinion he has to be moved to the bench.

 

In my opinion, 24 minutes is an experiment.
We all know with 30+ minutes, he breaks down by the end of season. It already happened 3 or 4 times. From both the team AND the player's perspective, you don't want to repeat that. So why not try 24 minutes? If it's OK for one year, then maybe next year it's increased to 28. That's the best way to judge Yao's durability and his value.
So what if this costs the Rockets a few games. This is the reality they have to deal with. No matter what, they are NOT contenders this year.

 

A said before, the team has to be cruel in this subject. If they are to extend Yao´s contract about the same money he is getting now. They need to play him at least 30 mins average by season´s end, and see if he holds up.
If not, he is an expiring contract.
If he does hold up, then you have a certain ammount of time he can play and that is enough to give him a contract.
Weather he can effectivelly play 24 mins a game is irrelevant, because even if his that´s his mark, we better let him go than have a player that forces you to play on a very specific way but can only play a certain ammount of minutes.