{Controversial Topic Beware} If Yao Ming wasn't from Asia Would he still be a Rocket?

Agreed....why should Les apologize for wanting to make money? This IS America, right? We all do what we do to make money.

Plus, Yao's not taking someone elses roster spot; he is a free agent at the end of the year and he's not hamstringing the team from making any additional moves. So what's the problem? If he can be somewhat productive this season, that's a HUGE bonus for the rockets...

 

Thread reminds me of people who start a sentence with "I'm not racist, but..."

You always know what's coming next.

 

Really? Dominant at times, first pick 7-6 center...with little trade value...do you expect that we would have waived him? stupid question.

 

Exactly my reaction.

 

Yao Ming would still be a Rocket today even if he were not Asian. He's simply one of the best centers in the league. If you have a chance to have someone on your team that's going to be double-teamed every time he has the ball, can pass, can block shots, and still average 20 and 10, you're going to keep him around. The fact that he brings you 100s of millions of Chinese fans is just gravy. Rather succulent gravy. Maybe gravy you'd put on everything if you could, but gravy nonetheless.

If he couldn't play, he'd be Wang Zhi Zhi, Meng Bateer or Sun Yue. I mean, I see what you're saying. It's not like Shawn Bradley retired a Sixer or Ralph Sampson retired a Rocket. But I still think you give Yao another chance. I think the experiment is over after this year though if it doesn't pan out.

 

This isn't a controversial question. It isn't racist. I answered "Maybe" because the question is open to interpretation. I think a better question would be "If Yao wasn't bringing in the money he is bringing in, would he still be a Rocket"? The answer to that is obviously NO. Yao isn't getting special treatment because he is Asian, he is getting special treatment because he is a cash cow. It wouldn't matter if he was from Austrailia or Antarctica. Money is money, and money is universal to the human race.

 

Perfect answer. This is a really dumb, pointless thread.

 

If Yao Ming were not Yao Ming, would he still be Yao Ming?

 

I don't think this thread is racist but I do think it's racist of you to post the pic of your father. I hope you have enough mental ability to see it.

 

I can't help but LOL at the fact that 50% of the people voted no, but no one has mentioned WHEN Yao would've been traded.

So when would've Yao been traded?

A. Would it be when he was showing flashes of becoming a dominant low post player in his rookie year?
B. Would it be when he WAS the best center in the NBA?
C. Was it when he became constantly injured, has a long term max deal, and basically can't be traded for more than 50 cents on the dollar?
D. Was it when he was coming off a season-long injury?

Oh, and let's not forget that he's never complained, never been anything less than a consummate teammate, any less than a great person as well as being our best or second best player during a stretch of multiple 50+ win seasons.

So please, if Yao isn't Asian, when would he have made us better by being kicked to the curb?

 

If Scola wasnt hispanic, he wouldnt be a rocket! :grin:

 

I think that would have been better asked AFTER this season.

Yeah he's had injuries, but still had promise all these years. He was our franchise. But if his season isn't great and he's still a Rocket, you could debate it's because the money he brings in because of his Chinese connections.

 

Wow at all the No's. He showed a hell of a lot of promise as a young'n. I don't believe for a single second the vast majority of you weren't having true championship aspirations when he was paired him with T-Mac. Shaq and Kobe version 2. Remember he was very durable his first 3 years in the league, improving EVERY season and definitely deserving of the contract he's still on now. No one could have the forseight of multiple injuries to BOTH.

Let's talk again during new contract negotiations.

 

Yao need not play 82 games of the season?
But he is there for the 20 +post game seasons. get over the special treatment crap- yao has been,is and will be special

 

Are you kidding me? Okay look, at one point of his career he was an elite center in the NBA. The only thing stopping him from attaining that status again was injuries. This is the last year of his contract and there was no point in letting him walk since you would have to pay him anyway. So why not just keep him and see what you can get out of him before he becomes a free agent? It has nothing to do with him being Asian. Was Erick Dampier a Mav for that long because he was black. How about Shawn Bradley? Or Shaq these past few years despite collecting upwards of 20 mil to play less than 65 games and be a fouling machine who gives full effort only fourty percent of the time? Jermaine O'Neal. He has been TERRIBLE the last three seasons, but he is still in the NBA.Gilbert Arenas. Come on man, that question is sensationalist, irresponsible, and has no merit.

 

Elite centers are a once in every five year thing. You have to give it time. Yes, Yao's time may now be up, but there was once hope. What should we have done with him? At want point should he have been waived/traded? You don't sell low because you would get nearly nothing in return....You don't sell high because an elite center is a key peice to possibly winning an NBA title....

 

This isn't that thread, lol.