Didn't see this posted. If already posted, please lock it. Seems like a growing number of people have started to advocate trading Yao. Let the debate begins http://blogs.chron.com/fantasyfootball/2009/05/can_the_rockets_afford_to_keep.html Can the Rockets afford to keep Yao Ming? I'm back in town from my vacation in Blue Ridge, Ga., and Atlanta. Did I miss anything? What's that you say? Yao Ming is out for the year for the third time in four years? Wow, how shocking. Let's just kick off some real talk, can we? I talked about the possibility of trading Yao Ming back in November and I still feel the same way now that I did then. Yao had, has and will have foot problems. That's a scientific fact. He has failed to finish the season in three of the last four years and continues to have significant injury issues with his lower extremities. So do you keep on riding the big man even though you know that the chances are that he won't finish a season healthy? Here are more scientific facts: • Yao can opt out of his contract next year and if he does, he will want a max dollar contract for at least five years. Do you want to give him a deal near $100 million? • Yao is a very good player and an incredibly skilled big man on the offensive end, but quick, rangy defenders can front Yao and take him out of the offense. He's very good, but he's not an NBA superstar. • Yao is a very average defender and has trouble on defense against teams who have centers who can step away from the basket. Yao will not be traded because he means too much to Les Alexander and the Rockets from a financial standpoint. And if you want to know the truth, Yao is one off the reasons I love this Rockets team. He plays hard, he's loyal, he works hard and his toughness and competitiveness is highly underrated. With all that said, if the right deal came along, you would have to at least listen to a deal for Yao. His injuries issues are going to get worse and not better. If you give Yao a max deal, you are committed to him for at least five more years at a huge amount of money. If you're the Rockets, can you afford to make that kind of commitment?
thing im worried about is injuries plus he is getting older. after next year you want to give this man a multi year contract??? he is already on the slow side, i just dont know if i would do it.
Everything he wrote is spot on. It's not about whether Yao can lead the Rockets to a Championship (that's a pointless distraction topic), it's about the insanity of resigning a player to a maximum contract extension when that player has a history of chronic health problems.
Its a dillema for a few reasons: - Yao brings more than anyone off the court. The specialized market, the shoe deals for teamates, etc. - Yao is very good offensively, but also has huge drawbacks on the defensive end as well as injurywise. - Yao is a virtual mismatch for every other team in the league and can pretty much score at will one on one. - Yao is next to worthless defensively against teams with shooting centers. - Yao can be completely shut down via fronting defenses. I would probably only trade him for a Chirs Paul, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard, Dwayne Wade, or Lebron. Other than that, unless its a collection of 2 borderline all stars, its not worth trading him. My take is to give it one more year and quietly shop him to see what he can bring in on the trade market. If he goes down again next year with foot problems, its time to pull the plug. He is a great guy, but chronic foot problems arent going to stop, especially as he gets older.
Do we realize Rockets will never be the same without Yao Ming? Think about the the intangibles he bring to this organization.
I seriously doubt YAO would stay in clutch city ! A chinese basketball export,who is very close to yao says that leslie don't like YAO very much!even you can see that leslie showed up in Yao's charity dance,he didn't even talk to yao ,this export says that leslie don't pay much respect to chinese people ,(he touched leslie for couple times )leslie once said :if i give yao 15 million more,i can't imagine he would not renew a lease with me . PS :Hopefully its no true ,but this chinese export is pretty convinced in my heart !he says leslie don't know basketball ,he is a businessman spending lots of time in NY ,he only show up in games when he is in vacation .and he has no property in houston .Is that true ???? so what you guys think about it ?pathetic or "it must be faked"?
if you don't believe ,here is the interview by chinese media(if you can read chinese ) http://www.qingdaonews.com/content/2009-05/11/content_8045562.htm and ,it is not personal!
Your entire post is pathetic. Being a foreigner doesn't excuse stupidity. And tell the wannabe expert to stop touching Les.
I really don't understand why rocket funs always ask to trade Yaoming.I did not feel good.just as I mentioned in an other post Yaoming is too good to be real. do you agree?you can see yr poll or lakers homepage or ask the top nba players. It does not need me to mention more.as you said your boss could not let yaoming go for the business value.It is key.business is busines.if yao has such value .why you said" If you're the Rockets, can you afford to make that kind of commitment?"IF he has such value why your boss can't spend more money make the team more camptitive? you said "Yao will not be traded because he means too much to Les Alexander and the Rockets from a financial standpoint" so I think you should logic.that mean you keep yao for money and buy more good players. I am right?it is clear? do you need I to expain more? yes .Alexander want to keep him let mean the other team also want to keep him as you said finanial matter.what is it mean ?it mean he can go every team without warry his payment.apart from the business.Yaoming's real ability is higher than you thought. I remembered JVG said a yaoming clause around the ref several years ago and yaoming willing pay the fine for him... if someone tmac can give yao more pass.. so sir you should understand the situation is yao choose you and not you choose yao.
i just said it is not personal!I have no question with les ,because i don't even know him ,so i won't show my attitude .i was just shocked by that export's saying .
-------------------------------------------------- give the kid a break, and give non-english speaker a break as well... yeah i could not stand the touching part either...
so how much do you know about les ? because i was shocked by that interview ,i brought it here to see what's your opinions about our boss . i really hope Yao ends his career in houston !