Sporting News: Sorry guys, Yao isn't going anywhere

If you were Yao Ming, would you sign the extension in 2005?(You can sign it anytime you want), I mean you don't get that many chance to sign with other teams for this kind of long contract, so why not take a look at others before you make a decision, you have nothing to lose, but things to gain.

 

So where would you like him to sign?

 

Yeah, but have you ever met his grandfather? That might not be a compliment.

But, I welcome other teams to go ahead and try to lure him away. Preserving cap space for 2006 means they won't be going all out for a championship before then. Which means more free agents and more Ws for the Rockets. If they want to sacrifice a couple of seasons on a pipedream, why stop them?

 

If I were Yao, I'd want to sign an extension before the new CBA. But, he likely won't get a chance to.

 

Actually it is 2 and 4 times a year under the old system, and could be slightly less with the realignment. The teams travel to Houston to play half the games.

 

If you were Yao Ming, would you sign the extension in 2005?(You can sign it anytime you want), I mean you don't get that many chance to sign with other teams for this kind of long contract, so why not take a look at others before you make a decision, you have nothing to lose, but things to gain.

 

How do you say ah....................................
Houston Rockets

 

Just like it sounds.

 

This post and your previous ones are all ridiculous.

You do not even deserve to be responded to. Either you are ignorant or a straightup basketball novice. Sorry.

 

Assuming that he's a "straightup basketball novice"... don't you think that response is a bit harsh?

 

First, I'm a Rockets fan.

Now let's get it straight, IF you're a Rockets fan, you would say that, if you're not, you wouldn't say that.

 

First, Yes I want Ming back.

But, has anybody determined if he has any say? Unless he does a Wang Zhi Zhi, he still belongs to China Basketball. Lets just hope that they have warmed up to Houston, and would rather take the larger paycheck sooner, then ordering him to go to NY (??) or somewhere they think he will be more marketable (and make them more money over time).

 

Whoops, I'm an idiot. But my point remains.

 

Quick, someone post this on the FAKERS board and see what they say!!!!

 

I'm not concerned with that. Maybe it is a significant revenue for the Shanghai Sharks, but I don't think money is a major concern for the government. He can't make so much money that the government would care. I think they want to have Yao the best player he can be for the 2008 Olympics. He's currently in a great situation to further that cause, so why change it?

Also, I don't think they have much power to control these things anyway. They could tell Yao they'd like him to go to New York, but they can't really do anything to force compliance except to kick him off the Olympic team. We're not dealing with Josef Stalin here; they won't put his family in a gulag as punishment.

 

Put it on the Warriors board too and hopefully they will stop saying Yao will bolt for the Bayarea because of the nice weather.

 

This article isn't telling us anything that hasn't been hashed out on this board a million times, but it is definitely nice to have a nationwide columnist making some of these points.

For the definitive:

Reasons why Yao will sign a contract extention with the Rockets next summer.

1. The Rockets have EXCLUSIVE negotiation rights with Yao for the next two years. If you don't think that's huge, you don't know how business and human nature works. Unless the two side are really far apart, this exclusivity means the deal will get done 99 times out of 100.

How exactly are GS and LA going to lure Yao away if they can't even talk to him. Technically they can't even let Yao know that they're interested in signing him. Advantage Houston, with capital letters.

2. Cities with large Asian American populations are not a concern for Yao. It's not like he mingles with the locals as is. He gets mobbed wherever he goes, and things would be even worse if he lived in a town like San Francisco. And I have yet to read anything about Yao having more regard for his Asian fans than his American fans.

I think another poster had it right on, when he said that Houston has just the right amount of Chinese people. Enough so that his parents can shop at Chinese grocery stores, but not so much that he has to call on extra security to keep them off his lawn.

3. The Chinese government has shown zero attention to Yao's NBA career. After he got drafted have we heard any peeps out of them. As long as Yao continues with his National Team commitments, they don't seem care what he does in the NBA.

And why would they force Yao to go to an Asian American heavy city. Last I checked, they got 1.3 billion of their own people that they're worrying about first.

4. It's pretty evident that Yao likes the Rockets organization. They've been good to him, and I think he's going to be good to the organization. As long as they pay him market value and don't try to stab him in the back, it's all good.

5. I disagree with Deveney that if the Rox didn't trade away Steve and Cuttino, Yao might have left. I don't think it would have been a concern because it seems like Yao grew an attachment to those guys. I don't think it would have affected his decision at all.

On the flip side, I don't think he'll leave now because he can do some great things with T-Mac. And since team turnover has been a shock to Yao, then wouldn't it stand to reason that he'd be looking to stick with a team instead of going to an entirely new situation.

Would he want to go to a new situation in a different city, with different, coaches, teammates, management. Yes he's had different coaches and teammates in Houston, but if team changes are a culture shock to Yao, then wouldn't changing teams seem like he's throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

And just to be fair:

Reasons why Yao will NOT sign a contract extention with the Rockets next summer.

1. If Les gets drunk* at the Rockets Christmas party and makes a move on Yao's mom.

THAT'S IT! THAT'S THE LIST.




* Les would have to get pretty damn drunk to do this. NBA owner are usually going after Playboy bunnies, not MIWLFs.

 

I know this has been reposted twice. But I just can't read it enough. Thanks for an intelligent answer to a stupid post.

 

The biggest reason yao wont jump ship is because of the type of person he is. Unless there is a major reason he doesnt like Houston or the organization, Yao will stay in Houston his entire career or as long as the rockets want him.

From what Yao has shown me, in terms of his character, it seems he is a very loyal person, obviously is not a troublemaker, and he would not leave the club over petty reasons.

Those that worry about such things are wasting their time.

 

Go post this on the Lakers and GS fan bbs's