I just hope if we draft Ming, that the Chinese gov't. won't hold all of the cards the whole time he is in a Rocket uni. What I mean is.....we have to be able to make a solid deal w/ China to get him over here, and that's it. Let him gain U.S. citizenship, so China won't try to interfere with our team, or our media, or our anything. Once we have him, we have him....and that's it! What are the chances, if we draft Ming #1 overall, that we could still bring in Lamar Odom, or Rashard Lewis in a sign and trade or as free agents to play our SF????? Francis Mobley Odom or Lewis Griffin Ming!!!! nuff said
I agree. Ming gives you the team that you want on paper. If you can't get Michael Jordan in his prime, then the second best thing is to have a true center. How many great players have there been that couldn't make it all the way, in part due to their lack of a true center? Kemp, Payton, Malone, Stockton, Barkley... just in recent years. On paper, it is the only pick that makes us look like a future championship contender.
The only sure thing in this draft is Williams, so I don't see how you can pass on Ming since he fills the position of most need for the team. Unless you can trade for a major sure thing like a Duncan, or Garnett, I don't see any less risk in trading for Odom and picks, or some kind of Mcdyess combo from Denver. I think that the Rockets will pick up Ming because, in addition to the on court positives he will bring, he will also bring *vast* revenues and attention to the team. How many nationally televised games have the Rockets appeared in the last few years? How about the Rockets gaining a foothold on a billion person market? You think Les will not be paying attention to the factors? With a new stadium to fill this is no small consideration. In any case, I think we are entering a new golden age as Rockets fans. I wonder how I am going to be able to keep with them after I move to New Zealand?
I don't even know where to start...I cant friggin believe we won the lottery and we may have Yao MIng next year. Unreal!!! I think we sit back, listen to offers and see what happens. From what I am hearing up here is that the Knicks will do anything to trade up...apparently they want Jay Williams as bad as they want Yao. Did anyone in their wildest dreams ever think that our WORST case scenario would be to draft Yao Ming??? We hit the NBA's powerball, motherlode or whatever you want to call it. Our Houston Rockets CONTROL the entire draft as we speak!!!
I dont agree with drafting Ming. With the posistion we are in, I think we should go after an impact player who can help us now. There are to many unknowns and if`s when it comes to Ming. He did not exactly wow the GM`s and scouts during his recent workout and to dominate in the Chinese league is nothing like the day to day grind of the NBA. Due to the lack of exposure to his play and the level of his competition how are some of us saying he has the dominating potential of a Duncan or Shaq?
crash is right. The Rockets will NEVER have Ming for a full season. I heard Nellie say that Wang Zhi Zhi will never be with the Mavs for a full season. Ouch! How can an NBA player adapt to the NBA without training camp. It will take him much longer to adapt to the NBA physicality than a normal player. Also, when Ming FINALLY starts playing physical, the season will be over and then he will start playing full time in the non physical game in China. He will likely revert back to his old ways. Picking Ming is a Huge risk to take with the #1 pick. Does anybody have any numbers on his shot blocking? Is Ming good a this? However, I hate to compare Ming to Bradley because Bradley never intended to improve. Ming might be an agressive person who wants to win. Bradley is more of a family man who collects huge paychecks for nothing. He has never worked on his game to improve. Well, except for his contract year.
Ming's cousin says he's going back to China to talk to the Chinese league and government. Translation: Everything has its price. That's what they teach at U-Chicago and what they practice in China. A deal can be worked out by which China gets some ridiculous percentage of Yao's income in exchange for releasing him from domestic obligations. Remember that in much of the world throughout human history, people have sold their countrymen and even their own children into bondage when the price is right. China can make more money from a cut of Yao's promotional income as an NBA player (never mind his salary) than from using him to prop up the Chinese league. As an analogy, look at Clint Mathis of the New York Metrostars in Major League Soccer. The US is desperate to develop MLS into a respectable league. Along comes Mathis, a home-grown Georgia boy who proves to be a world-class player. Is MLS clinging to him in order to pump up its quality and prestige? No way. European clubs are waving the prospect of a $5M or $6M transfer fee at MLS for Mathis, and MLS is happy to deal. Money talks, talent walks.
Ming is 7'5 1/2 inches and weighs 296 lbs Just heard Carroll Dawson on 610 a few minutes ago. That height is in his bare feet! Carrol said that is the figure from the Chicago workout. Thinks he has a strong lower body. Thinks he can pick up the phsysical aspects of the NBA game , though that is the question Sounds like Ming to me. But.... still says they are listening to everybody. Of course if your talking Garnett, Wallace and taking our big contracts, who wouldn't listen. Can't teach 7' 5 1/2 and 296 pounds without fat.
I'm glad I'm not GM right now. CD's got a plethora of decisions to make. If you draft Ming you have to deal with these problems: 1. In love with his jumper 2. Doesn't like to lift weights 3. Contract and communist issues 4. Very Raw 5. We already have jump shooters in front court with Taylor and Griffin
I agree with Elvis completely. You saw what happened to the Seattle Mariners after they signed Sasaki, and then of course Ichiro. Mariners' merchandising went through the roof in Japan! Think of all the marketing potential, exposure, etc. that Yao would provide ... and that's even before mentioning his abilities on the court. I also agree that there are risks inherent in drafting nowadays. You simply can't get around it. Yao Ming is probably a much safer #1 pick than a Kwame Brown-type, when you get down to it. Plus, by getting him we could put Cato back on the bench where he belongs and send Collier to Siberia. And let's not forget that we have another #1 pick in a pretty deep draft to address our other needs at SF. Somehow, though, I dread that we're going to find some way to trade *out* of the first pick and end up with something like Chris Mills and Mike Dunleavy Jr. ....
I agree with this thread 100%. You must take Ming. These players come around once in a generation. There will never be another center with the potential for dominance like ming in the next 15 years. Hes got all the skills. The big thing that pisses me off is when people say " look at what happened in the Olympics, he avg.ed 10 pts and 6 fouls". Well guess what, he was 19. He is five times better now and will only improve. Also, who did he play against??? Freakin NBA all-stars in Tim Duncan and KG!!! Who is going to dominate them. In 3 years he will average 20 pts. 12 reb. and 3 assists
We have to take the chance on Ming. A franchise center comes around only every 5 - 10 years, whereas servicable small forwards are a dime a dozen. We can address the small forward position later; either through the draft (perhaps Nachbar at 15?), through a trade, or through the middle class exception.
2 yrs ago we missed the playoffs by two games with the <b>worst home court record of any team that made the playoffs</b> In both conferences. We were 24-17 at home. That is just miserable, and there is absolutely no better reason for why we didn't make the playoffs that year. We missed the playoffs for lack of attendance and crowd noise. Once Hakeem woke up, and the team woke (it all happened in like a 5 minute span agaisnt the Knicks), then the crowd woke up, and we went on our playoff charge. We have no Hakeem to wake up the crowd. But Ming can give us that, again. He will come with a ready-made crowd. Do not underestimate the wins that Francis/Mobley can produce by simply having a louder crowd and a center better than Cato. Loudness brings focus and effort, especially on the defensive end. Francis even mentioned enjoying playing on the road more. Ming will rejuvenate this crowd, by filling these seats with new blood. No other player will come close to that. Griffin can continue being a quiet contributor who doesn't have the pressure to perform, and will now get one on one low post coverage for sure...his whole career, if we take Ming. All that pressure will be on Francis and Ming. Stevie has his center now. That's what we always wanted. btw: Comparing Ming to Bradley is blind. Also, if you watched the Knicks/Pacer's playoff series, Rik Smits beat Ewing in those match-ups. Say what you want about Smits, but he was highly effective in the playoffs. He was an impact player.
HP, This is scary, I was saying the exact same thing to my friends yesterday. We seem to be agreeing more and more lately... Ming will put people in the stands, and make a HUGE difference in the home games. Not to mention National and International media coverage. I think the Rockets will draft Ming, unless a HUGE deal comes along. The Rocks are not interested in unloading a bunch of people or having another off season of high turnover, that just delays them getting better. I think they want to add Ming to the mix, and let the rest of the team gel together. Ming is already a good passer and team player, and...he is 7'6"TALL.... Give us some ming darnit. DaDakota
I sure as hell would come out to watch Ming. But will he even play next year? Will the govt. let him out? I don' think that he'll be able to handle an 82 game schedule, and deal with the abuse he'll be given every night.
Ming downside is to great for me. He's soft in the post and I don't see him lasting against the top players in the Western Conference and that's the reason why we're drafting him? The language barrier is a concern, along with his committment to the Chinese government and/or Shangi Hi Sharks. The only thing Kelvin Cato doesn't do is shoot outside that consistently.
Just to extend on what HP said...........the Bradley-Ming comparisons are baseless. The most important difference between the two? Ming has been playing basketball his whole life; Bradley didn't start until high school. Never underestimate the importance of a natural feel for the game. He's not just a physical specimen, he's a player. Trading the pick doesn't make sense either. It's a nice little solution to our problems in theory, but the actual number of fair, and viable options is very limited. Outside of Odom and their lottery pick, what player, on a rookie scale contract, is worthy of being the prominent piece in a deal for the #1 pick? And why exactly do we want to hand the Clippers, a team not too far behind (or ahead...) of the Rockets, their final piece, in Jason Williams? Ming isn't a choice, he's the choice.
