Ok, I know there are alot of Ming-lovers, and although I used be strongly against him, I'm pretty neutral now as long as we get another player as well in the draft somehow. Anyways, we've heard about Krause visiting China and talking with Eric Zhang and the Sharks staff. We've heard he's trying to get Ming, not Williams. What if the negotiations with the Rockets fall through? Eric Zhang is from Chicago, Chicago & NY were Yao's reps first choices, Chicago could try to manipulate the situation so they can draft Yao. Would you trade the #1 pick to Chicago for the #2 & Eddy Curry. We could get Caron Butler or Dunleavy AND Eddy Curry. That would fill our 3 and 5 spots with some players that look pretty certain. I wouldn't turn this down, but what do you all think?
I've been one of the biggest skeptics about whether we can draft and keep Ming and even I have to concede that it's looking that way. Unless our boys are the NBA's dream team and are negotiating on behalf of the entire NBA, for whatever team gets him in a deal. But that's a stretch. If we get our assurances in China, then I wouldn't do your deal, even though it might be the better thing to do. Yao will put the Rockets back on the national as well as the international map. I sure wish we would get a decent small forward as well, but that's a hide-and-watch situation, I guess.
I would make this deal in a second, only then I would see how much either Golden State or Memphis wanted Jay Williams and possibly trade down with them, obtain an additional pick or solid player and still draft Caron Butler.
If we think Ming is the best player then we'll draft him. Its hard to find franchise centers. There's no way that China wants the guy to skip the NBA for years just because they'd prefer he went to Chicago than Houston. We have a history of developing big men and they need Ming to learn to be a big man to help them in world class competition. Their first goal is to get Ming to the NBA and get him some playing time. If they want to play hard ball after we draft him then that's fine, Ming can stay in China or ride our bench. I think after a year or 2 of no development playing in China will bring them to their senses if push comes to shove. The Chinese would have to be galactically stupid to let such a thing happen just because Ming isn't going to the first city of their choice. Besides, what has Chicago done to ever develop a big man? Houston has seen the likes of Mo Malone, Ralph Sampson, and Hakeem come through this city in the past 25 years. If you got talent then Rudy and CD will turn you into a man. Why would they want Ming to play for the guy that broke up a team of MJ and Pippen? Krause isn't too good at the long-term relationship that the Chinese are after. I mean, the guy was dumb enough to let MJ get away because of his own ego. If the Chinese gov't believes a thing that comes out of his mouth then I feel sorry for them, because that guy is the epitome of classless.
