Shaq is in his prime and would definitely lead a Rox team to the playoffs for the next few years. I think the Lakers would take an offer that would include Yao plus all your undesired contracts based on the current situation. You would lose Yao. But you would have a clean team that will definitely be in the playoffs. Shaq would be playing mad ball against the Lakers, which would equal to 4 wins per season plus any victories over the Lakers in the next few years. On top of that you would be rid of all the bad contracts while keeping all the good guys.
It's debatable if Shaq is really in his prime or not. When was the last time he was truly healthy and in shape?
"Shaq is in his prime and would definitely lead a Rox team to the playoffs for the next few years. I think the Lakers would take an offer that would include Yao..." Is there some sort of record for the fastest time to go from attentiveness to completely ignoring something? You actually had me for 32 words, but as soon as I read Yao... Flush...
HELL NO!!!!!!! We don't need Shaq, are you nuts?? You think we would give you Yao? I wouldn't give Yao up for Kobe, shaq, Kevin Garnett, Tracy Mcgrady, Allen Iverson or any other player in the nba to the rockets. We have a fresh start with Yao. I would slice my wrist if the rockets even winked at that idea. You should be beat up for even suggesting such a thing. Yao MING is Going to be 20 times better than Shaq is and he is very young and healthy. I wouldn't even take shaq fo free b/c he is injured and not going to be healthy.....I JUST SAY NO...THANK YOU...NEXT...
No, build around Yao. Shaq is on the downside of his career and really who knows how much longer he will play. Plus IMO even with Shaq and minus Yao, the Rockets still would be behind Sacramento, Dallas, San Antonio and maybe minnesota. So its not like theyre automaticaly the world champs with Shaq on our squad.
Let's see.... a player who will be 32 before the current seasons ends, who loves to bask in the media sunlight while making frequently outrageous (often stupid) comments and who rants openly in the media that he is the team and who recently "discovered" fitness... or a 23 yo 7'6" player who is unusually athletic for his size with a very high upside potential and who is amazingly soft-spoken and humble to the point of taking personal blame even when his Chinese National Team teammates can't or won't figure out how to get him the ball, whose comments to the media virtually always include gems of wisdom and who is almost a certainty for the HOF as solely a Rocket... Tough choice.
If Shaq is on the team he would be the biggest Steve basher of all time. He berates Kobe who helped him win three rings, what do you think he is going to say to Steve who has no rings and as not even been to the playoffs?
Watch the Salary cap baby. Just how much money does it take to keep Shaq, compared with Yao's current contract?
Shaq is still good but how long can he last? All of that fat is killing his feet and I don't see him getting any thinner with age.
I thought you said "If Shaq is available *for nothing*" and I thought that would be interesting debatable stuff. Turns out, it another one of those Yao for Shaq question. You know the Lakers will drool to swap Shaq for Yao.
Let's flip this around, because no Rockets fan would honestly say they would give up Yao for Shaq. This is completely hypothetical and for fun... Let's say that if Shaq comes to Houston and the Rockets give up Yao, the Rockets would be guaranteed to win one title. If Yao stays in Houston, he would have a long, hall of fame career...25 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks per game for the next 15 years with 12 more all star appearances, but fails to win a title.... In other words, would you trade Yao for an NBA championship?
Nope....who wants a fat out of shape, loud mouth who can't shoot a free throw to save his life? Without Kobe Shaq would still have ZERO rings....of course Kobe can say the same thing. No thanks to either of those malcontents. DD
Are you from LA? Why do I feel that the Lakers would love to do that but not the Rocket. To answer your question: No ! Thank you.
All right, all right! I got the picture. If the Rox management ever traded Yao for Shaq, the entire Houston would go on strike against the NBA, and you'd see Rox fans holding signs all over the NBA arenas across the country... By the way, if Shaq did not have such a big lousy mouth, I would not like any trade involving him ... as a Laker fan, that is.
A-Train, Just my opinion but I don't see the Lakers as a lock to win the NBA Championship this year let alone substituting Mo T for Malone, Kobe for Cuttino and Payton for Francis. I'll take whatever the future has in store.
