A guard lead team in the Western conference is simply not going to cut it. Just take a look back to last season when Kobe Bryant became the “man” for the Lakers during that stretch Shaq was injured. He put up 40pts. on a consistent basis and his team still was a sub-.500 team. I don’t necessarily disagree that Yao may not be good enough to build around, but he’s the only logical option. He presents a mismatch problem for 28 teams. The only team that doesn’t need to double team him is the Lakers.
Whatever I'm through arguing, if you all get your way and Steve is traded and the reigns are handed to Yoa then I will be proven right and then I will come back to rub it in all your faces. It just sucks that the Rockets will have to be ruined for you all to see this.
1st-learn how to spell Yao. it's not hard. 3 letters. 2nd-no one said the reigns will be handed to Yao. Yes he's a franchise player but i'm pretty sure the consensus on this board is that he's not READY to take over. That's why we're all clamoring for a Mcgrady and what not 3rd-if you are satisfied with a 7th seed, 1st round playoff exit year in and year out, that's your M.O. I found this season to be a good one but we ALL know or should know that this team can't get any better than say 4th or 5th best in this conference..and that's giving them a lot of credit considering Denver and GS and probably Phoenix are trying to improve. 4th-if it's your image or your face that you're worried about (as implied by your 'rub it in all your faces' remark), don't worry. no one cares. it's a message board, not a real face to face conversation. it's okay man. but if you want to be right about something...you're right that a team built around Yao will do one or the other...
So basically u r saying SF+Smits could contend for the championship? So SF+Smits>Kobe+Shaq? SF+Smits>Cassell+KG? SF+Smits>Parker+Duncan? At least u would make some sense if u say trade yao for some star players to complement SF. Why dont u stop embarrass yourself here?
man u need to wake up. You have some attraction to steve or sometin. Hate to tell you this but STEVE IS NOT NO MICHEAL JORDAN. Its is one thing you hate yao but another if u make no sense.
i thought you were through arguing a long time ago. how can you, with a straight face, say what you said today, given what you said in a thread YOU started LAST WEEK?
Summer Song Giver, Even pleading insanity won't get you out of this one. The last PG to win a Championship was Isaiah Thomas, 14 years ago. Francis is NO Isaiah Thomas. Not even close. The last PG to win it all before that? Magic. Francis is no Magic. You're opinion is quite simply irrational. Last season's Yao is better than Francis in any of his seasons. A decent C is better than a decent PG. Yao scored more points on less shots. He is near the top of the league in efficiency rating. He is in his second year, and an improvement in ONLY stamina can jump him into 20/10 territory. His per minute stats are as good as Duncan's second year per-minute stats. Next thing you know, you'll be claiming that Francis is demanding we pick Jay Williams and will ask to be traded if we get Yao.
Steve is just a great idividual talent. He doesnt make his teamates better and doesnt create as many open shots as Yao. Do you think steve will be able to carry this team 82 games a season and all throughout the playoffs will a zone defense that is legal. Zones will only get better and will force SF to make more jumpers. What did steve do in the playoffs? Carry us one game. If he carried us for maybe 2 or 3 games i would be singing a different tune right now. Because Yao has the potential to become a great player and management will gamble on that potential. Sticking with SF as our centerpiece will bring us mediocrity in the playoffs. With yao being a role player like he did in this years playoffs we will be the twolves all over.
wow, look at all the second rate players on this list, what a horribe draft. Reminds me how lucky we are to come away with Yao in that draft.
The guys in chat were talking about this thread and what a surprise....they were right. That is 5 minutes of my life I wished I had back.
While I agree that it's not as simple as "either-or", declaring SSG's post as "Yao-hatred" is lame. Yao is far from being a guy you build around. He still has too many holes in his game. A 7'5" center has no business taking his game outside of the paint. Post up strong for god's sake!! I don't care if he can shoot 18 footers because when he misses, the opposing team is going to get the rebound 99% of the time. Also, under no circumstances should he be putting the ball on the floor when he has a teammate on the same side of the floor as he is on. The guy is too tall to be try to dribble and make his move when the help defender is so close. Yao could be a guy to build around, but as it stands right now, the Smits comparisons are not far off.
