Um, it's actually SAM Smith. There's still no basis to the article but you should at least get his name right.
What is this guy thinking? How does he equate billboards in Asia with LA? Houston does not have a big Asian population? Yao is smart enough to realize that LA is not the place to be.
"I can continue to get guys to come play with me for nothing,'' O'Neal said. "I won't be devalued. Never, ever devalued. I will never take less than what I am worth. I'm the one that's bringing the players in anyway. "I've been the general manager of this team for the last two years. So I don't want to hear about blah-blah-blah, blah-blah-blah. Because I'm the one who's bringing them in. I'm the one making the phone calls. ... Everybody wants to play with the Diesel because I make things easy." Who gives a s*** about the rest of the speculative BS in the article. This is the money quote. Here, if true, you have a player announcing during a playoff run that he runs the team, he deserves the credit for whatever his teammates accomplish, and they're chumps. Let's see who wants to sign for chump change to play with the weasel -- I mean, Diesel -- next year.
"So sacrifice a few seasons while working to get Yao, who seems best as a complementary center who could fit better with the dashing Bryant" This ris really some bullcrap, serious.
he doesn't know we are willing to offer more than SF for Tmac? Let Magic pick any two of our players (exclude Yao) and give us Tmac. The worst senario is they pick SF and Cat. I will consider the deal in that case.
Just a thought... How do you guys think the trading of Steve Francis out of Houston would effect Yao's thoughts on the devotion or committment that Houston has towards its franchise player(s)? Knowing what we do of Yao and apparently his fondness for Francis do you think he would look at that as a sign from the Rockets that they lack patience by wanting to trade a player like Steve who has done so much changing this season and being only his second year with Yao and first year with a new coach? Maybe he would consider going to LA.... discuss amongst yourselves...
I have read hundreds of post about Yao to LA and there is no one post from the Rockets side that convinces me that Yao will stay in Houston for sure after his rookie contract expires. I don't think that $$ is the main issue here. If Houston cannot build a team around him and be a contender in 3 years, I think he is gone.
If Yao cannot dominate enough in 3 years to MAKE the Rockets a contender, he probably should be gone. A LOT can happen in 3 years.
Why Sam Smith has a job is beyond me. He actually makes Peter Vescey look like a serious journalist. That's just plain frightening. Evan
