Agreed. With Yao we are a 5.88 Win team W/O it is 5.33. Also, we lose China's money which would put us in future economic potential concerns. Like what the half of the NBA is suffering from.
I dont doubt that our team will be ok without Yao but this article is r****ded. "Who needs Yao" is way overexaggerating and to say that the team pushed the lakers to the limit without the big fella is just dumb. Without Yao we dont win the first game and then suddenly the series isn't such a close one anymore even if it goes to six. And if I remember correctly, more than a few of those losses were beat downs. No wonder sporting news sucks...
McGrady doesn't count anymore? What you're saying would make sense if we have that version of McGrady for next season, but that isn't a given.
Shanoff is wrong about Rockets not needing Yao. But I do agree that Artest is the key FA. Rockets need to find a way to keep him. It was Artest who provided the Rockets that edge that they have missed for so many years. Artest need to be re-signed, even if it is for just one whopper of a one year contract.
Sure we won 2 games vs. the Lakers without Yao, WHEN WE HIT OUR OUTSIDE SHOTS... What happens he those shots don't fall?? We lost by 40 in game 5 and lost by 20 in Game 7. Who needs Yao right? He is the one guy on our team who gets a high % shot EVERY TIME he shoots inside the 3pt line. He also gets others WIDE OPEN shots or LAY UPS. He's also only 7'6 and changes plenty of inside shots. He does get you 10 rebounds per game. He also draws 2 defenders on him before he even gets the ball...name 5 other players who draw that type of attention 90% of the time they play. Remember, we only played 2.25 games with a healthy Yao vs. LA. He injured his foot in the 2nd qtr of game 3. This guy is an idiot...
Artest will help win games, but Artest alone doesn't bring you close to contending for a championship. Even making it out of the first round would be questionable. Without Yao this year we might have been able to get past Portland, but it would have been a much bigger struggle. Next year Portland will be better and Artest/Battier/Scola will be older. If Yao is out it doesn't make much sense going into lux tax to sign Ron this year. Let him sign somewhere else and develop the younger players. If Yao comes back for 2010/11 make use the money saved on Ron to sign someone else then. If Yao retires then you'd also be a better position in 2010 to go after a big name without Ron on the books. Also, there's no way Artest gambles by taking a 1 year contract, and for his sake he shouldn't either.
