Your not a good planner at all if you dont have contingencies. Even when you go into a season expecting or hoping to compete for a run into the playoffs, you got to have in the back of your mind what your going to do if things dont work out. Any Rockets fan should know what our plan "a" is based on. And that plan was flimsy from the start in that its build around a guy who doesnt stay healthy long. So although Morey's PR dept spits out optimism, he had to know "b" and "c" were plans he would most probably have to implement.
5% from free Markets revenue not Huge? Only 5%? Whats 5% of 200 Million Revenue for the year? That's $10,000,000 a year of free money, not including people buying Tickets to see him across the country. A Business owner would freaking laugh his ass off. Would you trade a 7'6 player who is capable of 20/10 and oh btw payfor 60% of his own Salary with Marketing/endorsements....lets not even mention the side deals Les gets. If Les wanted to make a good business decision, its to keep Yao (as long as he is capable of playing 60-70 games a season @ reduced minutes. Business = Money, we fans don't like it but guess what, we don't won the business. As some of have mentioned, Yao's 17 million salary is easily paid for by his own marketing appeal
1. Yao has never proven he can be relied upon to carry a team. This year is about seeing if Yao can still play basketball at a high level, not about carrying a team. 2. I don't think there are any trades out there where we could acquire top tier talent for what we have to offer. I think we have been fooled a bit into believing we can magically turn our group of solid players into a star player easily. If you see any reasonable trades please throw them out there, because I don't see any.
Like my quote said, 5% is NOTHING to simple ignore but Yao isn't even the top selling jersey in China and all the empty seats at Toyota Center will surly make the 10 million worth it. Les could make up most, if not all, of that money by putting a winning product on the floor. Of course, if Les is looking to simply making money then keep Yao and enjoy but if he wants to win, then it's time to move on. Last 4 years Yao has killed our chances at serious contention and this time its an ankle injury next time a hamstring then an ingrown toenail ...excuses. Most Rocket fans don't want someone who is good for 50-60 games a year and 10 of those will be made to get him back into shape so we are looking at 40-50 games of a good center.
It can be worse, we could have Sterling who really doesn't give a crap about winning a championship. Clippers have an exciting team, but we know for the last billion years, they are never championship material or even talked about it in the same breath. I came to the conclusion, I am just going to accept him for his limitations because the only way he is leaving as a Rocket is 1. Mutual agreement on a trade (most of it has to be Yao asking for it) 2. Career injury (i wish nobody this injury, even if they are on Utah Jazz) 3. Team Yao (not Yao but his agents) unwilling to adjust his contact $$$ for an extension. 4. A Team offering a lot of value (which his value is @ an all time low) The Rockets won't simply trade him for a trade or low-mid value because of his off-court value and the simple fact is......he can still be a capable 16-8 player with less minutes, assuming if he can play 30 minutes again, very near 20/10 player. As much as we think he is Slow, he isn't a Stiff and an 80% Yao is still Top 8 Center in this league, some may even say Top 5 Center still @ 80%.
I see where your coming from and agree that Yao can still be a 20-10, or at least 15-10 guy, at some point in his career but my biggest issue with Yao is this, Yao gets healthy and the Rox give him a nice 3 yr 30 million dollar deal banking on a season of decent injury free play and then next year right when it appears we are ready to take off...oops injury out for the year and the Rox have 25 million still invested in the fool.
Where did you get the data that would support your statement above? When you make a statement like that, your argument proves that you are just a Yao hater. Also, how many teams have won the championship since Yao joined the league? You think that getting rid of Yao could win you a championship, keep dreaming.
Rockets are 21st in attendance, have 3 national tv games this season and Yao isn't even in the top 25 in jersey sales this season, would you like more data? http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance Am I a Yao hater, HECK YES, the guy has cost the Rox a chance at contending FOUR STRAIGHT YEARS and you want me to just sit back and wait for the guy to FINALLY stay healthy? Look, honestly, I like Yao and his game but I have just had it with Yao and his fragile frame. It has nothing to do with his play on the court, when healthy, he is probably the best center or 2nd best in the league but that does the Rox ZERO good because HE'S NEVER ON THE COURT. Do I think by letting him go the Rox will be championship contenders, NO of course not but we are stuck in neutral by keeping him here. We need to more forward as an organization, wish Yao well and go on are separate ways.
I don´t think Yao has to return to allstar mode or whatever. We just need him to be like Duncan, 13ppg, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks in 27 minutes. Easier said than done. The problem with Yao is that he just seems that he can´t stay healthy. No matter if his injuries are big or not, a team with players being in and out will never be consistent (See Spurs last year and this year).
1. The Spurs aren't really contenders anymore because Tim Duncan isn't Tim Duncan like anymore. 2. Even if the Spurs were still contenders, your comparison fails because the Spurs have Manu, Pop, fantastic defense and championship poise & experience. The Rockets have none of those things.
Morey has set up a team that can rebuild quickly... Unfortunately, we aren't winning like he thought we would... Go Rockets!!!
maybe, and this isn't a knock against him either. he's a great coach, but he is better suited for a team of veterans. if the rockets continue trying to win-now with yao then i suspect he will stay. if the rockets decide to rebuild, i think a young enthusiastic coach will be a better fit than adelman.
Just curious. Even if I bought into the current Rockets + Yao as being WC Finalists, which I don't. Why would anyone place the success of a mega-million franchise on (figuratively and literally) the feet of Yao Ming? I'm posing a serious question. Provide for us all some factually-based evidence to support your theory. I have formed my opinions based upon recent history. And I don't feel "look at Zydrunas Ilgauskas" is a rebuttal. Z was well past prime when he heeled and the Rockets don't have anywhere near the talent CLE had w/ LeBum. Hoping for Yao to return to the Yao of even 2 years ago is a major leap of faith.
