Come on... this is one of the biggest stretches of all time. It's safe to assume that #1 means the Rockets. I doubt that the Rockets entire front office spent a week over there negotiating (and their team attorney much longer) to trade him on draft night. The Rockets haven't even commented on another draft prospect for weeks and weeks... there's absolutely no possibility that the Rockets don't draft Ming unless he's not allowed to play in the NBA. If you remember, one of the documents the Rockets had to sign just to visit China was one that they would be drafting Yao to keep and develop, NOT to trade. These agreements aren't all between China and the NBA... many are between the CBA and the Rockets. If not for the Rockets staff and front office personnel, negotiations might not be to the point they are now. No team in their right mind would draft Ming without the agreements the Rockets have received, and no other team has those guarantees outside of the Rockets. Furthermore, no team in their right mind would spend a whole month traveling across the world, negotiating, talking with parents and coaches of the player, and then constantly bragging on that player just to trade him at the last moment. It's not happening. I'm not saying Rocket!!!'s not reputable at all, but doubting Doc Rocket, especially at this point, would be foolish, and Rocket!!!'s sources have been well off in the past (Curry, Miller for Shandon, Cato). That's not to say that all of his trades are offbase, but it's just not to the reliability of Doc Rocket and Clutch...
Cat is correct if for no other reason than the Chinese officials made it clear that they didn't want Yao taken #1 and traded. Him getting picked #1 and staying with that team is a significant deal for them.
"My experience has been that if only one (and the worst) sports crew in town says it, it is a rumor. If Fox 26 says it, it's a scoop." Maybe, but Fox 26 should be working for Jeff and Clutch!! THESE two guys (along with others I don't know about) have got more inside mojo about the Rockets than anyone I know. Especially David Aldridge (ESPN).
Fine. I just think it's important that someone connected in all this say "Yao" and "Rockets" in the same sentence. Eric Zhang seems to have done so, however, in an article posted in another thread: how it'll be great for Yao to be with the Rockets, etc etc. I just saw that; to me, it gives it more validation.
It is very, very rarely when Mark Berman gets scooped. 26 is the best for info. It was a crying shame when Craig Roberts was let go. He was by FAR the funniest sports person in houston and also had the most personality. Bob Allen 2nd. Tim Melton 3rd.
griff is just taking what will probobly happen and predicting it early. that way when it does happen he could say he got the scoop first. its like me saying "the nba has agreed that no matter who gets the #1 pick next year, it will be used to draft lebron james." you heard it here first.
