BREAKING: Yao has stress fracture in left ankle (related to previous injury)

What a sad, sad day. I feel like the writing has been on the wall for years that this day would come sooner rather than later. Morey put such cool pieces around Yao that I just hoped he had a full season run in his tank just once during this era. Just so we could see one good run with the big fella. McGrady was such a lazy player, but Yao busted his ass. It's just not fair that his feet couldn't bear the lofty expectations we put on him and the even loftier expectations he placed on himself.

I have no idea what the future is now. I could see him retiring. He might want to come back as a part-time role player, missing half the games with a 24 minute limit. Les might be willing to pay for that with the Chinese connections it brings although certainly not a high paying deal. There might be value trading him to another franchise that would like to reap those Chinese connections. There's also a loyalty factor that I think Les feels towards Yao.

As far as players, it's clear now that we have no star players, and Morey needs to start from scratch to get one. We have super role players, and a few borderline all-stars, so the cupboards not bare, but we obviously have to consider trading anyone. Contention even for the second round is at least a few years away.

What a depressing day. I've been overwhelmed taking care of my two children this season. It ain't easy lone wolfing it 5 nights a week with an 17 month old and a 3 year old. I've barely been able to watch this season. Maybe that's a good thing.

What a cruel sense of humor the Basketball Gods have.

 

Thank you for everything, Yao!

 

Poor guy. Time for the franchise to move on finally. If they have a chance at Thabeet or something similar then Morey needs to pull the trigger. Tank city.

 

These Rockets have terrible luck with injuries happening to their superstars. The T-Mac-Yao era has been the M.A.S.H squad.

 

Sad Day! Time to let go. Sorry Yao. I loved your heart. You were a Rocket thru and thru. The operation was an utter failure. Time to let go. This is so hard. Les is crying. I am so Sad. I am so sad for Yao. I am so sad for the Rockets. We are now an official middle of the Road team. We will never get a high lottery pick and we will not make the playoffs.

 

Big Z is still playing, and Yao is going to retire, it is just not a fair deal for the rockets.

 

It is truely time to play the youngsters. Wouldn't surprise me if this is Adelmans last season with the rockets.

 

Sounds like Les, who is usually the world's biggest optimist, is also resigned to the fact that this is the end. A very sad day. At least we now have a very large expiring contract that we should use to start the rebuild.

 

Thank you Yao for your work and contributions... You will not be forgotten, take good care of yourself and your family, hope you the best in life!!!!

 

This is terrible.

I remember the day we got the #1 pick. I ran outside celebrating and looking for my pops..."WE GOT THE #1 PICK!!!!" Awesome day.

A guy that's great for this league. Tons of heart, didn't back down, played at times like a man possessed. So many great moments that I can go back to and smile some. This team has dealt with some major blows in the past, so we'll be back to being that Rockets squad we all love.

Yao's time here was magnificent. Sad to see him hurting all over again. Like its been said by people in this thread and others, it's just not his fault. At the end of the day, it is what it is. So as rocket fans...we gotta stick together.

Disagreements will happen but dammit, we're all in this together.

 

Seems like the Rockets have a harder time than anyone else in the league coming back from injuries. Big Z maanged to come back, why couldn't Yao? Our medical/training/rehab program sucks big donkey balls. Even T-mac seems more healthy now he's moved on to Detroit.

Sigh...at least Yao made it past the first round, I guess.

 

How many Centers in the league put up 25 per game in the last decade?

Sad how things turned out.

 

LOSER talk... "MD in training"... pfft. AWESOME way of thinking...

I'd hate for you to be my MD in the future, sir.

 

not every surgery is successful.

tmac looks like garbage out there too.

 

Fixed.

 

Stress fracture is stressful.

 

does this really mean hes done???????? im mean he can get rehab and just come of the bench ! sign him to next to nothing for his next contract!! i dont think hes done. but i do think the building around him is!.........

 

Well the Rockets franchise is going to be at the level of the Timberwolves and Grizzlies for a while. Won't really be relevant until they luck into getting another star player.

 

so what should we do? try to find some vet to patch up the hole and get a late lotto pick? or maybe limp into the playoffs and not have a chance in hell?

dismantle the patchwork. trade the vets. play the youth.

 

Shaq is still playing too.

Yao Ming is such a tragedy.