[Chron] Yao mulls contract status, considers free agency

I would look at Ilgauskus's post foot surgery career and plan accordingly.

I like Yao, but having him snap like a twig right before or during playoffs makes me not like him enough to accept another max contract.

 

I hadnt forgotten that, just didnt address it. But tell me this; What will the Chinese market do if Yao looses their spotlight? Sooner or later, if Yao looses his elite status in their minds, they will turn their attention elsewhere. Yes, things apparently have been good for the Rockets because of the Chinese interests, but I think its a mistake to assume that will continue if the Yao falters.

 

Yao will get a lucrative deal if he plays the market because he's an instant key to Chinese markets.

 

I don't mind giving Yao a contract that exceeds his on court production, so long as the revenue he brings in offsets it. Keeping the team in the black makes him pretty valuable.

That said, I don't offer him the max if he opts out. If he wants to sign now to make sure he gets 5 years instead of 3, that's fine, but it needs to be closer to 5 yrs/ $55M.

Evan

 

Yao Ming is doing what he should do and what any reasonable/rational person in his position OUGHT to do which is to let his agent give him advice and making a qualified decision based on that advice. You think that the Houston front office will show leniency towards Yao in signing an extension based on his foot injury? I think not. That being said, I think both parties have enjoyed this relationship thus far but we should put personal decisions into business.

 

A little confused on this, if Yao opts out and isn't resigned do we have anymore money more to spend? I mean if Scola resigns for 8 a year and Lowry for 4 a year doesn't that still leave us pretty much at the Salary Cap?

I think Yao opting out is scary because it puts the team into uncharted territory but I am pretty excited to see what Morey can do with a pretty clean slate. Don't see Yao opting out, though, but if he does could we do a sign and trade with Yao and Bosh assuming both would be willing to sign with the respective clubs?

 

i doubt 11M can keep him. 5 year 60M is more reasonable if he options out.

i am starting to believe his recover is doing well as more and more evidence was piled up. have you noticed rox front office is starting to say more often than past that rox will bet on yao and build around yao. if morey doesn't have # favor to his betting, do you think he would talk about rox future in this way?

 

Yao is doing what is the best to him. If he opts out and signs with another team, the rockets won't have enough cap space to a sign a big name this summer. The rockets will be a lottery team for years. All these said, the way that the rockets treated Tmac, I cannot complain what Yao is doing. If he doesn't opt out, the rockets may trade him before next deadline.

 

Lotto team without Yao?

They way we treated T-mac?

Trade him before the deadline?

How much fail can you post?

 

We need negative rep

 

Sounds to me like Yao Ming is only being business like in trying to force Morey to get it done. Once he gets the Rockets proposal he can make up his mind if the team really wants him or not.

My bet is Rockets want him but want to see a fit Yao first, then he will finish his career with his beloved team



On the other hand Morey may have already had talks with Yao & Agent and all of this is just a maneuver in the planning of the Rockets front office to gain temporary cap space. If Yao cooperates he get a big pay day!!

 

anwers

 

I rest my case....

 

totally unexpected that he would even consider testing free agency.

I don't know why I feel like he wouldn't do what is best for him by testing which team best fits his self interest (which is what ever player should do). It just seems like Yao and Rockets will never part -- not even one of the two parties considering Yao out of a Rockets' uniform.

 

On the other hand Yao may be just trying to protect himself from getting in a McGrady situation, especially after all the lies told to McGrady.
A player should look after his own interests.

 

I am not going to believe it til it happens.

I doubt anybody would give him a max contact, he would probably get no more than $8M/yr. How much less could he possibly get with the new CBA next year?

Meanwhile his one year option is worth $17M. Would he really pass up on that?

 

It would be depressing if Yao opts out and signs with another team. I highly doubt Yao would do such a thing because over the past 8 years the Rockets have been very loyal to him. Hopefully things work out for both sides.

 

The CBA is affecting his decision, not whether he wants to return to the Rockets or not. It sounds like next years collective bargaining agreement could get very ugly and completely screw any free agents in 2011. Yao just wants to avoid that scenario if possible.

This sucks. I want to see what we can do with Yao one more season, but I'm not ready to give him a max extension unless he's willing to come down to the 8-9 million level, which is unlikely.

Damn Yao's feet.

 

NO. An EMPHATIC NO. Which is why people thinking that this "might be a good thing" is absurd. Yao opting out can only benefit two parties: Himself(if he gets mega dollars here or elsewhere) and/or Les' pockets(if he reups for a low salary). From a team standpoint or from a fan's perspective, Yao opting out cannot possibly be good.

I'm too lazy to list the exact numbers. But I'm sure Bimathug is willing to help give everyone the exact lowdown on where we stand with Yao. But even a cursory look at the Rockets contracts and projected cap room shows that it doesn't matter whether Yao makes $17 mil or $12 mil or $8 mil. The Rockets are over the cap regardless. The only difference is how much money Les saves.

OTOH, if Yao leaves for another team that gives him a big contract, the Rockets are STILL over the cap for next year with a team with a ceiling of a 7th seed in the west. That's because we're already spent the money on Martin/Jeffries/Hill. So the net result would be the same as if Yao had stayed on that one year deal, except our Knick-trade-swap looks a lot worse and we'd suffer through yet another year of mediocrity. And our cap situation is still the same in 2011 then if Yao had picked his option.