[Chron] Yao mulls contract status, considers free agency

Please their coach gets paid $12 million. They are the Yankees / Cowboys of the NBA they can afford Yao, Kobe, Gasol, and Coach Jackson.

 

I would laugh.

 

There is a thing called a salary cap, you know. And it's been well documented that even the Lakers are pretty close to their spending limits as they are right now.

 

Then, how many rockets fans would follow the knicks next season?!

 

0, because then you would be a Yao/ McGrady fan, not a Rockets fan.

 

The two are not mutually exclusive.

 

I think we'll be fine, even in the worst case scenario. I don't expect Yao to be a dominant center going forward, just a very good one. I believe the key going forward is if Morey pulls off a Bosh S&T (or something similar).

If someone like the Nets, Clippers, etc pulls Yao away for the max (4 or 5 yr, starting at $18M)...I can be okay with that, because that cap number is way to high for him. Plus, if they arrange a S&T (TE plus a pick or two), we're even better off. That said, I do want him to stay so long as the deal is reasonable.

Then we'll get very high draft picks from them.

 

There is no "spending limit"

They could either offer him the MLE ($5.5M) or they could try to do a S&T (I doubt we'd play along).

 

well honestly the Yao era is coming to an end so its really time to start looking for his replacement starting this summer

I love ya Yao but the ride is unfortunately almost over

 

Actually, the Rockets COULD conceivably become "players" in 2010 free agency if Yao opts out AND leaves/is not brought back.

Removing Yao's 2010-11 salary (and assuming that Jeffries does not opt out of his fat contract), the Rockets will have slightly less than $40M in total salary commitments. If they decline their team option on Hayes and renounce Scola and Lowry, the Rockets could have somewhere in the range of $13M or so in cap room. If the cap comes in a little higher than expected, and if the Rockets could dump someone like David Andersen on another team (basically, pay the team to take his salary), then the Rockets MAYBE could offer up a max contract to a guy like Chris Bosh.

I'm only saying that it is POSSIBLE. But it would involve gutting the team to do so.

It is conceivable that the Rockets could make qualifying offers to Scola and Lowry and then see whether they could get Bosh to sign outright. If Bosh says yes, they may be able to then renounce Scola and Lowry. (Not quite sure about the timing of teams being able to "pull" their qualifying offers. I think they can do it at any time with the player's consent; and since both Scola and Lowry will want a big payday, they'd likely consent to become unrestricted free agents.)

That said, I'd rather have an (even overpaid) Yao, Scola, Lowry and Hayes over just the PROSPECT of having near-max cap room. Morey could still try to work a sign-and-trade with those guys back.

 

in fantasy land mayb but that would never happen

 

Playing half the games he was paid to play is exactly that. If anything he should be happy for all he robbed the rockets for.



Hope we sign him 10 mil though. That is all he is worth IMO. Now bring on all the YOFs that say Yao should leave if he only gets paid that.

 

If we withdraw the qualifying offers to Scola/Lowry, do we lose our bird rights on them?

 

Because if we do, we pretty much trade Yao/Scola/Lowry for Bosh which would be pretty bad. Bosh has not proven he can be a franchise player.

 

No. They just become unrestricted free agents. The Rockets would still have their Bird rights.

But what would be the point? The Rockets wouldn't pull the qualifying offers unless they definitely weren't bringing those guys back.

 

If Yao opts out, I think the best way for the rockets is to compete for the no.1 pick next season. Adelman and Morey can really rebuild a team that they really like.

 

Since you use the word "robbed", there is a word for you ... idiot.

How many athletes got hurt in the history of sports?
Do you know who paid for their salary when they got hurt?
That's what I thought.
You have no idea = you are an idiot.

 

Ok, not that we need Bosh and not that Les ever would... But in thoery, Yao could opt out, we could sign Bosh for that 17 million to put us back at the cap, then re-sign Yao for 18 million and be ok?

 

You live in a ideal world...

 

If Yao is chasing a ring, then he would sign for cheap. Endorsements will pay him well enough to offset a low salary. A contender would likely be his destination... IF he's chasing a ring...