Those same guys talk about how we can't make it out of the 1st round with this roster too. This trade would be a low-cost/high-reward deal for the Rockets. Sure you can make the argument about injuries. My response would be that they keep happening. Adding a 3rd stud certainly helps, with or without the injures.
Yao pulled a total Berkman. It's not what you say, it's who you say it to. The media will run with anything you can give them as you can see here. Yao hasn't learned enough yet about our culture apparently. I don't know what the media is like in China.
Maybe he did the right thing maybe not, but I am certain that Yao should have worded it better. But I don't blame him, I'm glad he speaks his mind. I realize that it's hard to speak in a non-native language. I'll get worked out, Yao will call him and speak to him. Until we hear confirmation that they have talked, some of us will be holding our collective breaths.
My point is people who don't like this trade might end up being correct. I agree with the deal because we gave up virtually nothing. But most people here are woefully uninformed on how much of a booger Artest is on a daily basis even if you forget the major blow-ups.
I am a Chinese and I found Yao's comment somehow offensive. I understand he talks as a leader but he should've used warmer words.
Exactly. Everyone thinks we're going to run through a bed of roses to pick up a trophy. We're on day one of this news, two weeks before the trade is even official, and we're already getting drama. It won't be the last time. And like I said before, this is the type of situation that would only happen with Artest. Get your popcorn ready.
I am a gambler. I put all my chips down if I think it's the best shot. Basketballwise, Artest is the best shot for the Rockets that fit into the "win now" window with T-Mac & Yao. Artest has both end skills on the court and manageable salary. Will the baggages of Artest carry over? Let's find out. It's a manageable risk u have to take for some value like Artest. Many fans say this is a Morey move. But it looks more and more like a Adelman and Les move to me. I really think Petrie is doing Adelman a favour.
As a foreigner,yao is not as diplomatic in English as other rosters are.In my opinion ,yao has just used some words which are not so proper,in fact yao is also very happy for artest's arrival.Yao isn't afraid that the jokes he made on artest will annoy him,because yao treats artest as his brother now.
I don't think many people really believe it will be anything close to that easy. I think the truth is, no matter what they are saying online, that they are thinking this move could make us more of a legitimate contender. I believe that much. Yes, Artest could make things even worse despite the added talent. I'll take that risk. I think it's worth it, especially when you consider the details of the proposed trade. I'll have my popcorn ready, either way. I just hope I'm still eating it after the 1st round of the playoffs next season.
I guess this is primarily because both Yao and Scola are in China, but it also seemed like these two are kind of close to each other.
Sam Amick has been milking stories and drama from Artest all season. Amick has got his stick out and he's not going to quit poking because he knows he'll get some reaction every time. Artest's agent needs to ban him from contacting Amick.
This time he messed up on his choice of words. Good thing him and Yao have spoken and the misunderstanding has been cleared up.
I agree. I wish Yao had used a little more tact, but then again, I think there are strong cultural differences with Yao, and his perceived image of Artest. Once they communicate in person i'm sure there won't be any sketchyness better Artest know now, this is Yao and T-Mac's team. I think he's matured a little over the last few years, and I'm confident this will work. For years, people wished Yao would be more "take charge and assert himself", ...well, he certainly sounded assertive!
I think Yao was a bit too honest with the media. THis is a case where you don't always have to express your reservations to the whole media, but rather to just the organization and the coach. Yao shouldn't have gone there. He talks about chemistry, and part of building chemistry is getting started off positive and letting a guy show who he is without any kind of pre-conceived notion from the past. And because of this, Yao owes artest an apology. You can't talk chemistry and then bring up a really painful moment. But on the other hand, sometimes it's better to get it all out then to hold it in. I do think Yao should have waited until after the trade was completed and said his concerns to Artest in a one-on-one conversation, not to the media though.
