Do you think Yao will stay with the Rockets once his rookie contract expires?

edit: didn't mean the earlier comment...sorry...

 

Surgeon General, Dr Hotballa's Warning: This thread contains Mad Yao Disease.

 

yes, of course he will stay cuz the rockets will pay and feed him the ball like what the spurs is treating duncan now.

 

That's too early to tell. It depends on a lot of things.
Most important is if he'd stay he should feel happy
to play with his teammates, especially Francis.

 

all depends on how the team does...if we go deep into the playoffs then...

 

L-O-Y-A-L-T-Y

 

Even Hakeem was traded. NBA is now a business.
It's ridiculous to ask for players' loyalty when the team
can trade it's legend players.

 

When you say "our management," do you mean the Rockets or the Lakers?

 

Yes he will stay. We can offer more money than any other team and hopefully we will already have a NBA championship team.

 

I am not even worried about it. He will stay. The Rockets are treating him great and he likes the players/coaches/management and the history of the Rockets franchise with big men. He is very loyal so I doubt he would bolt to another team. It is this same loyalty that will push him to go back to China year in and year out unlike what Wang did. If the Rockets treat Yao the same way for the next 4 years the way they treated him this year I just don't see him leaving.

Yao will be a Houston Rockets for his entire career, I don't have any doubts about it.

Chris

 

Wasn't everybody worried that Steve would bolt if Yao was drafted? Damn, nobody can get the benefit of a doubt around here...

 

If the Rockets are not contenders when Yao is 25 yrs old in 3 yrs, it is as much Yao Ming's fault as anyone's. All other excuses are symptoms of Mad Yao Disease.

Mikan
Wilt
Russell
Jabbar
Walton
Moses
Hakeem
Shaq
Duncan
Robinson

Were all contenders in two yrs. 8 of 10 of them had a ring or a finals by age 25. Of the other two: Wilt had the task of beating the Celtics to reach the finals, and Robinson had two division titles in his first two years. If you want to include Yao in that company, then you have to understand that it is up to him to deliver just like those guys.

There is no such thing as a 7' center being great and not being on a contender in 4yrs. No such thing!

and even Ewing and Mourning (at 6'10) were contenders (division winners in 4th season).

 

Absolutely. If Yao doesn't take us to the finals in two years, we should trade him before he walks and we get nothing in return.

 

Agreed
Yet one thing I DO wish Yao would do is to abandon the whole Asian games thing with Team China. It's ridiculous, IMO, and probably a retrograde situation for him. If he wants to be the best, as he professes, then Yao should stay right here in the States and play summer ball. It should be none of this "I have to do it for my country BS." I don't doubt the guy for his sincere commitments but...truth is, I feel sorry for the guy. I feel sorry for him b/c:

1) He's so humble, he let's "other" people (gov't, agents, etc.) dictate his life' schedule
2) The Chinese gov't is clearly using the big guy and milking him for $$$. That Chinese bureau in charge of collections makes the IRS look like Amnesty Int'l.
3) Like Jordan, while Yao will find his fortune, he probably won't collect a respectable % of all the sales related to him
4) Even if Yao eventually gets compensated as much as the premier centers in this league (and adjusted for salary inflation), he will STILL BE A BARGAIN.

On that Third Point
The NBA, the Rockets, the Chinese gov't, you name it - They're ALL USING YAO for their own reasons. But will Yao earn his "tax" on this economic windfall? I doubt it. Jordan, for all his glory at 25, 30, 35, even 40, remains the most underpaid figure in sports, IMO. I'm not a big fan of salary inflation, but relative to their net impact to the game of basketball, as marketed by the NBA, Jordan is underpaid and so will Yao. For better or for worse this means we will see more of Yao. The league and the gov't will not let Yao fail. And you can already see it happenning with TV. TNT airing more games for the shizo 8th seed in the West? Hopefully, the rising expectations will not crush Yao and turn him into another "Patrick 'I have no ring' Ewing."



theSAGE

 

Nevertheless, as to the original question, Yao, IMO will Stay with the Rox
Fortunately, I have greater faith in Rox mgmt to believe that they DO run their franchise to win and to win with fans at the beginning of the fortune equation. Moreover, I like the fact that Rox mgmt is a patient group with a keen eye for progress. The interesting thing will be how expectations are ratcheted up after this season for Yao. Seeing as he is surprising most people on the upside this season, Yao might be faced with tougher critics next year w/in Rox mgmt. Would that be fair to him or an unfortunate penalty for his early success? Who knows?

Meanwhile, from the players side, judging by his body language and interviews this season, my sense (and its only a sense), is that Yao does like his Rocket squad. For all the anxiety and anticipation of how well the would-be organization who drafted Yao could receive him, I think the Houston Rockets handled the whole Yao welcoming with flying colors. And those props go out to the city of Houston too! Unlike most players who play the NBA as a Sotheby's auction game, I think team loyalty will be a factor in Yao's future re-signing. Call it 1/2 "culture" and 1/2 "loyalty" but given Yao's loyalty to his countrymen on Team China, I see no reason (other than one) that he wouldnt be loyal to Team Rocket.

That one scenario is if CD goes beserk and starts firing everybody - starting first with RUDY. Firing RudyT would be the biggest mistake, IMO, if mgmt has any desire of keeping Yao past four years. RudyT was a key ambassador for the NBA and the Rox in courting Yao. Remove Rudy and you remove one pillar of loyalty Yao has to the Rockets. Secondarly, it behooves to Rockets to keep roster changes to a minimum. Here to, Yao is used to playing with the same faces and same guys. It's very human. We all reach a certain comfort level through working with the same guys over time. Disturb that team chemistry and you disturb your players.

theSAGE

 

Most Probable Scenario, IMO
By my understanding, the Rockets have 3 years for Yao plus an optional 4th year per Rockets mgmt's approval. I wouldnt be surprised if mgmt approaches Yao for an extension, and a long-term one at that, late next year. Barring injuries, Rocket mgmt, has every reason to resign him. And contrary to conventional wisdom, it would actually PAY for Rocket mgmt to sign a long term contract with him. (Case in point: twelve years ago or so, when Jordan was up for renewal. Bulls ended up paying in an extraordinary amount in a long-term contract. Naysayers abound, but the contract proved smart and lasting).

From an optimistic view, side caveats that I think will make the Yao contract renegotiation interesting is:
1) On the surface, the biggest contract in NBA history, but one that is just average for Yao when you subtract IRS taxes and the Chinese Govt's cut
2) Yao will decline an even bigger salary at a bright lights big city market, to stay with the place he calls home.
3) His parents will have a say (much like with C Webb) and guide him to stay in Houston.

From a more pessimistic view:
1) Yao's agent might be inclined to "play the system" and keep the Rocket mgmt hanging, while they work up the bids
2) The media lashes out at Yao while fans call the contract negotiations greedy and excessive
3) Yao actually does head for bright lights big city.



theSAGE