Do you want to see Yao Ming as a Rocket next year ?

I am still holding Yao to his promise that if he was injured again he would retire, he didn't do it. Yao will unlikely be able to regain his former abilities and very likely will be reinjured. Time to move on.

 

Healthy = Yes

Not Healthy = No

/thread

 

At the minimum, anything he gives us would be a positive. He has at least as much upside as a guy like Mike Harris, so sure he's worth a roster spot.

 

For the vet min. why would you not take Yao? The team isn't going to be built around him but if he can give you 10 min. a game at the vet minimum that is a good deal.

 

Because TWill is worth more a slot on the roster hun?

 

For the veteran minimum, I think it's a no brainer. Every team in the league signs that deal.

I know that it's a lame reason to bring someone back, but I also just don't really want to see Yao in another uniform.

 

God NO.


Why? so he can get hurt? and we can waste more money?


"Derrrr he brings in so much money!!!! Chinese money!!!"""

WHO GIVES A CRAP? WE SUCK

 

Yes because when he is playing no one can stop him but injuries.

 

Have to love people arguing against Yao for the VET'S MIN.

Guys like Miller and Collins gets paid more.

 

yes... at the vet minimum

 

Yao will play or not play and be paid the vet. min. but in addition he must also have the chance to earn bonus pay if he plays well.

 

but Miller actually plays

Yao will be hurt within 1 week. why do people not understand this? Yao Ming and his injuries have set back this Rockets organization so far. It's nothing against Yao as a human, he can't help his injuries.

MOVE ON

 

From a money perspective, there's no reason not to sign him for the vet min given the extra revenue he probably brings in. Even if he never sees any playing time next season.

If there is even just a small possibility that he can play, that would be a net positive already.

The argument that he takes up a space in a 12-man roster ignores the fact that there will still be an extra 3 players on the roster that aren't in the rotation.

How is having Yao sitting idly on the pine any worse than having Thabeet or Twill sitting there?

And any argument that it is bad for the psyche of the team is misplaced. It's one thing if you depend on an injury prone player that's your franchise player getting paid $17M that your team is built around. It's another if the player is getting the vet min that you team is built to play without anyway.

In case people haven't noticed, bigs with skills are hard to come by. Why else would we teams be willing to gamble on raw 7-footers like Thabeet or injury prone ones like Zydrunas (pre-surgery) or Bynum? If the gamble works, you have the ability to make a run in the playoffs.

 

List of players who deserve a roster spot less than Yao:

T-Will
J-Hill
Mike Harris
Marcus Cousin

This list even applies before we know if Yao will ever contribute on the court again. None of those other guys have ever produced at all (with the possible exception of Hill) and even a 10% Yao would outproduce any of those guys.

At veteran's minimum (the only contract he is likely to get), you bring Yao back even if only for the sake of loyalty and Chinese revenues.

 

yah, let's bring Tmac back too

 

I always said an extra prayer at Mass for Yao to come all the way back just to stick it to all the Yao haters!

 

yes and yes.

 

With the veteran's minimum, Yao could potentially be a GREAT bargain (if healthy, of course). Yao's a loyal guy and would definitely take one for the team and sign a smaller contract. If he can be healthy, and that's an if the size of the universe, then we could potentially be very dangerous.

On a side note, I think I may have said something very similar to this before the start of this season.

 

No. If he's healthy enough to play, he's also good enough to be an essential part of the offense and the defense. Then, he'll get injured and the rest of the team is left scrambling to figure out all over again how to play without him. It's naive to think you can have Yao and just use him as a disposable utility player.

 

I doubt Yao will settle for vet min if he wants to play. If he does, he's being loyal to Rockets.

From team's point of view, it's a no brainer to take Yao if he agrees vet min or similar money. Because:

Worst case: Yao can't play, either by injry or not good enough. It still won't hurt the team a little bit with just a million and a useless 15th spot for a guy who brings much more money than 1 million to the franchise and never embarasses the organization on or off the court.

A better case: Yao works his way back and played like 50% as he used to be. That makes him at least a top tier backup center in NBA. A 7'6 top teir backup center who pays the franchise to play is anybody's dream.


Even better case: Yao works his way back to play like 70% of his ability by midseason. That makes him a solid starting center at worst. If he fits the team style, Rockets becomse very dangerous. If he doesn't fit team style, his trade value will be higher than Battier + AB combined this season. And that's a huge gain no matter how you look at it.

Best case: Yao stays healthy and works his way up close to pre-injury(I know it's very slim chance), that becomes contract of the century.