If they know Yao is on the market for them (from the team Yao or whoever), they can create enough money to sign Yao. I think that they have two big guys who are going off the contract soon, or make a trade. Go back the topic, I hope Yao just have a four year max deal in the next term since he said that he would be too old when he was 30, just play four more years after 30.
I think only 4 or 5 guys deserve max contracts. I don't think KG is one of them. Why was pj brown taking so many big shots down the stretch. What was KG doing? I think wade might deserve max, but no to bosh and Carmelo. Someone will end up paying it, but it is just a bad move. Do you think Tmac deserves the max right now?
You are talking about your own abstract pro league system where teams hand out sane contracts. Everything is totally different. The reality everyone's mindset are soiled by the existing system.
Of course he deserves max money. Yao is a top 2 center in the whole NBA. #1 in my opinion. Lots of guys get max contracts. Pau Gasol has a max contract now. Amare has a max contract. Dwight Howard has a max contract. Almost every team has a max contract guy. And they don't all make an all nba team every year like Yao.
Gasol is a max contract guy. You would just trade one max contract player for another max contract player.
Garnett makes the most money in the history of the NBA. His contract is so large the NBA owners forced a lockout to stop these contracts in the future. KG almost $25 million this year. 10 million more than Yao. 4 million more than Mcgrady.
Business decision alone makes Yao deserve a max contract. On the court you could make a case for him and against him getting a max contract.
AL， just a remainder: the foundamental purpose of the salary cap and max salary cap is to limit top players from getting their market value contracts they would otherwise get. In general, you could argue that the top players in the league are under-paid by the salary cap restriction and max salary restriction. This means sans salary cap, in a free-signing system, there will be MORE players getting the max instead of less. -- and ultimately, I think the market should be a better indicator of a players worth than a fan's "I think he is worth ..." the notion that "only player who can single handedly win a championship should be given max contracts" are unproven, unsupported, and flawed. Unless you can prove this assertion, all the arguments are really a moot point.
Due to the modern era I think he desserves one. For the Rockets standpoint I hope we don't give it to him. Don't get me wrong I love Yao, he is our best player and most consistent player on our team and great player to build around. However as everyone has seen since he has been in the league he is reffed differently from the guards in the league. A slighest breathe on a guard results in a foul. Plus he is more vulnerable to an injury, every time he hits the floor my heart stops until he gets back up, but same can be said with Tmac. But he is a great great player and the best center in the league hands down.
I'm still surprised that after max contract has come into play in the CBA for so long, that people still don't understand how ridiculous it is to say who deserves a "max contract" or not. Especially considering the "max" is different for different players. And for all delusional fans out there, Yao will get the max contract if he decides to opt out. Whether he'll get it from the Rockets or someone else is another matter. When you are the best(or 2nd best) center in the game, people will throw max money at you. Although I guess we can't rule out the possibility that he might resign for less to make room for a top player in 2010.
I felt that my point was worth emphasizing so please allow me to expand my previous post a bit. let's use a normal life analogy: assume you are a very capable worker working in a company and getting paid at the fair market rate of $100 per hour. Your co-worker, by chance, is one of the best in the field and is commanding a $200 salary. A wierd state legislation was passed and it is ruled that nobody in your company is allowed to get a salary higher than $100 anymore. Your co-worker has to accept the pay cut and the new $100 salary. -- but does that mean you are not worth your $100 anymore, simply because someone better is only receiving as much? It is well documented that most elite teams are made of a couple of max star players and some good young players complementing them. This is not mere coincidence: When done right, max contracts and rookie contract are the two types of contracts that you are most likely to find a UNDERPAID player. The structure of the CBA allows the max contracts and rookie contracts to be handed out without full market competition. Gather enough of these underpaid players, you are likely to assemble a team with superior talent with average pay roll. By saying only 3 or 4 players deserve max contract, you are effectively throwing away the opportunity to get any underpaid star player that would ultimately benefit the team. Personally, I think that would be a horrible management decision. -- of course, if you are arguing Yao won't be in the top 20 or 30 players (which is roughly what the market indicates the number of players worth max contracts) by the time of 2010, then that's a totally different thing...
Well if Rox don't give him MAX, some other teams will...so i am sure ROX will HAVE TO offer him max because they have no choice and they don't want to lose him. As far as he deserving it....are you kidding me?? Of course he does...there is no player in this league beside probably Kobe and Lebron that can change the game offensively and defensively. I am not sure about Lebron and Kobe in terms of changing the game defensively though...but Yao affect the game both offensively and defensively.
I think Yao will probably join a good team, not just a good contract. Therefore, it all depends on what players Les will get to Rox in 2010. Without good teammates, Yao won't even look at the offer from Rox at all. Folks, relax, Yao will probably cost Rox nothing after 2010.
From a pure basketball perspective, Yao doesn't deserve the max. However, in terms of all the Chinese money and fans he pulls in, it's a no brainer - he's worth it. Only Kobe and Lebron are worth more.
