The "crossroads" come in February and in July, not now. Now they don't have to do anything and isn't likely to have anything worth doing (i.e. a decent trade offer) for Yao. In February they face the trade deadline and need to decide whether they want to trade him (and the expiring contract) in a McGrady-type deal or keep him, at least for the rest of the season. By then they should have some more info on which to base a decision. If they keep him, then in July they face the choice of whether to re-sign him, let him go, or work out a S&T. They can always extend him before then, but again, that would depend on him looking a lot better than he does now. There is no "crossroads" right now.
I don't even want Yao Ming for 5 Million dollars. I've seen Yao with this team and how we've played for the past decade and its time to completely move on.
