When all is said and done, I can't help but think Ming will be in Houston. I mean, we've got the mayor working on our behalf for the guy. I wouldn't be surprised if we traded Eddie, though. We have less history with the guy, as good as he's gonna be. Would I want to trade him? No. But if we want to not only be in the playoffs next year but get out of the first round, we need a stud small forward.
I understand. Sorry if I sounded like I demand links or you lose the argument. That's not really my intention. Much of the links I've been providing support your claims as well. But they take on a context that makes us wonder. I really have no position on the govt meddling in Yao's future beyond a gut instinct. I offer the links to broaden the discussion, and to provoke others to do the same. It all started when realGM said "Wang's career could be over." I've just not been able to find that. Had I found that, I would be shying away from Yao. If we find that, I will be shying away from Yao. It isn't an argument to me. It is research. I'm a dork for scouring the internet for research; I know. But I do trust those sources more than Lopez's article and TV snippets of provocation.
1. Comparing Shaq to Ming is apples and oranges. We had a body of work from Shaq against NCAA competition. We saw what he was capable of on a regular basis. We knew he had the body to be a force down low, at the very least on the defensive end. He was as close to a no-brainer #1 pick as they come. No one thought Shaq was Eaton...Eaton was pulled up as a mechanic...Shaq had a college basketball career to judge from. They could see his development clearly since high school. We don't have that with Ming. 2. Where in the world do you get the idea that ALL the NBA guys think Ming is the real deal?? We've heard from scouts, analysts and players that either, (a) the jury is still out because they haven't seen him enough, or (b) that they are concerned about his size up top and how he'll fare down low with the big boys of the NBA. It's not the no-brainer you think it is. 3. Kevin Garnett is a strong guy....comparing Kevin Garnett to Ming is quite a reach. Garnett can bang...I don't know for sure that Ming won't...but I can tell you that it's not the way the international game is played. And that will be a HUGE adjustment for him...you're already hearing Shaq say he can't wait to send an elbow Ming's way. I hear NBA scouts saying he has fairly good handles...yeah...we'll see how well that plays in the NBA. Somehow I doubt a 7'5" guy is going to get away with a face up, dribble game in the NBA. And in the end, Kevin Garnett is a proven commodity...Ming is not...that's why people want Garnett. It minimizes the risk. If they could get Michael Jordan of 1993 to come back and play for them, they'd want that too instead of Ming! 4. I'm not saying that Ming will necessarily be Shawn Bradley...but he will be an absolute freak of nature if he can play effectively at 7'5"...again...the names of guys who've been that kind of tall include Bradley, Bol and Nevitt.
Actually, I haven't made any claims (other than I went to church on Sunday ) and no need to apologize.
by the way, Tb...you posted my favorite scripture verses here!!! can't tell you how much peace those words give me...
