http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/2796384 Sept. 14, 2004, 11:22PM Rockets grab option on Yao's fourth year Nachbar choice tougher; McGrady extension in works By JONATHAN FEIGEN Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle After a summer spent reshaping the roster with a series of difficult choices, the Rockets kept one big thing the same with the simplest of decisions. The Rockets sent notices this week to the NBA and to agents for Yao Ming that they would, as expected, pick up the option on the fourth season of Yao's rookie contract, worth $5,594,907 for the 2005-2006 season, league sources and sources familiar with the move said Tuesday. The move, barring changes to the collective bargaining agreement, gives the Rockets the exclusive right next summer to negotiate a long-term extension for Yao beginning with the 2006-2007 season and to match any offer he might receive if he instead becomes a free agent after that season. Negotiations on the new collective bargaining agreement will determine whether the rights set in place in the previous CBA would carry over, although the league is expected to make retaining that part of the system among its priorities. Yao, 24, the first player taken in the 2002 NBA draft and an All-Star starter in each of his first two NBA seasons, averaged 17.5 points and nine rebounds last season. The decision to pick up the option on Yao's contract was not much of a decision, but the Rockets face a difficult choice on Bostjan Nachbar, the other member of the 2002 rookie class. The Rockets have not picked up the fourth-year option on Nachbar's deal but have until the end of October to make that move. They likely would want to use training camp and the preseason to get a feel for where Nachbar might fit in their rotation and plans given how little playing time he received in his first two seasons. Nachbar, 24, played in 45 games last season and averaged 3.1 points and 1.6 rebounds. The Rockets are working on an extension of Tracy McGrady's deal. McGrady, 25, could opt out of his deal after this season but said he would like a long-term extension. jonathan.feigen@chron.com
Man, I'm glad Rockets management is finally stepping up and making the right decisions for the future. Securing players for that upcoming NBA championship!! Can you dig it, SUCKA!?!
We've been burned so bad on potential type players in the past, it'd be nice if both Nachbar and Gaines work out for us this year finally as sort of a karmatic payoff.
This is what we did to KT, we signed up Steve for the long run, but decided that we had MoT and let KT walk. Damn, Stay nachbar, stayyy
Feigen is off on his explanation. Because the option was invoked, Yao will now be a RFA after the 2005-2006 NBA season (his 4th season and assuming we don't negotiate an extension with him by then). So we can match offers at that time if he signed an offer sheet with any other team. However, if he doesn't sign any offer sheets and instead, accepts the 1 year tender offer, he will be an UFA after 2006-2007 and we will no longer own the right of first refusal. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on this.
According to Devaney: "The Rockets have the advantage of being able to sew up Yao in the summer of 2005 — a team is able to sign a player to an extension after his third year in the league, before the player becomes a free agent. Expect the Rockets to make Yao a maximum offer next summer." See clutch's post.
Codell, both you and Feigan are essentially saying the same things. But Feigan's wording is slightly confusing. Okay, this part checks out because if the Rox sign Yao to a long term extention next year, the extention part doesn't start until '06-'07. I think it's the use of the word "that" which might have thrown you off. He means that the Rox would have matching rights after Yao's option year (summer '06), so they can match any offer he receives. Which is pretty much what you're saying.
No way Yao is gonna sign an extension. According to CBA: The salary in the first year of the extension is limited to 112.5% of the salary in the last year of the existing contract. Then Yao will only receive 5.6mil * 1.125 = 6.3 mil in his 5th season?
That's only for a normal extention. Rookie contracts have different rules. Steve got an $85mill extention off his rookie deal. Yao will get about the same with slight variances depending on NBA profits.
You are probably right. The way Feigen worded it though, made it sound like we own the right of first refusal on any offer he receives after 2006/2007, which is completely false.
I think getting TMac was karmatic payoff enough. But nachbar and gaines, exceeding everyones expectations and turning into a ginobli and parker couldnt hurt us.
Why is this thread getting 5 star rating? Does anyone with a healthy brain believes that the Rockets are not gonna pick up Yao's 4th year option?
Now I think Yao won't sign the long extension contract with Rockets after 2006. CD will realize that he made a mistake for this 3+1 extension. What Yao Ming wants is not this FOURTH year contract. Believe it or not, Yao is feeling upset now. He deserves to be given a max contract after his 3rd year. Now he is leaving Houston.
Kevin, if you don't know NBA salary rules, you'd better do your homework instead of exposing your ignorance
I could paw3n you with facts about the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, but instead I'll marvel at your friendship with Yao. What else did he tell you? And what was his birthday party like? Is this you in the back. Not the one on the right, that guy looks like a dope. But the guy in the middle is just snazzy enough to be you. Am I right? Edit: Can I get the correct spelling for owned and pawned. I'm kind of new at this.
