You're telling me if we can sign Yao to a cheaper contract, that you wouldn't do it? Really? I don't know about you but I think any team would love to have a 7'6 center if you can get it for a discounted price.
At this point with the posibility of resigning Yao in free agency I would love for the Rox to pick up a good draft pick in any trade for him.There is some good prospect in this upcoming draft.
Really, how about a 7'6" center in a wheelchair or walker or cane or booty shoes. Wake the hell up to reality and check how many games has Yao missed for the past 5 years.
Sidenote on the possibility of Yao NOT being traded: One benefit of Yao not being traded is that the Rockets will retain his Bird rights, meaning that they can re-sign him to any amount without regard to the salary cap. This assumes that Bird rights carry over to the new CBA, and I think they will. Something that has not been given enough attention is the possibility of Yao pulling "a Charles Barkley". Back in the late 90s, in one of the most selfless (financial) moves I have ever seen from a player, Barkley agreed to re-sign with the Rockets on a one-year, $1 million contract so that the Rockets could afford to add another star to himself and Hakeem and extend their title contention. The Rockets used this flexibility to pull off a sign-and-trade deal for Scottie Pippen. The understanding was that the Rockets would then re-sign Barkley to a large new deal the next year. While Pippen didn't work out for the Rockets, it was a great opportunity created for the Rockets due to Barkley's selflessness. (FYI, if you ever wonder why Barkley seems mad at the Rockets, it's because he claims that Les Alexander screwed him out of about $3 million Barkley claims was implicitly agreed to under his last contract with the Rockets.) Anyway, . . . if Yao is not traded, he can re-sign with the Rockets next year on a one-year, league minimum contract. He can continue to rehab, and the Rockets can see how he progresses. The Rockets are also able to maximize their salary cap room next summer. If Yao can't come back, the Rockets can cut ties with (literally) minimum loss. But if Yao can regain even SOME of his prior form and become at least a good starting NBA center again (or hell, even an NBA rotation center), then the Rockets can re-sign Yao for any amount without regard to the salary cap. Win-win. To reiterate what I've said in earlier posts, though, that's not reason enough not to trade his contract if you can truly get something of value. But that flexibility is no laughing matter.
The league minimum is the same regardless of where you played the year before. The difference is that the Rockets would have Yao's Bird rights. If they traded him and then re-signed him in the offseason to a one-year, league minimum deal, Yao would have to play another year (for Early Bird rights) or two (for full Bird rights) AFTER that in order to get anything above a minimal raise unless the Rockets opened up cap room to take on a larger Yao contract.
What Bird Rights? Are there going to be any in the new CBA? I think they would take that risk even if it meant giving up the bird rights. My guess, is that Bird Rights go away and a franchise tag is still available.....thus allowing the Rox to sign him cheap and franchise him if he makes it all the way back. DD
DD, it is highly unlikely that Bird rights go away in the new CBA. But, yeah, this assumes that Bird rights carry over to the new CBA. My point is that "taking that risk" will at least partially consider these factors. So, trading Yao's contract for a star or even a good player may be "worth the risk", but a straight salary dump or a trade just for the sake of trading may NOT be "worth the risk."
I believe I read that the owners want a hard cap and that they want to do away with Bird Rights all together... Maybe you have read differently? Or that they plan on modifying them? I do think a franchise tag is coming which eliminates the need for Bird rights..... As for yao's contract, any asset you can get for him at this point is worth the risk because you can not count on him as an asset at all..... DD
For the very unlikely scenario of having a watered down version of Yao in a couple of years...wouldn{t it be better to get something for such huge expiring? Why not trying to grab Nash for such expiring for instance? Nash+Warrick (as salary filler)+ Lopez for Yao+Brooks (and perhaps Cbud added as sweetener) ...wouldt it work both ways? (Huge relief and young guys for the Suns, a true superstar and a true Center for the Rockets)...given the Suns situations, wouldn't it be possible they to accept?
What you read was purely posturing by the owners in advance of some tough negotiations. David Stern has all but stated that Bird rights will not be going away. (And, anyway, a franchise tag would keep the Lebrons of the world in town, but what about all of a team's other free agents? So, franchise tags do NOT solve the problem of doing away with Bird rights overall.) Once again, I said that it should be a FACTOR and that it would still probably be "worth the risk" to just trade Yao in order to get a star or even a good player. Steve Nash qualifies as a good player and/or a star. Hence, the Rockets would likely be willing to forego Yao's Bird rights to get Nash. Please read more carefully. Thanks.
Ladies & Gentlemen. I give you... The Yao Ming Trade... http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=4cncmda
Yes he is injury prone, hence why i said sign him at a DISCOUNTED price, all assuming he does his rehab, and comes back healthy. I would not pay max dollars to have an injury prone center. Why don't you wake the hell up and see how many games we are below .500 ... oh wait that Yao's fault too right? Pls.
