Yao's an amazing person, pure class... an incredible ambassador.... and if not for the Chinese govt's heavy handedness, we all would have likely celebrated multiple titles together.....That said, we should have cut the cord years ago. Most of us knew the score when it comes to the history of foot injuries/bigmen. But this was always about a massive business opportunity for Les. Not just with the Rockets, but moreso about the doors opening/connections made in China. It's been a can't lose situation for him. So just as I'm sure there were no trade clauses and assurances that Yao would hoop 24-7, 12 months a year ......in each contract....I'm positive Les will ride this pony for all it's worth.
I don't want the Rockets to mess with Yao further either. The Rockets are rebuilding and Yao deserves going to a contender team and earning a ring for himself. Heck, Robert Horry has seven!
It is possible if Grant Hill stayed in Orlando he would never have been cured. I heard a lot of the recovery had to do with Phx crack medical staff. Maybe part of the reason Yao keeps getting hurt is because the Houston medicall staff isn't very good and maybe part of the reason is Yao keeps getting all his surgeries done by the same surgeon. I don't know but some fans make this claim and perhaps there is some validity to it. I'm almost positive if G hill stayed in Orlando his career would be over. Perhaps, and it's a big Perhaps it's better for Yao to go somewhere else. Also look at Zbo Zack Randolph. Dude is beasting these days but if he stayed in NY he might still be a scrub beacuse maybe he needed to be in a smaller town where there are less opportunities to get into trouble. If he stayed in NY would he have become the player he is today? And finally Yao is going to be 31 next year. Even if he was cured his career is winding down. Does he really want to spend his last 5 years on a rebuilding team like the Rockets or come off the bench on a title condender like Bill Walton did for the Celtics.
Also if the Rockets only offer Yao the vet min, big fella should sign with the Bulls. Coach Thibs knows how to use Yao for the vet min and use him very well for 20 minutes a game. In Chicago, I could see Yao as the 6th man of the year and a multiple NBA champion.
and where is he gonna earn that ring on the bench? Robert horry did play big on alot of the play offs
You, and a lot of other people make valid points, and I am sure not trying to tell everyone to run to Vegas and bet the over on whatever the prop bet says for how many games Yao will play. We'll have to wait and see. My point, and what I think is often overlooked, is that there is more to players overcoming injury than just the physical aspect of it. Of course, the physical aspect is very important, and there is a degree of injury in which no one can come back from, but most players who have been destroyed by injuries could have overcome those injuries if they would have put in the effort and perseverance that say a Hill puts in. McGrady is a great example for us Rockets fans. McGrady has never been a hard worker -- his success was based on natural talent and skills. So, the first time he hit adversity in the form of injury, he folded. Very few players work as hard as Grant Hill, but Yao is one of them. Since Yao has that exceptional effort I think he can be an exception to what injuries such as he has typically mean for players. To put it two other ways: if this injury can possibly be overcome (and I am not saying it can -- none of us really know that) then Yao will overcome it as Hill did. Even though these type of injuries always end the career of players that are Yao's size, no player Yao's size has ever had the work ethic and dedication that Yao has.
I would rather pay money to another player who can actually stay on the court. Would you pay an employee money if you knew more likely than not, he wouldn't be able to work at some point? I keep hearing "minimal risk" to have him on the roster when it would be just wasting everybody's time, including Yao's. Is the team all of a sudden going to change the way they're gonna play with him out there because that's exactly what needs to happen if Yao is going to play, he would be another distraction this team doesn't need.
I'm sure someone has said this already, but if Yao's size is causing his injuries, it doesn't matter how hard he tries to get past it. Hill's injury was caused by bad treatment early on and then it snoballed from there. Should have never been that bad for that long. Yao's injuries are like a woman who has wide hips and it causes problems with her knee aligment, causing ligament injuries. It's not going to stop if she keeps being active in the same way. Yao isn't getting any smaller or shorter and her hip bones aren't changing.
The problem is that no amount of hard work will offset an inadequate bone structure. Still, best of luck to him and us all.
