When Yao does return next year, how many minutes per game do you think he'll average? That's another thing to take into account. Right now, I'm doubting he'll be a 30+ mpg player anymore. If you want to keep Yao for loyalty reasons, or because you just like him as a person, fine. Gasol is pretty similar in those respects. Hard worker. Commited to his national team. Very good teammate, smart, accessible to the media. All that's well and good, but I'm mainly concerned with which player will give us the best chance to contend year after year. I don't think Yao can be relied on to play big minutes, and it remains to be seen if he's over all the foot problems. He's a 7'6, 310+ pound player heading into his 30s with a history of foot problems -- not much precedent for those kinds of players having long-lasting careers.
Yao is not a good fit to the existing Rockets system but neither is TMac. I assume you assume that Yao can come back healthy and play bball again. So if that's the case, you can get player(s) who better fit Coach Adelman's system simply offering Yao to the market. Provided that Lakers accepts the healthy Yao for Casol deal one on one, as a Yao fan, I would be ecstatic to see Yao play next to Kobe. As a Rockets fan, I would not do the deal because we did not get enough return.
The Lakers would be foolish to do that deal. Gasol is a perfect fit for the Triangle at the PF/C position, and Bynum is a 22-year old center bursting with potential.
I agree with you there. Lakers would not accept the offer. But try not to think on the Lakers side, play the DM role, would you trade Yao for Gasol one on one if Yao came back healthy?
The challenge for Morey and RA would be to form a team which can be efficient without Yao - RA's ideal motion offense team paired with a couple of efficient wing players - maybe what Ariza has potential to become maybe Joe Johnson - or maybe Tmac This is just a hypothesis. When the playoffs are rolling make sure Yao is ready. Depending on the matchup play him more or less. I assume in this case Yao comes back and is still capable of his 20-10 performance but with the revamped team he merely needs to produce efficiently. Remember RA's former teams were without super stars. So if the super stars play within the offense but deliver in crunch time, this team can go far.
Oh man, I love Yao Ming...but I would seriously consider this.... Yao's feet probably turn the tide for me......in favor of doing this type of deal. Jeez, so tough...I am going to stay on the fence, but leaning towards, yes. DD
I think I will take Pau Gasol over Yao any day because: 1. Gasol is more versatile on both ends 2. Gasol has a higher basketball IQ 3. Yao has much more weaknesses 4. Gasol can grab rebounds, and chase down long boards 5. Quicker and able to guard players better on pick and rolls 6. Able to be effective throughout the whole game unlike Yao (22 mins) 7. Plays more aggressive when needed 8. Smarter on defense 9. Good hands 10. Not injured prone like Yao. Never have any serious injuries This is just my opinions. Yao is still a good player, but Pau Gasol would bring more to this team than Yao would on the basketball court. I'm tired of people saying Yao brings in the money to this team but I don't care for that as much as I care for the Rockets winning.
Setting skills aside...If I had to see Gasol play everyday on the Rockets with that freaking face and hair style its sickening. Pretty much healthy wise Gasol is the better long term option, obviously being able to play >>> than 17 million doing nothing. Healthy Yao, i take him any day of the week over Gasol. But as of right now most people will be skeptical of Yao because of his past injuries. Lakers would take Yao any day of the week as a backup C or starting because Bynum himself isn't exactly injury free and Odom can start at PF. Bynum/Yao Odom Kobe Artest Fisher It really doesn't matter if its Gasol or Yao because who is going to drive that team is Kobe. If Kobe can place Gasol on the map, I am sure he can do something with Yao. With Phil Jackson as the coach...I am also sure he can do something with Yao for 25-30 minute. That Roster above can make it to the finals.
Not exactly. My point was if one is a fan who looks up to the history of the team. Yao is the sole remnant of the Rudy T era. You can't help rooting for this guy. I don't know why you have stopped having faith in him, but it is really the first time he had time to rest his foot and do this and not following obligations to play for the national team. The difference between him and Gasol is he was DRAFTED and highly ANTICIPATED by the Rocket family, Rudy, CD and Les. The face of team during most of this decade. And second, I am not sold on Pau. He is older than Yao and who knows when he's going to be on crutches. I am not blind. He plays very well but he's playing off Kobe, the best player who we don't have. Period. That alone makes him beam like a star which he isn't really. My point was with Pau we won't be a contender, still be a borderline playoff team. Why don't we look for a younger version of him. We are not in Win now mode.
4. Gasol has never averaged 10 rebounds in a season. 7. Labeled as soft European player until last year's championship and only because they won, he got ripped when they lost to Boston in the finals because KG made him look silly.
I will argue tooth and nail about those. 1. Yao plays more than 22 mins a game for his career he is averaging 34, Gasol is averaging 35. Even this season, Gasol had 37 minutes per game vs. Yao's 31. Funny thing is, Yao averaged more points (19.7) and rebounds (9.7). 2. You realize Memphis didn't win one single playoff game with Gasol. While, Yao has always manage to put up somewhat of fight in the series, he's played in and been difference in a number of games, with or without T-Mac. 3. Plays more aggressive when he needs to. 2008 NBA Finals. 2009 Western Conference Finals. 2009 Western Conference Semi-Finals...he wasn't outplaying Scola by alot and he was at times being shut down by Chuck Hayes. Just about any Grizzlies playoff series. That's laughable, point out 3 games Yao didn't play without having foul trouble (mostly offensive). He doesn't get calls, like a Laker players do. Yao picks up way more offensive fouls than Gasol, and that either says two things; he's being too aggressive or he's being overly reffed. If Gasol was anywhere as aggressive as he needed to be that Rockets series should've been over with much sooner than it was. 4. Smarter on defense, if flopping and letting players get to the basket at will is considered good defense, along with needing double teams to stop more dominant offensive big man, like Shaq, Howard, and etc. Then, yes, he doesn't have the same kind of power to defend paint as say Yao. He can guard people out on the wing, but he's beaten off the dribble as well. Don't pretend he is some kind of great defensive stopper, because he isn't. He's rarely above average defender.
http://www.82games.com/0809/08LAL14.HTM When he is on court per 48 minutes, the team gives up 106.5 points, when he is off court team improves to 102.5
It's ok, Mighty Mog. With Gasol the team will have to play a different system. That is all. We still have to chase down that special wing player to pair him up with. I don't see much of a difference. I wish we could draft a PG or trade for an allstar talent PG before getting a PF/C.
Right on the money!And Gasol with the Rockets? Are you guys ready to take your folding chairs by the parade route? Get real.
http://www.82games.com/0708/0708HOU.HTM http://www.82games.com/0708/0708LAL.HTM Yao's 48 min production: 25.6 Opp 48 min production: 14.6 Pau's 48 min production: 26.6 Opp's 48 min production: 17.3 Yao's career defensive rebounding: 6.7 Pau's career defensive rebounding: 6.1 Gasol has never averaged over 10 rebounds in a season and has two seasons where he averaged below 8. Yet, Yao has never had below 8 in his entire career, during any season.
I agree, they just went to 2 NBA finals with the guy, he's as untouchable as Kobe IMO. Now if the Lakers proposed trading Bynum and Odom for Yao would anyone pull the trigger on that trade?
