The ole infected toe argument, ha. The entire NBA fears driving the lane on Yao because he's a real man that plays with an infected toe. Yao with that trash of a supporting cast in LA would be in the Finals but Yao with TMac in Houston can't get out of the first round of the playoffs. Kwame Brown and Lamar Odom would dominate? Bahaha...
I think you're way OVERRATING McGrady. There is a reason why he has played for 3 teams already and hasn't gotten past the 1st round all this time AND that he DEMANDED to play with YAO. I'd take the chance of playing with Odom and Kwame WITH THE COACHING OF PHIL JACKSON over playing with McGrady for Yao anyday of the week. The Lakers would be a POWERHOUSE for the next half-decade if this goes through. It's not like the Lakers have been a lotto team, the Lakers have been hovering around 6-8 seed the last couple of years, Yao would easily make them top 2. Not only does he bring the BEST BIG MAN in the game, but more importantly he brings INSTANT CHEMISTRY to a Lakers team that has been lacking ever since Kobe has been OPTION 1. Before you argue, please remove McGrady's nuts out of your mouth. THE TRUTH HAS SPOKEN.
I'm surprised no one has used his moniker in mockery...... I don't listen to a person with the name "manhore" ...... thats all I have to say.........
You know that Kg almost has 5 years on Yao and almost twice the NBA mileage right? I'm not saying KG isn't a great player, but I wouldn't trade a low post presence for a jump shooting big man.
I do. Good point, but with KG's heart, athleticism and team skills (not saying Yao has none of these, just not on the level as KG), I believe the Rockets would win as many, if not more potential championships with KG in Yao's place (unless a Tmac-replacement is found soon after he retires).
KG had been a certified first-round playoff loser for a mind-boggling 7 friggin' times before playoff veterans Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell helped co-anchor the T-Wolves in their lone WC finals run in '03-'04. KG is not known as a clutch performer who thrives in playoffs. KG tends to shy away from taking games into his own hands when the games and/or the seasons are on the line and fades in pressure situations despite his numbers and all the hypes, which are quite undeserved. I say pass.
By your logic, we should get rid of Tmac then. The fact is it has taken nearly all of the biggest winners many failures before becoming largely successful. It took many trades and a couple of coach changes before Jordan became successful. (The Rockets are moving in the right direction) This is a great point, Yao is great in the clutch, one of the best in the league.. you win. Agreed.
If Lakers got Yao and someone else (Francis, Wells, Scola, or James), and The Rockets got Kobe. The Lakers would actually get better, they would lose Kobe's explosive scoring, but they would pick up the best center (and one of the best post players today) in Yao and maybe ok off-guard like Wells or James, or even Head. The Lakers instantly move to the top 2 or 3 in the conference. They would have the best front line in league. Yao at Center, Bynum/Brown at Power Forward, and Odom at Small Foward. That team dominate the boards, especially if they got Wells in deal. Also, what team could match up with the front line. With LA having decent outside shots with FIsher, Walton, Evans, Radman, and Farmer. That team could run lots PNR's and the low post play would be near perfect, offense and defense. Could you imagine a team like the Suns or Mavs trying to match up with them....from the way most seasons end and smaller team rarely beats out a team with good to great big men.
The Rockets would be a reality show for MTV/Vh1/ or even ESPN. Two people taking over 20 shots a game. Kobe's scoring average drops, inevitably, he might start complaining about not getting enough shots, then T-mac is unhappy because Kobe is taking too many unneccessary shots. Kobe wants to leave town, because the team is not winning. Blah Blah Blah, they win 50 games and get knocked out of the first round by the Jazz, yet again.
How many times has Yao gotten out of the first round playing with McGrady? Last year Yao shot 44% from the field and averaged nearly 5 turnovers a game in the playoffs against a team that has noted defensive stopper Mehmet Okur at center. That's with an explosive scorer like TMac keeping the pressure off of him. But he'll dominate with the Lakers and that superstar lineup of Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown? Are you kidding? Kwame Brown sucks. Lamar Odom is a solid player but he's nowhere near McGrady's league. There is no way Yao does anything with that team in LA that he hasn't already done with TMac. Kobe is the best player in the game, he's a better player than Yao and he'll always be noted as having been a better player than Yao. Kobe + TMac > Yao + TMac.
Yao has proven to be useless whenever a quicker and tough guy plays against him and at the same time the officials don't whistle much. So he's not reliable at critical moment. Kobe is officiated way better--especially at the end of a close game. So to trade Yao for Kobe will benefit Rockets.
