[Yahoo] Rockets could lose Yao for season—or longer

This.

 

We're not going to be able to get a TRUE superstar unless Yao opts out of his contract next season.

 

The Rocket's most valuable trade piece

The Rocket with the most value has always been Yao Ming and this injury does not change a thing. If he's out for a year, he's covered by insurance. If he's playing games, he's a cash cow. Yao is still an extremely valuable player in today's environment. I'm pretty sure that if you offered Yao in a package, Phoenix would send us Amare.

If this were NBA live, I would trade Yao and get the team moving forward. But it's the real world and there are all the relationships people have built with Yao and all the things that they've been through together. It's just really tough to think about trading a guy that's been the face of the organization since he arrived in 2002, a guy that you've watched develop from his uncertain beginnings, a guy that's always been loyal to the team.

This is probably Morey's toughest decision, actually I shouldn't say Morey alone, Morey and Les Alexander will have to decide together how to go forward. Maybe they can have like a secret handshake with Yao, we'll send you off for 2 years, get yourself rested and try your comback with us in 2011??

 

this is late.

 

This has to be true, seeing as it's the only thing that makes the Battier + Brooks for Rubio deal make any sense.

My god. I don't know who to feel worse for... the fans, Yao himself, the organization, his teammates...

No question, it's time to trade the farm for any potential superstars-in-the-making. We absolutely should be doing every we can to get Rubio if he's attainable... would Brooks and Landry be more attractive to Minny than Brooks and Battier?

 

Yess a secret handshake saying we dont want ya while you cant play so we'll just trade your ass then sign ya back so everyone is happy.

serioulsy though no one will ever trade a super star for someone who will not even possibly play a single game for them...please tell me if there has ever been a trade like that..

 

This injury is said to be career threatening. He could have very well played his last game in the NBA.

 

a million things going through my head. If the Amare thing was ever true (i know it was denied) maybe it was because they knew of this. Is it time to rebuild? I know Yao will work as hard as he has to, but should we take the chance and continue rebuilding around him? Hate to say it but my knee jerk reaction is no. How long now before we are a contender? We are about to see how good Morey really is in the next few years is my guess.

 

If Yao is done and if Tmac is done, then you must rebuild and if you rebuild, there's no reason to sign stopgap free agents like Gortat or make trades that only have a year or two worth of payoff like Camby. Suck it up and suck for a year, hold on to Battier, Hayes, Scola, and Tmac's contract until the trading deadline and see what you can get from contenders needing a little extra.

This pretty much kills Rubio I guess. Wolves will hold out thinking we're desperate, which it seems like we might be...

 

Agreed. I would basically be offering everything for Rubio.

 

I'm more worried for Yao. He will miss the game that he loves and has been playing his entire life for one whole season and possibly more.

The question now is definitely should we try and trade him, or wait for him to opt out after next season? Knowing Yao he won't try bargain for more money if he knows he has a likely career threatening injury.

I think we should try and atleast hold on to him and hopefully he recovers somewhat.

Atleast now its a certainty that Tmac will be gone. No point in holding on to two injury prone superstars.

I just wish the best for Yao, regardless of what might happen. So unfortunate.

 

Nonsense. So, if we had Amare right now and Phoenix wanted to send us a broken down Yao who won't play next year and may never play again, you'd do that? I don't think so.

 

Well... come trading deadline we will have two very valuable ending contracts.

But I think we should just keep them and then go after free agents next summer when they expire.

I would go after Bosh, J Johnson and T Outlaw. I think a starting lineup of:

C Bosh
L Scola
T Outlaw
J Johnson
A Brooks

Would be sweet...

 

one of the reasons i lose faith in this team...

i dunno what to expect...

 

There is no God.

Well at least Yao will have more time to play World of Warcraft now.

 

that was my sentiment exactly

 

$39,000,000 Sitting on the bench this coming season. Morey you cannot let this happen.

 

good more bad news......

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4295729

It's on ESPN