Les is not gona part with his cashcow huh. So what can we do about it? We should make him our backup center so he doesn't disrupt our chemistry any fruther. We can't have the big fella coming in and out of the line up.. it won't work. This group was able to make a run for the playoffs by playing solid ball all year long. I don't see why they can't improve on that. Give Yao 10-15 mins a game off the bench. Don't play him during crunch time unless everyone either got hurt or fouled out. Or unless we need a foul shooter. It benifits Yao's health in the long run anyways. Then in the off season, you take advantage of Yao loyalty, and resign him for cheap. Its a win win situation 1.we can still develop our young players and be competitive this year 2.we get to keep the cashcow
um....what? he's been pretty damn efficient on the offensive end and don't get me started on his presence on the defensive end. I'm not sure if any of you realise, but he IS contesting and altering shots out there. you don't have to have Josh Smith type athleticism and speed to be a presence in the middle. He is clogging up that lane pretty damn well. or maybe i'm the only one who doesn't enjoy seeing a 24 minute lay up drill when he's not on the floor....
Les get more on return, is probably Les best investment ever. Is not my money so who cares. Is not what he is now but what he can be later this season. Btw no superstar will be punting great number playing 24 min top.
Yao blocking 2 shot in 22+ min (#11 in limited minutes) 7+ RPG and 12+ PPG That is efficiency. I'm just want them to just play him at least 30 a game is not much and will for sure improve the team chemistry. Don't play him in blow outs (hopefully the other teams losing) and in back to back and he and the team will be better, he will rested for the long season and we didn't get stuck with this 10+ rotation bull crap.
Did you really find it necessary to start this thread after THREE EFFIN GAMES? I'm just saying,wait and see before making bold statements from a tiny sample size. Otherwise you'll look like an idiot.
Do you honestly think we can make playoffs now BASED on the Squad we have - Yao? Last year we played a Amazing Year and guess what, we were 8 Places off. Unless roster changes are made, we are NOT going to make the playoffs minus Yao with this squad. We have NO closer nor do we play any defense. Yao is arguably our only 2 way player(Although he is still rusty). I'd say play thing along for now, try to look for a upgrade for a allstar. If we're above .500 by midseason we should look to increase Yao's minutes for a playoff push. if by mid season we're like 17-25 then we should look to tank because no way are we winning the next 30 odd games out of 40 to get a playoff seed.
this team with Yao off the bench is more competitive than with him starting. you are overrating Yaos impact and underrating the rest of the guys. i never said we should get rid of Yao, but we should bring him off the bench for 10-15 minutes steadily <-- that means play him in back-to-backs too. give him a role, and give this team an identity. As a starter, Yao's game does not fit this system. For this team to adapt to yao we'll be giving up too much advantages(speed and quickness) for very little (yao maybe averaging 15 points and getting his touches). What's the point of increasing yao's minute, are we going to magically sweep the lakers in a playoff series with yao playing 32 minutes? i don't think so Not to mention he might get hurt again playing big minutes and could be looking at retirement. we should sign the cashcow back for cheap in the off season and perhaps letting him to play 25 minutes nxt years or even 30 the year after.
For as decent as Yao has looked, his shooting percentages are below his career norm. He needs to pick it up, those shots are from 3 feet away from the basket and he should be hitting above 50%... DD
i think we can get it done with 5 mil/yr yao's unselfish nature will prevent him from asking for a big contract knowing that he's no longer a starting caliber center. that's what i like about yao, he's all about making the team better. i'll be surprised if he asked for 7 mil/yr. he's not going anywhere unless he retires... too loyal of a guy.
Are the Hornets a championship team? Who are their starting center and power forward? Irony please... look at the whole picture first! Jason Smith comes off the bench for David West or Okafur.
Looks like Yao's confidence level is not back there yet. The whole team needs to be cheered up. What I watched tells me this team is still fundermentally fine, but they need more motivation and athleticism, and we need a leader. Martin is a low key guy, Scola and Yao are international players, we still need Shane and Hayes to wake up this team. Damn, Adelman and JVG together can make a perfect coaching team, Adelman does his offensive system and JVG gets our defense back. In FIFA soccer, there have been teams hired to head coaches........
such a premature thread.....in worse case, yao can be a good back up. He made good strides yesterday. He was more active with the weak side defense. More willing to demand the ball. My concern is that it is starting look like Yao is getting Impatient and it might be rubbing AB the wrong way. There were a few times where Yao is calling the play and everyone else has questions marks on their head.
You might be on to something. Quoted from Yao Seems like both KM and Yao are simply trying to fit in and not taking leadership roles. At this point, I do agree with his health concerns and if we are truly just trying to fit him in, than we should move him.
He's shooting 47%, his career is 52%. Considering the fact he had 15 freaking months off, that is not something I'm too worried about. 12 pts, 7 rbs, 2 blks in 22 minutes. Yao has been fine, and he has been our best interior defender. We either need to extend Yao's minutes, or rest him until he is healthy enough to play extended minutes. the 24 min cap is what is killing us. Jesus christ.
We not getting Dwight Howard, Amare Stoudemire, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, or any other player like that because with how much love a lot of people give Yao on the basketball court none of the GM's of the players listed above will give up their player for Yao. What the next excuse? He's been hurt right? What... we going to wait till he's 40 to get right? We don't need to settle for medocrity we need to go another route as far as trying be #1. Get 2 all star players around Yao. One at point guard and another at power forward or one at shooting guard and at power forward.
This. Yao is playing surprisingly well. The 24 min cap is killing us. I think it would be more natural to work him in minute-wise if he just came off the bench until the minute cap is raised.
