We should really build this team considering Yao is not going to be a factor. If somehow, he does miracles.. comes back and perform great... then wow, that would be fantastic for us. I can see him signing with us very cheap this year (only if he thinks he can play)... very very cheap.. so meaning, we will be able to build a team without counting him. Again, if he plays good then we will be in bonus. If he does not, we only lose cheap money. It should not be in a way that our team relies on him.
Yao can't stay on the court for 3 months, so what makes you think he'll come close to being 75% for 3 years? Let the ex-girlfriend go. She's bad for you and your future.
I don't know how you can say that with a straight face after: -22 game win streak -09 playoffs -the last two seasons -Celtics game 7 -half a dozen teams paying 10 mill to backup centers
Well from the looks of it hitting on a star in the draft is gonna be tough to do. Unfortunately since players now get to choose where they want to go, it doesn't look good on the FA market for us, the draft may be our best bet. The thing with Yao is you almost have to take a chance and resign him just because of how he affects the game when healthy. Would anyone be ok with letting him walk and watch him have a healthy season elsewhere? I wouldn't.
Maybe the lockout will last long enough-- an entire season-- for Yao to rehab and lose enough weight to give us something in 2013...
Not at all. So long as doctors do not tell him that it is over and Yao still has the desire to rehab and play then he can still help the Rockets. He may have to accept a lot less money and role though. The Rockets could also get a more basketball-minded and experienced person to head the FO instead on relying on Morey to lead the Rockets into the future.
I agree with you OP. Yao coming back at 75% of what he was, even discounted by the likelihood he won't every come back, seems more likely than us drafting or trading for a star player. I still think he can demand $10m per season. Golden State alone would pay him that just to sit on the bench so they can sell Chinese beer commercials and jerseys. It won't be cheap to keep him, unless he's interested in giving a home town discount.
Okay, after reading this paragraph several times, I've come to the conclusion that it's actually correct. The problem is, the chances of Yao coming back and having any significant impact at all is about 2.79001% and the chances of us becoming a contender in the next few years via draft/free agency is about 2.209001%. So yeah, technically you are correct. Strap in, fellow Rocket fans. It's going to be a long rebuilding process. It started about 2 years too late, but at least it's finally started.
Lets forget about Yao and just consider him a nice "bonus" if he can come back and contribute for a cheap price. Otherwise, we need to move on like he doesn't exist. Sad to say, but unless the basketball gods start being kind to us...it's for the best
Well, for one thing, Yao wouldn't be the kind of backup center who could start playing starter minutes if the starter got hurt, so he couldn't do for you what Deke did for us. And what 6 backup centers are making 10 million? You mean for their whole contract?
Again, I'm not saying Yao is going to do that. I'm just saying that it is more LIKELY that would happen then us finding a diamond in the rough through the draft or getting a star FA or star through trade.
No there will most definitely be a change. So it won't be the same thing over and over again. We would plan on him not being there so if he is, it would all be a bonus. Also he won't be making 17 mil a yr.
I got what you were saying and that's what Morey and crew should have done after 2009 season when Yao got injured. But they decided to go in a different direction and make Yao the center point by building the team around him instead of making him a part of the process.... So now is the time to cut ties all together and keep moving forward in the rebuilding without Yao process. T_Man
You are right as far as trading him... But the biggest mistake was trying to build the team around him. T_Man
