I think so, too - yes, they would. I also think the Orlando Magic would give Tyronn Lue, Rod Strickland and draft picks. Washington might even part with Brian Skinner and draft picks! STOP POSTING!
I think the Mavs and Kings ARE built around superstar players. They both have players that have proven they can average 25+ points per game. Dirk might be the most skilled offensive player in the league. Peja is having an MVP caliber season and is putting up Larry Bird-like numbers. I don’t necessarily disagree that Yao is not the type that can carry a team for an extended period of time. He’s had only two 25+ point games all season. To go from that to averaging 25 points a game is a mighty huge leap. BUT trading him or Steve away for a bunch of role players that are more Van Gundy’s type is just silly. Yao or Steve may not be guys you can build around, but Nesterovic and Bowen sure as hell isn't either.
Jesus. Rasho Nesterovic, Bruce Bwen, and draft picks? Who gives a flying ****. Why waste the cap figures? Look at it this way. Steve is clearly not willing to relinquish his #1 status. He probably needs to, because he's not as good. Yao can do one of two things: 1. Insist, and fracture the club house. 2. Defer, and still be effective, yet not be as dominating on the team as he should be. Choice #1 is the better option for the team. This is JVG/CD's call. They have to either gradually shift focus, or trade Francis. Neither is going to happen any time in the next few months.
Way too early to assume Yao has roleplayer mentality. When Yao is definitely a leader on a team, he has always stepped up and played well under tremendous pressure. When he was on the Shanghai sharks, he carried his team to the championships and shot 21/21 in a finals game. The pressure was great because he had to win the championship before he can go to the NBA. When he was the leader on the Chinese NT last year, they beat the Korea NT in the finals and Yao played great. The pressure was great because China had to win to be qualified for the Olympics. Before Yao's arrival, Cat and Francis always talked about the Rockets being their team. Right now they talk about dumping the ball inside to Yao, need him to play well in order for the team to succeed, and seldom, if at all, talk about who is the leader on this team. Also, unlike their previous fetish of leadership acknowledgement, they are not acknowledging Yao as being one of the leaders on this team. Cat, unlike before when he was acknowledging Francis as the No.1 and himself as the No.2 leader on the team, has receded in talking about leadership hierarchy at all. Maybe I missed their remarks, but my impression is that they can go only so far as aknowledging Yao as the initiator of the offense, in a point center kind of way. Maybe Yao thinks he is a role player, or a relatively unimportant leader on this team, because he perceives that is what the other teammates want him to be right now. And being unfamiliar with American culture and basketball, maybe Yao thinks that since Francis and Cat makes more money than he does, it's also natural for them to think so. Besides, Yao isn't getting a whole lot support to maximize his performances and rise to leadership. He needs more plays and more passes for him to maximize his production. He needs to be more involved in the offense, not just as the initiator and coordinator, but most importantly, the finisher in the offense. JVG has to realize that if he want to make Yao the leader of the team right now, he has to maximize Yao's scoring ability and make him more of a finisher in the offense. Run more plays for Yao and let Yao shoot the ball as many as possible. Instead of mainly using him as a point center. When Yao's stats rises above others, he'll have an easier time to claim as the leader. But again, maybe other players won't be too happy with their shots taken away in the process of it. It seems to be a deadlock by now, and a sensitive issue among the Rockets. I don't deny the possibilty of Yao having a roleplayer mentality, but there's many other factors to be sorted out before that conclusion can be made.
I really find it fascinating the different views that people who were familiar with Yao when he was playing in China versus those who primarily know him playing in the NBA. Its almost like two different people.
You know what? I think that #1 may indeed be what needs to happen for Yao to take the torch from Steve as the guy the franchise depends on. It would show he desires it, and is willing to express that desire outwardly instead of keeping it in. Of course, it would really mess up the club house probably splitting the club house into two sides. Look at the Suns. It wasn't Amare who specifically said Stephon wasn't dishing the ball enough. It was his mother who did the talking for him, but it was basically Amare talking for him. It forced management to make a decision between the two players. Yao could take route #2 which is what I think he is most likely going to do because of his personality. If you look at the team as currently constructed, there are Steve and Cuttino who are the senior members of the team and have been the designated scorers since their arrival. Yao is the 2nd year guy who is the youngest on the squad. Yao may be playing be the 'respect your elders' card. Look at Shaq when Kobe came into the picture. It was obvious Shaq felt the need to control his territory on the team. He said it many times in the media. Their management will be faced with decisions come offseason. Do not extend Shaq and sign Kobe promising him that he is the man, or extend Shaq's contract and let Kobe leave. The ball is in Yao's hands. He can either go strong to the hole or pass it off to his teammates. Management will probably support either move.
This is advice from Stephon Marbury to his former teammate Amare Stoudamire: "If Amare grows for himself and not for everyone that's around him, he has an unbelievable upside," he said. "If he works hard and listens to the coaching staff, takes advantage of guys like (assistant coach Tim )Grgurich , his upside will be remarkable because he's a great player and a great talent. And he works hard."