# The million dolla question: Do we keep Yao after this year?



## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

I have no idea what to do with Yao. It really looks like he is unable to play on the court anymore. For all we know he may retire, but do we try and keep him and for how much? Or is it just time to let him walk away?

Oh and yes, I did mean to say dolla.


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## Spaceman Spiff (Aug 2, 2006)

Rebuilding time. This team already has the pieces to put around anyone, just time to find a new face of the franchise. If he comes back, it will be for single digit numbers. 7mil max.


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

I would keep him as long as he plays a lesser role and signs for a max of 5 million. This team needs to go into the rebuilding stage.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

I just can't see Yao being a big part of Houston's future anymore.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

I'd let him go and thank him for his services to the franchise. Too much dead money wrapped up in a player who can't stay on the court.


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## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

For a lot less he will come back. Atleast half of what he is on now.
Anyways time to trade Martin. And Scola and Miller. They are the past. 

All of them to the Bucks for Redd's expiring + Moute + Delfino and two first round draft picks.


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## Floods (Oct 25, 2005)

Yao needs to go. The only way Houston should ever bring him back is if he comes really cheap, and they have at least one other serviceable-good center option on the roster that could step in and the team would be minimally affected. He's been holding the team hostage for a while, and now he's not producing. Bye.

It's certainly a possibility that the Rockets deliver on those requirements, but I doubt there aren't at least a few teams in the league who would happily throw money at him and make him the guy at center, without regard to recent history.


hroz said:


> Anyways time to trade Martin. And Scola and Miller. They are the past. All of them to the Bucks for Redd's expiring + Moute + Delfino and two first round draft picks.


Can't see Milwaukee doing that.


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## kbdullah (Jul 8, 2010)

I'd like to think the Rockets want to bring back Yao if for no other reason than to continue to be broadcast in China and bring in increased jersey sales.


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## Floods (Oct 25, 2005)

Maybe so but that would be pretty detrimental to the actual team.


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## Dre (Jun 20, 2003)

Not if it's a ceremonial roster spot. Bring him in off the bench, pay like 7M a year, make sure you have a real starting center over him. 

That's slightly overpaying but you'd make that back through merchandising and the like.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

OneBadLT123 said:


> I have no idea what to do with Yao. It really looks like he is unable to play on the court anymore. For all we know he may retire, but do we try and keep him and for how much? Or is it just time to let him walk away?


does it really look like he's unable to play now? the injury he suffered had nothing to do with his surgery and isn't supposed to be serious at all. in the minutes yao has played this year, he's been pretty solid despite it being his first action in well over a year.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

Floods said:


> Yao needs to go.


you've been saying that for years, why would it change now?


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

Dre™ said:


> Not if it's a ceremonial roster spot. Bring him in off the bench, pay like 7M a year, make sure you have a real starting center over him.
> 
> That's slightly overpaying but you'd make that back through merchandising and the like.


we'll have to see how the year finishes playing out but i have a hard time seeing yao as a bench player with a "real" starting center over him. there just aren't many centers out there better than yao even at the level he's played at so far this year.

but like i said, the season has to play out. so far all we know is that yao has played in 5 games and been pretty solid before picking up a fairly minor injury.


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## Dre (Jun 20, 2003)

rocketeer said:


> we'll have to see how the year finishes playing out but i have a hard time seeing yao as a bench player with a "real" starting center over him. there just aren't many centers out there better than yao even at the level he's played at so far this year.
> 
> but like i said, the season has to play out. so far all we know is that yao has played in 5 games and been pretty solid before picking up a fairly minor injury.


I agree but if he can never stay oncourt for any stretch you might not find a better player but you could find a better option.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

rocketeer said:


> does it really look like he's unable to play now? the injury he suffered had nothing to do with his surgery and isn't supposed to be serious at all. in the minutes yao has played this year, he's been pretty solid despite it being his first action in well over a year.


I know but by saying he cant play on the court anymore I mean that he isn't able to sustain any long stretches of games. He plays only 24 minutes, no back to backs, he's already injured for 2-3 weeks and now he has to come back and reestablish himsef again back into the flow of things. Then face it, he probably is going to get hurt again within the next 3 months.


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## Floods (Oct 25, 2005)

rocketeer said:


> you've been saying that for years, why would it change now?


What's happened to prove me wrong exactly?


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

Floods said:


> What's happened to prove me wrong exactly?


you've certainly been wrong about the impact yao has on the court. sure, he got hurt. you've always said the rockets would be a better team without him anyway.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

OneBadLT123 said:


> I know but by saying he cant play on the court anymore I mean that he isn't able to sustain any long stretches of games. He plays only 24 minutes, no back to backs, he's already injured for 2-3 weeks and now he has to come back and reestablish himsef again back into the flow of things. Then face it, he probably is going to get hurt again within the next 3 months.


if this season shows him unable to sustain long stretches on the court and unable to avoid small injuries that he's been able to avoid his entire career, then yeah, the rockets are going to have to think about letting him go. no reason to jump to that conclusion before it gets here though.


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## Floods (Oct 25, 2005)

rocketeer said:


> you've certainly been wrong about the impact yao has on the court. sure, he got hurt. you've always said the rockets would be a better team without him anyway.


It's funny because last season's Rockets posting a winning record without Yao. Sure, a mere winning record isn't a huge deal, except that they haven't accomplished much more than that in any season Yao's been there (they've definitely never been contenders). 

He's holding the team hostage. If the Rockets subbed Yao for a viable starting center who's actually capable of staying on the court, yes they would be better off. There's no reason to keep this guy around. Let someone else waste their time.

So what's happened to prove me wrong exactly?


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/7329189.html

Yeah, I think this is officially the end. I have been looking around and still cant find anything on a timetable other than "out indefinitely". 




> Rockets notes: Yao not sure when he'll return to action
> By JONATHAN FEIGEN
> 
> The status of Yao Ming's return to the court moved to indefinite hold on Tuesday.
> ...


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## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

I'm going to take back what I said. It's time to let go of Yao.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

i don't really see how this changes anything in regards to next season yet.

if at some point they say he's out for the year then you can say he's officially done. right now it's the same wait and see just like it was before.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

now i think it's fair to say that it's officially over.


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## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

rocketeer said:


> now i think it's fair to say that it's officially over.


Yea, inside I still had some hope, but after finding out its the same foot with another stress fracture this is pretty much over.

So sad, I feel the Yao era will be like the Sampson era in Rockets history. The player/dynasty that never was. One of the most skilled big men to ever play the game only to be destroyed by injuries during his prime.

Such a same. I will miss the old fella thats for sure


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