I got to thinking after the recent news about Greg Oden about injury prone players and new contracts. Oden obviously missed out on a big personal opportunity to get an extension likely being at least $10M a year just because he is a big guy and is either athletic or skilled. Let's assume that Yao's cash cowness cancels out his injury proneness for an owner enough to sign Yao to a $10M a year contract. All other things equal, I think this is a real possibility. However, if you remember this past summer, the Knicks could not get insurance on Amare Stoudemire's new contract. This same insurance covered the majority of Yao and McGrady's contracts during their injuries. If an owner couldn't get insurance on Yao's new contract, how much does that make him worth? Is he worth the risk at all for an owner like Les Alexander who never was one of the richest owners and has lost quite a bit of money due to the recession? I think this financial reality might be what prevents Yao from being a Rocket beyond this season. However, an owner with deeper pockets might be willing to take the risk like the Knicks did this offseason with Amare.
Maybe he is healthy for this season, but Les still can't get insurance on a new contract for him. Is it still worth it to give him a new deal? If so, at what price?
It was not the same insurance - it was on the World's. It was a unique policy for a specific event. Your premise, therefore, is baseless. Oh, well - you'll need another way to go after Yao Ming.
IIRC, the NBA's insurance company gets to exclude several deals.....I am sure they will exclude Yao's next deal...aren't you? DD
Id give yao mle, at best, for what he contributes to this team on the court. Though id rather not sign him at all
You guys are just single minded. Yao will have many options after this season. Don't you really understand why Yao is taking a very cautious approach himself with his recent injury? He wants to stay healthy so that he will be able to sign with a championship caliber team next year. He has everything, all he needs now is a championship. He knows that if he stays healthy, he can add a big piece to such a caliber team. Chicago will be a logic choice for him (just to think who is coaching there). It also has a large Chinese fan base there. New York is a possibility if they can get Antony. Yao is not going to ask for a big contract. For him, 6-8 million a year for three years will be all he needs. Therefore, he can basically go anywhere he wants. Before he leaves, Rockets fans should just enjoy what he can do for the remainder of this season.
I guess Yao's leaving is a win-win situation for both sides. Yao and Rockets both suffered in past few years. Cursed? Maybe. It's time to make a change.
I think it would be awesome if Yao somehow signed with Miami. That team really needs a decent center, they are small, and have no inside scoring. Well, Bosh, but he has been underwhelming thus far, and I think could use some help inside. Though, I do think everyone is way to ahead of themselves on the Yao situation. I keep reading how he is a cancer, the worst thing to happen to the franchise, etc. He's coming off a major injury, we have only seen him play a handful of games, how can you really know what he will be as time progresses.
Well he's been here for 6 years now, how much time do need? Not that I would call Yao Ming the worst thing to happen to the franchise or a cancer, but the truth is that Yao has indeed been dragging this team down. He's been making max money but is always a part-time player. Worse he always skips out the most important part of the season (playoffs). Let's face it, if Yao Ming had been black and wasn't such a cash cow off the court he would have been dumped long ago. As it is, if Yao stays healthy the whole season I have no doubt DM and Les will offer Yao Ming scola money to stay.
What makes you think Yao would have been dumped if he was Black? It is not like we are talking about a Shane Battier here, Yao was the best C in the league when healthy and was the franchise player for this team, do you really blame the Rockets for hoping that he would stay healthy and lead them deep into the playoffs? Hindsight is 20/20, if Yao didn't get injured as always in that Lakers series who knows what could have happened. Again, I am not saying we keep Yao beyond this season unless its for under 3 mil, but you can't blame Yao or the Rox for keeping him around.
