Chinese Gov, Shanghai Sharks and Ming draft ect.

First off. I am a Chinese in US now, so that people know where my perspectives come from.

I am one of those lurkers on this board. This board suprises me as a good one ever since I come across it couple of months ago.
Not a typical high schooler touting site. There seems to be enough confusion and interest in teh "chinese connudrum" surrounding Ming situation. I may try to offer my two cents.

CBA, SH sharks, Chinese Government are different agent with different agenda and power. CBA and CG's main interest is having a NBA minted YaoMing ready for 08 Olympics. They don't care where he plays. CBA also want some money compensation and hopefully relationship with NBA to better develop their L. Media exposure? all the better. But these come second. Will they seriously holding Yaoming hostage? No. they can not afford. there is no way Chinese basketball achieve aspired glory if Ming stay in CBA. yao Ming is bigger than an individual now, imagine 1.2 B people on your heel if Yao is not given the chance to achieve what Chinese people want.

will CBA call him back anytime? No. they are not stupid. It's no fun to have someone, however great, on your team who doesn't want to contribute. Ming has a sense of histry and likes to play for China, but China will not call him back anytime so as to harm his career and development in NBA. The big prize is a better Ming in 08 playing for China. Once Ming's in the L, they won't have much influence, That's the reason they want this negotiated before he enters.

Sharks however is mainly about business. They want compensation, better a long term one. Cablevision is a natual partner for them. It's no wonder they would love NY. They care where he plays since they want the best deal available. Memphis or Atlanta may not fill the bill, but Houston, I believe NBA and rocket can work things out there. but heck, Sharks cannot block Yaoming. Shanghai Government has ultimate say over them. Every elete ethlete in China has very good relationship with the powerfuls in the government, especially the local government. It's the Shanghai mayor who thinks Yao ming is ready to go and deserves to go. Sharks' job is just to find out the best deal available. Speaking of deals, don't be suprised if Nike have some role here.

Many people likes to speculate on Ming's situation based on Wang zhizhi's situation. Wang's in very different case, he's a soldier and belongs to the Army, nobody other than some general (he's a colonel himself) has anything to say about him playing or not. CBA wants him back as soon as season ends, but he's still in dallas hoping to enter the summer L. Until army speaks, he has his own latitude. But ultimately, his latitude will be less than Ming's.

Will Ming adapt to NBA? Simply based on the fact that he's from Shanghai, I say he will adapt to NBA sooner than Wang. Wang's liability is in defence, his offense is as good as anybody on Mav's team (from Nelson). but his real liability I think is in his communication skill, which prevent him from playing effective team defence. Ming speaks English, he's modern and thoughtful. Shanghai is closer to a US city than say Morgantown to NY.

Last onto dealing with Sharks and CBA. I am not surprised to see the post that sharks are "not happy" with Rockets since they haven't contact with them substantially. It's just the Chinese way of doing business. It's more art than science. You have to know each other enough to have comfortness before even talk about business. Mutual understanding of common insterests probabily is more important than a contract.

If rockets management are smart enough to figure out a way to deal, (look at the Sh landscape and successful US business there, you should know you can make a deal there), I will be happyly watching Yao ming in Rockets' uniform next season and long after, although the looks of that uniform....hehe hehe...I will stop here before.........