Yao Ming

As long as were talking about chronically injured centers, would anyone take a gamble on Yao at this point? Assuming he doesn't retire, that is.

When you look at the potential upside, it’s pretty intriguing. If you limited his minutes (say 30 minutes a game) and just had him focus on being a shot blocking and rebounding machine, he could be tremendously valuable to the team if he held up for a few years. Big if on the holding up part, though.

Maybe with less of an offensive role expected of him, he could stay healthy easier. It wouldn’t be like Houston where they needed him to score a lot. If he got 4 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game, that would be great.

Being somewhat of a gambling man by nature, I think I’d take the chance given that he passed a physical and wasn’t too costly. I wouldn’t go over about 25 million for 4 years, or about 18 million for three years.
 
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Yao is done imo.

Just 2 weeks ago he stated how he doesn't know if he will ever play again saying how his foot is at 30% right now.

He's turning 31 in September and will not be ready for this upcoming season. Yao said that if it weren't for his daughter, he would have retired already, but he simply wants her to see her dad play in person, which is the only motivating factor in his recovery right now.

Even if he does recover, you have to understand that he has gotten heavier and still carries that enormous 7'6'' 320 pound body on his two oft-injured feet.
 
Unfortunately for Yao, who is a great man and humanitarian, his best days are behind him. I'll be surprised if he plays another 100 games in the league, or 50 games a yr over 2 yrs. He should have said no to the Chinese Omlypic Committee, who basically forced him to play international ball repeatedly, didn't let him rest or recover, and will end up being party responsible for his shortened career.
 
Unfortunately for Yao, who is a great man and humanitarian, his best days are behind him. I'll be surprised if he plays another 100 games in the league, or 50 games a yr over 2 yrs. He should have said no to the Chinese Omlypic Committee, who basically forced him to play international ball repeatedly, didn't let him rest or recover, and will end up being party responsible for his shortened career.

I know his best days are behind him. But even if you could get 100 games out of him for the next two years, it would be worth it just from a marketing standpoint alone. Sacramento has a pretty sizable Chinese and Asian population.
 
I know his best days are behind him. But even if you could get 100 games out of him for the next two years, it would be worth it just from a marketing standpoint alone. Sacramento has a pretty sizable Chinese and Asian population.

If Yao was even at 80% of his usual self, he'd be a nice aquisition. But it looks like he's done. Besides, he stated the other day that the only team he'll ever play for is the Rockets.
 
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