A lot of people are high on this Yao Ming guy from China. But today I ask you the question: Is drafting Yao Ming worth the huge downside?
Were I an NBA general manager (and this opinion is probably one of the reasons why I'm not), the conditions that Yao's team, the Shanghai Sharks, will give to whatever NBA team that drafts him are simply intolerable.
The NBA team that drafts Yao must send a replacement player. OK, but doesn't it seem reasonable that Shanghai will demand that said player must have equal value? This is sounding more devious all the time. If Yao turns out to be a superstar, the Rockets may have to give up someone like Maurice Taylor or Steve Francis. It seems certain that the Sharks wouldn't settle for someone like Dan Langhi or second-year player Oscar Torres, to be sure.
So whatever happens, an NBA superstar will be forced to leave the NBA. And if that doesn't happen, the Sharks have the right to retain Yao at any time. Hell, even if the Rockets do give up a superstar, Yao could still be recalled by the Sharks, because they have the right to get him back at any time for any reason.
And you know that FIBA, the international arbitrary body, would side with the Sharks if something like that takes place.
Damn, to me, drafting Yao isn't worth it. Even if he does turn out to be the next big thing. I'm just glad that it seems likely that Yao won't still be unpicked after the lottery. I don't want to see Yao on the Pacers.
“Over the course of history, the kiss of a woman has poisoned a lot of great minds.”
There are so many strings attached to Ming that you have to ask yourself if it will be worth the headache. I don't see anything more than another Manute Bol or Shaun Bradley. He may have a slightly more developed game but is still as thin as a rail. Shaq will have a field day pounding away at him.
As the pattern gets more intricate and subtle, being swept along is no longer enough.
With all the strings attached to him, I actually don't see the Rockets blowing the #1 pick on him.
Oh, he'll end up in the lottery somewhere, more than likely. Possibly, he'll be drafted by the Golden State Warriors, whose fanbase has a large Asian popluation (one of the requests made by the Sharks).
Me, I think the Shanghai Sharks are going to try and screw whatever NBA team ends up with Yao. That's why I wouldn't draft him. All of the conditions made by the Sharks strike me as simply being intolerable.
The Sharks are evil, if you ask me. Much like the Chinese government tends to be. (And note, I said the communist government, not Chinese people in general, because I actually have quite a few good Chinese friends).
“Over the course of history, the kiss of a woman has poisoned a lot of great minds.”
Originally posted by ekedolphinPossibly, he'll be drafted by the Golden State Warriors, whose fanbase has a large Asian popluation (one of the requests made by the Sharks).
The Warriors don't have a large ANY population in their fanbase. Ba-dum-bum
eke, would you happen to have a link to an article where someone says that the Sharks want a player back for Yao? I never heard that before and need to know whether it's true one way or the other...
Someone will pick him, if for no other reason than the fact that they do not want to be the ones that passed, if it turns out he is more than just a Manute Bol.
Portland has been lambasted for years and years since they picked Sam Bowie ahead of that Jordan fella.
No NBA GM wants to have that sort of thing on their resume...
---------- Whatcha Gonna Do??? ---------- "Thank you - thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for your irrelevant opinion..." ---------- And the real wonder of the world is that we don't jump too ---------- So there's no simple explanation for anything important any of us do and yea the human tragedy consists in the necessity of living with the consequences under pressure, under pressure. ----------
I would much rather see them draft Ming #1 then have some damn high school kid go.
You know youre old when you try to convince some kid that was born in the freakin 80's that Samus Aran could whip Lara Croft's cave dwelling ass. Honestly, has there ever been a cooler weapon in the history of video games than the Screw Attack?
From the desk of Swordsman Yen From a lineup standpoint, it would make sense for the Rockets to draft Yao Ming. They already have an awesome backcourt with Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley, and Moochie Norris, so drafting Jay Williams will just create problems in distributing playing time. Mike Dunleavy would be a great roleplayer for a team, but without a dominant power forward or center, Dunleavy would be just another spot-up 3-point shooter on the Rockets. To me, that isn't worthy of using the first overall pick. Yao gives the Rockets a versatile big man they need to keep other teams from focusing almost exclusively on Francis, and his 3 point shooting touch would force dominant big men like Shaq to guard him on the perimeter. I haven't heard of the "must give up a player to the Sharks" condition yet, but of course there are still details that need to be hammered out. Is he worth the risk? Unless there is a team willing to offer a worthy big man to the Rockets for a first round pick or if the Rockets can pull off a good trade using Dunleavy or Williams, I say Ming should get drafted #1.