<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Yao_Mac_Stro_6_Rings:</div><div class="quote_post">I just heard it from my cousin in China, he sent me this, the news agency over there reported: Yao Turns Down Rockets Maximum Contract Offer "The Houston Rockets have offered Yao Ming a 5 year US$70 million maximum contract extension, which is equal to the maximum amount that any other team can pay Yao under the NBA's new Collective Bargaining Agreement. However, Yao and his American sports agent, Bill Duffy, have refused the contract offer and are said to possibly be holding out on signing a deal with another team until after Yao's 5th season in the league, perhaps choosing instead for Yao to play this year at US$5.6 million, and the next at the Rockets qualifiying offer of US$7.2 million. Yao and his agent Duffy, have informed the Rockets that they may still consider signing an extension this summer for 6 years and US$90 million, which is the maximum amount that Houston can offer Yao under NBA rules and US$20 million more than any other team could sign him for outright, depending on what roster moves Houston makes from now until the deadline for Yao to sign another deal with the team. </div> Take this with a grain of salt as this is from the ESPN boards and there is no source link. Anyone find confirmation on this? Read more...
Yea....it's likely not to be true since there isn't really a trustworthy source. Plus come on, he HEARD it from his cousin for crying out loud....
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting iversonfan3:</div><div class="quote_post">Yea....it's likely not to be true since there isn't really a trustworthy source. Plus come on, he HEARD it from his cousin for crying out loud....</div> His cousin isn't the one who said this, he is saying his cousin heard on the news in China. I still don't believe it anyway.
Well if the Rockets made the initial offer of only $70M, then it's not surprising Yao and his agent turned it down. It's a foregone conclusion Yao will get a max deal from the Rockets. The only scenario he doesn't get a max deal is if some health concerns arise, just like what happened to Eddy Curry and his heart.
all in all.... if its true or not... Rockets are gonna' sign him to the max offer... I see Yao being a rocket for life..
i sure hope he's a rocket for life...somewhere it said in china u dont switch teams, but stick to one team ur life
I don`t really see Yao going to any other team for the rest of his career. Since day 1 he looked so happy and content and Houston and loves the city and the franchise.
Reasons why Yao will Stay in Houston <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Keeping Yao Happy:</div><div class="quote_post">Yao is a free agent in two years, and sources insist the Lakers not only will go after him but also believe they have a great shot at getting him. That said, knowing him as I do from writing his autobiography, I'd be shocked if Yao left the Rockets. One, that's not how it works in China. You play for the team that first signed you until they no longer want you, and his basketball sensibilities are still guided by his homeland. Two, he is 7 feet, 6 inches of loyalty and feels a great deal of gratitude that the Rockets went to such extreme lengths to pave his way out of the People's Republic of China so they could make him the No. 1 pick. He's not wild about Houston's traffic or sprawl, but LA's is worse. A slightly bigger Chinese population or the allure of going to a more storied franchise isn't going to win the day. Before the NBA ever heard of him, he could've joined the Bayi Rockets, China's version of the Lakers, but chose to stay home with the underdog Shanghai Sharks. </div> Source There are many, many, many, many, many reasons why Yao wouldn't leave the Rockets. Read the source and you might learn something.
Nice find houston_owns_u, I agree, I don't see Yao leaving Houston either. I thought the Warriors would be the team, if any, to pry him away from the Rockets, but they have made moves to their roster to suggest they've given up on the idea. I don't think he likes Kobe much, so I don't see him joining the Lakers. He seems to be vested in the Houston community, he has his restaurant opening up, and I'm sure he has other business ventures already.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Nice find houston_owns_u, I agree, I don't see Yao leaving Houston either. I thought the Warriors would be the team, if any, to pry him away from the Rockets, but they have made moves to their roster to suggest they've given up on the idea. I don't think he likes Kobe much, so I don't see him joining the Lakers. He seems to be vested in the Houston community, he has his restaurant opening up, and I'm sure he has other business ventures already.</div> I agree. Warriors or bust!!!!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting deception:</div><div class="quote_post">well i wouldn't want to play with tmac either.</div> I don't understand why anyone would NOT want to play with tmac. Tmac is not kobe. Tmac doesn't demand to shoot the ball all the time. He is a playmaker and plays the best when he is hooking up his teammates. In the past it might be true that tmac wanted to score all the time, but he is more mature now and if you watched tmac and yao last year, you could tell that Tmac loves to give yao the easy shots. Yao will not leave houston. I dont think there is a reason to. Money is not an issue and winning a championship is alot easier after houston's off season acquisitions.
I spent thirty minutes scouring Chinese websites and nothing came up about this issue. I think that this is a bogus source and there has never been such a thing. If anything, how would the Chinese know about Yao turning down a contract extension before the American media knows? The Rockets have always made it clear they will re-sign Yao for the max and if anything, this $70-million offer will just be a qualifying offer and they will intend to build upon it.
HAHAHHAA, YAO IS COMING TO TORONTO!!! I'm bringing the whole Chinese community to the ACC, there's going to be free sweet and sour pork and Chinese festivities. Ok, I lied. This rumour isn't true at all and Chinese people will never give food for free
Ya thats totally wrong. In every forums(credible forums) for the houston rockets, it is saying that yao is signing the max deal. It will be announced soon. None of them has a link and i do realize that they are only forums and not the complete truth, but Houston's sports anchor (Mark Berchman) reported it that yao signed the max deal and hes rarely ever wrong.
