<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"When the Rockets struggle, eyes in Lakerland light up. C Yao Ming wants to stay in Houston and will give the Rockets first crack at keeping him with a long-term contract ? if the team is winning and a championship is a possibility. But right now, Yao, SG Tracy McGrady and coach Jeff Van Gundy seem to have no chemistry. If that remains the case, the Lakers plan to make a serious run at Yao in 2006, with hopes of giving SG Kobe Bryant a new inside presence to work with. But Yao would be willing to move only if the Rockets' future does not look promising ? he has demonstrated that he cares little about money and contracts, passing up numerous endorsement opportunities."</div> Link
Never going to happen. Yao is going to be a free agent in the summer of 2007. The only two players we have that have contracts to last throught that year are Kobe and Odom, who are to make a combined $33 million that year. If the salary cap increases year by year, it could end up anywhere between $45 and $50 million for 2007. That means that the Lakers would have $50-$33 million = $17 million in cap space if they have JUST Kobe and Odom on the team. The max contract will be $14-$17 million...so that means: C - Yao PF - minimum contract SF - Odom SG - Kobe PG - minimum contract Bench & IR - 10 minimum contracts So...are we going to let every player slip away? This includes Caron Butler, Chris Mihm, Luke Walton, Brian Cook, Jumaine Jones, Chucky Atkins, Tierre Brown, etc...all guys who we couldn't sign extensions for because they'd want more than the minimum. In other words, it wouldn't be worth it.
As much as I'd like Yao in a Laker uni, it won't happen. It's like realdeal said, the Lakers won't disassemble their entire team just to get Yao. It won't happen. They wouldn't be good because, quite frankly, you can't win with just three players, it's not likely at all to happen. Plus, I like the team they have right now, so I wouldn't mess with it all that much.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting The_Legend_23:</div><div class="quote_post">The last thing Kobe wants is a scoring/dominating presence on the inside</div> Nah, I wouldn't say that. He probably wouldn't mind having a player like Yao Ming in the middle because he's nothing like Shaq. Unlike Shaq, Yao lacks the ego that ultimately seperated him and Kobe. Now if Yao gets an ego like Kobe, things could turn sour.
The Rockets have the right to match any offer for Yao, and they sure will. I don't see why all these other teams on the West Coast are rumored to be ganging for him, when he is not going anywhere, no matter whether he wants to or not.
Jordan won three championships without an inside presence, and he won another three with Rodman. Why can't Kobe win with Vlade and Odom? Perhaps he just needs a better swingman? I think improvements can be made to that team without signing a bigtime center, regardless I doubt Kobe would work with Yao any more than the franchise did...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting King James X3:</div><div class="quote_post">Jordan won three championships without an inside presence, and he won another three with Rodman. Why can't Kobe win with Vlade and Odom? Perhaps he just needs a better swingman? I think improvements can be made to that team without signing a bigtime center, regardless I doubt Kobe would work with Yao any more than the franchise did...</div> I agree. Jordan always had a solid power forward that could defend and grab rebounds. (Ho Grant and Rodman). All the Lakers are lacking right now is a true power forward. I don't thing a big name center is necessary.
Hmm...I wonder what the Bobcats would say if we offered Devean George for Emeka Okafor. Hmm... Hmm...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting realdealbneal:</div><div class="quote_post">Hmm...I wonder what the Bobcats would say if we offered Devean George for Emeka Okafor. Hmm... Hmm... </div> They'd say no.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ice:</div><div class="quote_post">They'd say no.</div> Haha...I'd hope.
Besides all the financial crisis the the Lakers would have to go through to land Yao as a Laker, would Kobe Bryant really consider this move? Heck, why don't we just call him the assistant GM/player as he probably did have a say in letting Shaq and Phil Jackson go. This Laker team was built specifically for Kobe Bryant to be a leader, and I'm quite sure he wouldn't want yet again another go-to guy for a offensive possession but himself.
I wouldnt want yao even if we had a chance to get him unless we were to get hi mand trade him for a nice pf and pg that would be nice but other than that no.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Jordan won three championships without an inside presence, and he won another three with Rodman. Why can't Kobe win with Vlade and Odom? Perhaps he just needs a better swingman? I think improvements can be made to that team without signing a bigtime center, regardless I doubt Kobe would work with Yao any more than the franchise did...</div> Jordan is the greatest player ever. Pippen is a top 50 player of all time. Rodman is a good defender and one of the best rebounders ever. Jordan>Kobe. Pippen>Odom. Rodman>Vlade. Thats why Kobe cant win with Vlade and Odom. <font color="Red"><font size="1">Try and use the space bar between sentences. It makes things much easier to read and makes a post look like you put more into it. - Brandon</font></font>
Edit: Uhh... I misread. I read as "greatest ever. Michael Jordan better then Kobe Bryant AND Pippen, and yeah, so on." ' <strike>Use your space bar, and make some f-... paragraphs. It helps.</strike> <font color="Red"><font size="1">Try and refrain from posts like this, that could stir up trouble, even about things like grammar. - Brandon</font></font>
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GiantMidget:</div><div class="quote_post">Jordan is the greatest player ever. Pippen is a top 50 player of all time. Rodman is a good defender and one of the best rebounders ever. Jordan>Kobe. Pippen>Odom. Rodman>Vlade. Thats why Kobe cant win with Vlade and Odom. <font color="Red"><font size="1">Try and use the space bar between sentences. It makes things much easier to read and makes a post look like you put more into it. - Brandon</font></font></div> you never know, anything is possible.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GiantMidget:</div><div class="quote_post">Jordan is the greatest player ever. Pippen is a top 50 player of all time. Rodman is a good defender and one of the best rebounders ever. Jordan>Kobe. Pippen>Odom. Rodman>Vlade. Thats why Kobe cant win with Vlade and Odom. <font color="Red"><font size="1">Try and use the space bar between sentences. It makes things much easier to read and makes a post look like you put more into it. - Brandon</font></font></div> you never know anything is possible, look at pistons, they got the lakers didn't they? and lakers where a great team!
