Not surprisingly, it was announced today that Yao Ming will probably miss all of next season after undergoing foot surgery. Not surprising, but still disappointing news for Rockets fans and the millions of Yao supporters worldwide.
I called for the Rockets to cut ties with Yao and Tracy McGrady ages ago (well, maybe not ages), and this certainly hasn’t changed my stance. Yao still has $34 million left on his contract when you include the player option he has for 2010/11 and the Rockets should do all they can to get out from under his enormous shadow. While the Rockets won’t appear to be very compassionate buying a guy out of his contract while he is injured, they need to worry about fixing their franchise. McGrady and Yao are two huge albatrosses weighing the franchise down, and they must do all that they can to rid themselves of them. Yao wasn’t reliable enough even before this latest setback and even if he is able to get back on the court, it may only be a matter of time before the other shoe drops (in this case, the other foot breaks).
This is eerily similar to what happened to another legendary NBA big man, Bill Walton. The Big Redhead was one of the greatest college players of all-time and was on his way to being the same in the pros until fragile feet zapped him of his powers. Basketball is so demanding on your feet it’s surprising more players don’t have problems with their puppies (maybe today’s high tech shoes really are worth their money). In Yao’s case, his size probably compounds the problem, as each time he leaves the floor his feet take the brunt of the impact of his 300-plus pounds as he lands again.
While I’m no doctor, I have serious doubts whether Yao’s feet will ever be trustworthy enough for him to be a considered a franchise player. The Rockets can’t afford to wait around a year or even two to see if he is able to make it back. Its more than just a burden on their salary cap – it is also an emotional burden for everyone involved in the organization, including Yao. The waiting and hoping that he will be healthy again puts too much pressure on both the player and the organization. They weren’t winning any titles with Yao anyhow, so the time is now to cut ties and start rebuilding their franchise.
And on more cheerful note, if you haven’t heard the stories of the adventures of Mike Miller and his pet monkey, then you need to right now.
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