DownSwinging.com

Yao Ming won’t be back until the 2010-2011 season. With Yao Ming, the Rockets are a Top 5 team. Without him, the Rockets, without an extensive make over, won’t come close to the playoffs next season. So assuming the Rockets do not follow up this season with another playoff run, they’ll find themselves taking part in the woeful lottery. Now lets imagine the Rockets really can’t get it together without Yao. Lets say they stumble to a frustrating 30-52 campaign, something that is not out of the realm of possibility, just for the sake of argument. With a record like that one, the summer of 2010 would see the Rockets with a top 5 draft pick, a returning all-star center, a salary cap free from the heavy constraints of Tracy McGrady’s contract, cap space to use towards a Free Agent talent pool more talented than any other in the history of the game, and a chance to make a serious run at the 2011 NBA Championship.

The starting line up could be scary: Yao, Luis Scola, Trevor Ariza, (Insert Free Agent here), Aaron Brooks. Combine that with a bench including, Carl Landry, Shane Battier, Kyle Lowry, the revitalized Joey Dorsey and that potential draft pick. Just imagining that team taking the court has Rockets fans salivating. Imagine if Houston were able to snatch D-Wade? Or Texas native Chris Bosh? Houston could make Yao’s 30-32 year old seasons (the same one’s that saw Hakeem Olajuwon rack up his two titles) seasons to remember.

Yao’s injuries are certainly tough to swallow, especially when compounded with those of McGrady. The health issues have plagued this potenitally dominant duo. And it is becoming clear, that nothing much will come of their tenure together. But, season ending or not, Yao’s injury could have handed the Rockets an unexpected lifeline in their search for the city’s 3rd title.