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What it All Means: Yao’s Injury Could Gift the Rockets a Title

Steve Fales — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:43:21 +0000

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.

Rockets are Nuts for Gortat

Steve Fales — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:36:36 +0000

Center Marcin Gortat, formerly of Orlando Magic fame, is now a Free Agent and the Houston Rockets have made no secret of their Admiration for the big man. Clearly, the Rockets are in search of size, and Gortat could be just what the doctor ordered. Despite his unimpressive numbers last year, one must admire his numbers on a per minute basis. When given the chance, Gortat excels. At this point in the article you must be asking yourself “how do I know the Rockets are ‘nuts’ for Gortat?” Well, last night, Free Agents were allowed to start discussing terms with other teams at 12:00 am. At 12:01 Rockets GM Daryl Morey rang the doorbell at Gortat’s Orlando-area home. While I personally see this as a little over the top, one has to think that it shows determination and originality. This, especially seeing as Gortat is a role player.

If this were LeBron James, for instance, a move like this would be seen as pathetic and, really, pretty sad. But the fact that Gortat is not a star, makes this act kind of endearing. Gortat is sure to be flattered by the gesture, and I’d be surprised if Morey didn’t end up signing the Polish Center. Houston is looking to add to its talented but small front line. Assuming Yao is healthy by playoff time next season (a big assumption), a team with Gortat, Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes and Carl Landry would not be short of 4 or 5’s. That is what makes this enticing for Rockets fans, Yao or not, Houston is making moves.

Yao’s Injury Not Decisively Catastrophic; Media Salivates

Steve Fales — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:21:43 +0000

As you are sure to have read over the past 12 hours, the hairline fracture in Yao Ming’s troubled left foot, has still not healed despite more than 6 weeks of immobilization. In fact, the fracture has actually extended across the bone. This is by no means good news for the Rockets, who were hoping that their 7-6 big man would start rehab this week. This case, however, is not as black and white as it seems. Yao, as it stands, is completely asymptomatic. His foot feels fine. He was certain that after his X-Ray, he would be cleared to start his workouts. This is where the situation becomes dicey for Houston. As team doctor, Tom Clanton, stated in his press conference, “We don’t treat the CT Scan, we treat the patient.” The problem the Rockets find themselves in though, is while Yao is feeling no pain, swelling or tenderness, if he so much as missteps on the basketball court, his foot could shatter, and he would never play again. Yao and the Rockets will spend the next several days getting second opinions on whether to give it more time to heal on its own, put a pin in his foot (which Yao has done before on this same foot), or get more extensive surgery to eradicate the problem. The first option is high risk, high reward. If the foot mends on its own, Yao could be ready opening night, however if it still doesn’t heal, a later surgery date would mean more basketball missed. If they choose to install a pin, seen as a temporary solution that could hold for several years, it would be guaranteed that Yao would start the season on injured reserve, something Yao himself, does NOT want to do. Lastly, completely grafting the foot, would be a permanent solution, albeit with an estimated recovery time of 12-18 months, or perhaps even longer. This is seen as a worst case scenario. These are the facts. The question isn’t whether the injury is season threatening or, God forbid, even career threatening. It certainly is. The question is, what are the odds…

The thing that annoys me about this whole thing, is how the media have handled it. ESPN, SI, everyone loves using those headlines “Will Yao Ever Play Again?” It’s disgustingly bush league and I’ll tell you why. The press conference revealing all of Yao’s injury news was held several days ago. It was not last night, which was implied by the urgency used in every article I read. As much as I hate to say it, the media LOVES career-threatening injuries. ESPN loves bringing on their “medical experts” to discuss the likelihood of a player returning. It brings them an even bigger audience. Furthermore, it gives every Joe in America, that knows how to flip the TV to SportsCenter the feeling that they just completed their Masters in Medicine. Talking about tarsal navicular bones as if they just got out of triage.

Could Yao miss the rest of his career? Yes, but Clanton said the possibility of that is hugely unlikely. Why is that not in anyone’s article? It just frustrates me when the media chooses to take an avenue based on which title will get the most hits. The medical staff in Houston is shocked that the media took this spin on the story, as they had presented the facts, while defining the possibility of career-threatening information. Once the reporters present hear those two magic words, they smell blood in the water. One question was, “Is Yao’s foot healing on its own similar to the odds of me winning the lottery?”. That reporter wasn’t even allowed to finish his question as Clanton cut him off, saying, “No, no, no. We’re not even considering it a longshot.”

The story is an intriguing one. Will Yao play next season? Will he be himself if he does? I’ll be watching this story as close as possible as I am a Rockets fan, as well as a Yao Ming fan, as I don’t think there is anyone in the NBA who works harder. He doesn’t deserve what the media have done to this story, and neither do you.