That is a crazy line-up unless they trade T-Mac also.

Maybe the rumour T-Mac for RIP Hamilton will be brought up again.

That is going to be one impressive defensive squad. Battier and Artest guarding the outside and Yao sitting under the basket.

Houston may finally have a guaranteed finals team. Potentially good enough to get a top spot reign on even a Semi berth.

Sacremento will become another bottom feeder like Seattle.

Don't know why Houston would want to give up on T-Mac. While Hamilton is a good SG, T-Mac is the reason the rockets usually play at their current level. I'm sure we've all seen the win/loss stats without McGrady and I doubt Hamilton can fill the void that T-Mac currently occupies in Houston.

Back to the main subject, I think Artest would do for Houston, what Gasol did for LA... IF the trade happens.

What is interesting is Bobby Jackson returning to Sacramento. They traded him away to the Grizzlies for Bonzi Wells, who then signed with Houston as a Free Agent, who was then traded to the Hornets for Bobby Jackson (again!), who had also changed teams via Free Agency.

Combine Sacramento's trades in this sequence and they gave up Jackson and Artest and got Jackson back in return!!

Trade ming. That guy is no good and will only let you down- the only reason he is even in the comp is to sell jersey's in china.

Houston- stop pretending your about winning and not dollars and move Ming now! T-Mac is the most disrespected player to ever walk the court- yet his stats and record suggest he's better than Paul 'flavour of the month' Pierce... ie- T-Mac is so good he gets a bunch o chumps into the play-offs...in the West FFS!!!!! sure the team loses, he is playing a lone hand man.

Anyone with B-ball IQ should see that he is a talent being massively wasted.

Swap him with any wing player outside LBJ and that team gets better or stays even- period.
Pierce
Kobe
anyone.

I hope they trade him- coz the team that gets him will benefit from a hard competitor who sacrifices for his team again and again.

Well done Houston- you got a real player in Artest, now you have to cut away the fat that is Ming and give T-Mac a team he has chance with...

Write this down- Ming will never ever ever win a title. Ever.

Okay, I wrote it down. :-)

I think Ming could win a title, but just not as the number one scoring option. He is overrated because of his size and marketing potential.

I must admit, I agree with you on that they should trade him... but that is purely from a talent point of view. They could get good value for him. But they never will trade him. He is the face of the franchise to Asia. How much is that worth?

I think we need a "you read it here first" system - we've got Quagmire's claim about Yao, someone stating that Monta will be an All-Star, etc.

But whoops, forgot to comment on the actual thread. I definitely think they could have gotten more value for Artest. Why trade him now for 50 cents in the dollar? Why not wait til the trade deadline to see what superstars are on the line?

good point- sac fans should feel robbed.

unless donte takes his summer form to the show...

but that is just not gonna happen...is it?

Agreed on the "you read it here first".

Let me make another one: Playa will make an annoying post soon.

yao is gr8r den t-mac. t-mac is a known loosar !!! never been outta de first round tell ya somethin !!!

oh god... i just pee'd a little...funny as f@#k

Olskool are you Nostradamus by any chance LOL

For the record McGrady actually sells more jerseys in China and Yao isn't even in striking distance.

Might be worth checking out the facts before slamming the guy.

If you'll accept anecdotal data, I saw more Melo tops than Yao over there.

playa, u r trooly gr8. well dun 4 making mi day.

...


Seems Yao is dropping back in the jersey sales:

http://linky.com.au/3lt96


But is still the biggest celebrity in China:

http://linky.com.au/wkknn


With some possible explainations here as to why the jerseys don't sell as well:

http://linky.com.au/6747f

Which I would believe, as I wouldn't think Bogut's Jerseys would be the highest selling here. If you are a true fan, you want to have one of who you think is the best player, not the player who is from your country.

how can steve reassert himself is what i don't understand, the coach has already said he has no intention of playing him with serious minutes last season, hes screwed

891, how do you explain him breaking down in tears during a press conference after Houston was knocked out of the playoffs, then?

And what do you base him being arrogant on? Is he a personal friend of yours?

Anyone saying that it is and has been T-Mac's fault that he hasn't been out of the first round, just look at last year - 27/8/7 over six games. It's not like he goes out there and costs, then enjoys his early holidays.

I have to say I can't figure out what the deal is with T-Mac. I haven't seen a lot of him for many years, but he always has great stats, yet the fact remains he has never been successful in the playoffs!

Fair enough it was hard for him in Orlando, but he has had a few years with Yao in Houston now and never got anywhere. If Yao stays healthy for the playoffs and they get Artest they have no excuses left. They should go to the Finals this season.

Also, is Battier starting instead of Scola? I would have thought Scola would start along with Yao, T-mac, Artest and Alston

Here's a theory of mine- There is a group of players throughout NBA history that are absolute superstars, so good in fact, that they can take teams to the play-offs that really have no right being there. Hence they get bumped early on.

T-Mac has taken teams that are no good to the play-offs again and again. The problem is he has never had the support to take the extra step, and even worse, due to making the play-offs, it becomes more difficult to get the higher picks needed to improve an established team.

Same problem for KG in Minny, same thing happened to Kobe when Shaq departed, PP in Boston, you could even argue that it is happening to LBJ right now- he plays with a new team each frickin year... Brand in LA, Baron Davis with every team he plays for...

I feel for T-Mac cos he got burned in Orlando when Hill got injured (they would of been awesome to watch) and now he is getting torched because Ming is injured....and shit...

Imagine if Orlando never traded him away... Howard and T-Mac... damn...

Quagmire, good post. Good theory.

"the only reason he is even in the comp is to sell jersey's in china."

That's just stupid. Look, I agree that Yao is overrated (actually more like overpaid) to a degree and is valued (rightly or wrongly) for more than his basketball ability.

But having said that, any team would take a 20/10 centre any day of the week AS LONG AS he can stay on the court for the full season. That's his biggest issue right now.

To say that "the only reason he is even in the comp is to sell jersey's in china" is just plain hate without reason.

Back on topic, Ron Ron could (and IMO should) be the piece of the puzzle that puts Houston over the top.

McGrady and Yao are superstars anyway you look at it (although both have had their problems with injuries), Scola is a star in the making, Artest & Battier are 2 of the best defenders going around, Alston is more valuable than most give him credit for (and he has fantastic chemistry with Yao, just check his assists ratio with & with Yao playing!) ... then you've got Chuckie Hayes, Old Man Mutombo, luther Head & Carl Landry are all handy players, then theres still stevir franchise & aaron brooks to work into the rotation.

Injuries aside, chemistry should be the only issue on this team.