Rethinking Houston: Should The Rockets Keep Yao Ming Or Tracy McGrady?December 28 07  I have always respected Magic Johnson. As a rookie, in game six of the NBA Finals, he filled in at center for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, posting an epic 42 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists. Of course, his fine play led those 1980 Lakers and four other purple-and-gold squads to championships. In retirement, Magic has exhibited CEO leadership, developing a diverse set of businesses worth a billion dollars. However, as a TNT broadcaster, he’s taken some hits. Until now …
Last week, the no-look publicly declared what many have been privately thinking. "[The Rockets have] got to trade [Yao Ming or Tracy McGrady]; it’s not working out," Johnson said. "We’ve seen it for all these years; they get eliminated from the first round [of the playoffs]. I thought they were going to play well together, but it’s not working. "[Against Denver], the ball [was] moving more than it ever does watching a Houston game, and the same when Tracy McGrady was out. But the ball doesn’t move when they’re together. One of them has to go because it’s not working." Like Magic, I’m starting to doubt these Rockets, too. After their off-season makeover I believed they were destined to secure home-court advantage and win a couple of playoff rounds. Instead of contending, Houston sits at 13-15, a disappointing tenth in the Western Conference. Over Christmas, the Rockets’ front office must have considered breaking up the Yao-McGrady partnership. Of course, this is a perfect opportunity for the HoopsVibe masses to weigh-in. Who should Houston keep: Yao or T-Mac? Read the case for both players, form an opinion, and get at us in the comment box on whether you stick with Ming or McGrady? Why Houston should keep Yao: - Size matters: All things equal, teams typically prefer building around centers instead of wings. Yao and T-Mac both have baggage, so keeping a post makes more sense.
- High-low game: Yao’s post skills can draw double-teams, allowing the Rockets to play high-low basketball. The Rockets could enjoy success if they surround Yao with shooters who make the initial entry pass and, when they get the ball back off double-teams, nail the open shot or wait to reset the ball back down-low.
- Fountain of youth: Yao is one year younger than McGrady, but he has significantly less wear-and-tear on his body.
- Marketing machine: Yao is a global icon. He sells jerseys and, most importantly, makes Houston an international brand instead of just another NBA team.
Why Houston should keep McGrady: - Greatness is near: Eventually, McGrady will fulfill his destiny and breakthrough in the playoffs like many of his talented peers. After all, he’s too great to keep losing in the first round, right?
- Already the franchise: Houston’s players recognize McGrady, not Yao, as their leader. On offense, the Rockets often watch McGrady isolate against a defender or fire away from the outside instead of pounding the ball inside to Yao.
- Too talented to trade: McGrady, when healthy, is a superstar. He can do it all: score, pass, rebound, and defend.
Verdict: Keep Yao, trade McGradyWhy: Teams have paid the price for trading or losing an elite center. Milwaukee never recovered from dealing Abdul-Jabbar to the Lakers; Orlando is still viewed as a Mickey Mouse franchise for failing to re-sign Shaquille O’Neal. While teams have also been rewarded for staying patient with posts. Years ago, after several playoff failures, the Rockets were on the verge of trading Hakeem Olajuwon. Instead of making a rash decision, they surrounded their center with a plethora of outside gunners and won back-to-back NBA Titles. In San Antonio, the Spurs stuck with David Robinson and The Admiral eventually won two championships. Yao can also win. Surround him with the right supporting cast-a modern day Kenny Smith, Sam Cassell, Robert Horry, and, hell with it, Vernon Maxwell-and the Rockets once again contend. Nothing in McGrady’s game suggests he alone is capable of lifting the Rockets to such heights. To me, the talented wing would excel as a blending star on another team. So I would rebuild around Yao and trade McGrady. Who do you keep Yao or McGrady? Get at us in the comment box below or hit us up in HoopsVibe’s revamped fan forum. Click here to read and subscribe to Oly Sandor’s NBA Blog.
Posted by
gswarriorsfan
on 12.31.2007 | i think they should keep yao for sur! look at t-mac!! like almost evry few games he gets injured!! if they traded yao, da rockets wil basically hav no 1 cuz of t-macs injuries. . | Posted by
DL
on 12.31.2007 | It would be asinine to trade Yao. There are other T-Macs in the league but only one 7-6 center with tree trunk legs and deft hands around the basket. No team would give up a unique weapon like that.But whom would you trade Tmac with? All of the other players at his skill level - Wade, Lebron, etc., - are off the table. Kobe is an improvement but his selfishness is a poor fit for Yao’s team-first mentality.The problem with the Rockets is that they lack a starting quality point guard and power forward. Scola might well develop into a quality power forward, but Alston is merely serviceable and not the floor general that these Rockets need. Until the Rockets find the missing pieces around Yao and Tmac, it’s premature to declare the Yao/Tmac experiment a bust. . | Posted by
Martin
on 12.31.2007 | Trade Mcgrady. I don’t know what the Rockets are thining in the first place when they decided to get him. . | Posted by
Kalilltheinfidel
on 12.30.2007 | Like so many, I like the idea of Yao & T-Mac together, but I’d trade T-Mac for someone like Gasol & change, maybe Miller, add a piece or two on either side to make it work. My reasoning? Yao doesn’t exactly have a whole lot of help inside, T-Mac is always injured & when he plays dominates the ball. There’s other guys on this team that can really play, Bonzi & Battier, Luther Head, James, Alston, Francis (shit, did I just say that?). And let’s be honest, T-Mac’s one of the best & would be a huge drawcard anywhere, which Memphis could really use. Just an idea, but you wouldn’t exactly have a hard time trading T-Mac would you? Hell, throw in somebody else & try for Kobe. At least he rarely misses games & the Lakers want a Superstar if they’re going to trade Kobe right? What about a front line of Yao, Jermaine O’Neal & Battier? So many possibilities with a guy of his caliber. . | Posted by
on 12.29.2007 | What I find funny is that all the people who believed in T-Mac are so quick to go against him when he fails. Yao is an All-Star also, but he never gets the blame when Houston is bad(Before T-Mac’s comments in the playoffs). Last time I checked Yao didn’t get those rebounds we needed in Game 7. Last time I checked T-Mac had an MVP season last year and carried the Rockets to a 52-30 record. 2 years ago T-mac got injured Yao didn’t carry us to the playoffs. Now I’m not saying trade Yao, but before you blame everything on T-Mac I just want you to figure out how we even got to the playoffs last season. . | Posted by
Misha
on 12.29.2007 | Who do you keep Yao or McGrady?
Um....both? This was an off the cuff comment made McGrady has shown that he can adapt to any system and play a multitude of roles. The Rockets posted a fantastic record when Yao was injured last season, led by McGrady’s MVP level play. When together, they dominated teams and were picked as a dark horse to go to the finals. Does that sound like a combination that cannot play together?
I was at most of the playoff games last year. The truth is that their early exit had more to do with Jazz being a far deeper team than anyone expected, than Yao/McGrady combo. The biggest weakness was one that the Rockets are just beginning to address - Alston can’t play the position all by himself, especially going up against one of the best points in the game.
Rockets will become almost unstoppable once Adelaman’s system sets in. It may not happen this season, but expect to see a gradually improving team building a solid winning streak after the All Start break to build for next year.
This season the team has a new coach, entirely different offensive scheme, a multitude of new role players, a glut of guards that continue to be rotated in and out of the lineup like it’s the pre-season, and a cast of underused rookies.
The recipe for the Rockets is simple, and it seems Adelman has already figured it out. Play Yao in the low post, focus on younger role players, solidify their rotation and limit minutes to players that will be around next season. Expect them to stop their attempts to make average veteran guards like James and Francis a regular part of the rotation (might as well trade them to clear the roster), and focus on younger talent instead. Alston remains the only true point guard the Rockets have (and a better fit for this offense). Brooks adds speeds, penetration ability and shooting they need to be a solid bench PG.
Yao belongs in the low post (as you mention), but in their losing streak has played out of his natural position because Adelman was toying with the idea of creating pressure by playing him in the high post and nailing mid-range shots when he cannot post. His shot has not had the time to adjust, meanwhile the pressure Yao puts on shooters disappeared. Not a measurable stat, but a crucial part of the Rockets defense. Yao has already moved closer to the basket, become more aggressive in his finish and allowed Rockets to finally establish the inside-outside game.
Breaking up Yao and McGrady is a stupid idea. One that got no more than 10 seconds attention when Magic suggested it, but took off like wildfire in the media. I doubt even Magic took it seriously when he said it. . | Posted by
on 12.29.2007 | This article is very flattering to T-Back. The guy has no heart and is so freaking arrogant. I’d rather lose without him than play decent with him. The thing is, I believe they’ll do much better with another player or two that total $20M!! McGrady is the most inconsistent player out there. "Impose" your will somewhere else please. . | Posted by
on 12.29.2007 | they need more time to adapt to adelman’s system; they’ve lost that defensive fire that van gundy gave them, and are trying to mix adelman’s system with that of van gundy’s so...and up until recently, the starting lineup hasn’t even been consistent. . | Posted by
Fugi
on 12.29.2007 | It’s way too soon to break the duo up. They started off 6-1 and got by with T-Mac and Yao both dominating, while the supporting cast came up empty. It eventually caught up to them. Mike James and Francis have provided next to nothing, Rafer Alston is very inconsistent and a zero when he doesn’t hit the open jumper, Shane Battier is finally coming around and making his sweet corner threes, Luther Head is being given more PT and delivering, Bonzi and Scola are still up and down. Once T-Mac returns from this knee sorenes, and the role players gain more confidence, the Rockets will be fine. Let’s just hope T-Mac comes back within the next week or so and Yao can carry the team (keep it afloat) until he gets back b/c we’re almost at midseason. The Rockets will NEVER trade Yao b/c of his global marketability, freakish skill for his size. Unless the Rockets get back a Wade, Lebron, or Kobe (who I cannot stand), the Rockets should NOT trade T-Mac for a bucnh of scrubs. Give it time, both are relatively young and have shown flashes of greatness as a duo, they just need more help from the bench. When healthy, Mcgrady is a top 5 swing player in the NBA. You don’t give that up for role players! Go Rockets!!! . | Posted by
on 12.29.2007 | keep both or trade yao. both r awesome 2getha, its the coaches problems. trading tmac is crazy.yao cant lead nd he sux more . | Posted by
BiAby
on 12.29.2007 | whoever they trade they r in big trouble! yao is not that great and tmac is always injured = big dilemma !!! trade em all and rebuild! . | Posted by
raek1
on 12.29.2007 | keep both. they need to rebuild their line-up. too many point guards, and steve francis and mike james dont really play well when both are around. get a better supporting cast. keep rafer, bonzi and scola too. . | Posted by
Yao Lover
on 12.28.2007 | Keep YAO.. Hands down... . | Posted by
Yao hater
on 12.28.2007 | Keep YAO...PERIOD. . | Posted by
on 12.28.2007 | Keep Yao, centers are rare, wings are a dime a dozen, especially chokers . | Posted by
on 12.28.2007 | T mac is more important too them look at the stats when hes out the team misses him so badly, when yaos out thanks too t macs play they manage to cope fine. Get a new coach is the answer .. Play stvie franchise !! . | Posted by
on 12.28.2007 | Keep T-Mac, yao is a putz, he just doesn’t have the will to lead . |
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Oly Sandor | Daily take on NBA Oly Sandor is an NBA analyst and sports journalist based out of Vancouver, Canada.After years of the free-lance game, Oly Sandor is bringing his unique brand of NBA analysis exclusively to (...) More |
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