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Healthy Yao coming back to Rockets
Source: Agencies |
July 1, 2010, Thursday
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YAO Ming is returning to the Houston Rockets, a giant selling point for general manager Daryl Morey as he begins courting big-name free agents this week.
The 2.23-meter All-Star center said on Tuesday that he has picked up his player option for next season, the last year of his five-year contract. Yao sat out last season following reconstructive foot surgery and said he wanted to see how the injury healed before making his decision.
Yao said he's resumed basketball activities and should be 100 percent when training camp begins.
"To miss one year is a long time," Yao said. "I've never been in this situation before, and I'm getting as much information as I can about my foot, to see what's the best for me and best for the Rockets. I decided a couple of days ago, and there's no one better than the Rockets now."
If he had turned down the player option, Yao would've become an unrestricted free agent on Thursday. He is due to make US$17.7 million next season, but wouldn't reveal how close he came to joining the star-studded class of free agents who will hit the market this week.
"Not considering it anymore," he said. "That's most important."
Yao and Morey would not say if the two sides are working on an extension beyond next season.
The Rockets selected Yao with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 draft, and signed him to a five-year extension in September 2005.
"He's the centerpiece of the Rockets, the foundation of our franchise," Morey said. "We're looking forward to great things from him next season."
Top free agent
Morey said Yao will play an "active" role in helping the Rockets land a top free agent. While the Rockets don't have enough salary cap space to offer a maximum contract to guys like LeBron James, Chris Bosh or Dwyane Wade, Morey thinks Yao's commitment will sway free agents on the team's championship potential in 2010-11.
"Obviously, Yao Ming is an unbelievable piece to have on our roster," Morey said. "We feel like we're a great destination. We don't really feel like the underdog."
With Yao back, the Rockets also offer a unique marketing opportunity for any free agent to consider. Regular-season games draw enormous television ratings in China and several of Yao's teammates have landed lucrative endorsement deals with Chinese companies.
"If free agents want to be a global presence," Morey said, "we have more people tuning in to our regular-season games than the Super Bowl."
Morey wants Yao to talk to potential additions, and Yao already has talking points in mind for his recruiting pitch.
Once free agency begins, the Rockets will also have to decide whether to re-sign restricted free agents Luis Scola and Kyle Lowry. Houston also holds the option on re-signing forward Chuck Hayes.
The 2.23-meter All-Star center said on Tuesday that he has picked up his player option for next season, the last year of his five-year contract. Yao sat out last season following reconstructive foot surgery and said he wanted to see how the injury healed before making his decision.
Yao said he's resumed basketball activities and should be 100 percent when training camp begins.
"To miss one year is a long time," Yao said. "I've never been in this situation before, and I'm getting as much information as I can about my foot, to see what's the best for me and best for the Rockets. I decided a couple of days ago, and there's no one better than the Rockets now."
If he had turned down the player option, Yao would've become an unrestricted free agent on Thursday. He is due to make US$17.7 million next season, but wouldn't reveal how close he came to joining the star-studded class of free agents who will hit the market this week.
"Not considering it anymore," he said. "That's most important."
Yao and Morey would not say if the two sides are working on an extension beyond next season.
The Rockets selected Yao with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 draft, and signed him to a five-year extension in September 2005.
"He's the centerpiece of the Rockets, the foundation of our franchise," Morey said. "We're looking forward to great things from him next season."
Top free agent
Morey said Yao will play an "active" role in helping the Rockets land a top free agent. While the Rockets don't have enough salary cap space to offer a maximum contract to guys like LeBron James, Chris Bosh or Dwyane Wade, Morey thinks Yao's commitment will sway free agents on the team's championship potential in 2010-11.
"Obviously, Yao Ming is an unbelievable piece to have on our roster," Morey said. "We feel like we're a great destination. We don't really feel like the underdog."
With Yao back, the Rockets also offer a unique marketing opportunity for any free agent to consider. Regular-season games draw enormous television ratings in China and several of Yao's teammates have landed lucrative endorsement deals with Chinese companies.
"If free agents want to be a global presence," Morey said, "we have more people tuning in to our regular-season games than the Super Bowl."
Morey wants Yao to talk to potential additions, and Yao already has talking points in mind for his recruiting pitch.
Once free agency begins, the Rockets will also have to decide whether to re-sign restricted free agents Luis Scola and Kyle Lowry. Houston also holds the option on re-signing forward Chuck Hayes.
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