Yao and LeBron: Teammates in 2010?
Last month, a super wealthy Chinese man bought a minority stake in the Cleveland Cavaliersโwhich could be safer than U.S. Treasury Bills if, and only if, LeBron James sticks around.
So naturally, the whispers by the lake about Yao Ming coming to Cleveland are getting louder. Yao finally addressed the whispers during an interview on Chinese television:
"It's still unknown. I've already been with Houston for such a long time, I still have much affection for this team. Moreover, this past season we were very successful, and that let me see some hope. Regardless of whether its a Chinese boss, or a foreign boss, they're both bosses and a boss is just a boss."
Well said.
Whether white, tall, fat, bald, Icelandic, or from the Galapagos Islands, would you want to work for someone just because they were like you?
Did anyone think for just a sec that maybe the wealthy dude was investing in LeBron?
It's kind of ridiculous speculation at this point. Yao is signed through 2011, but could opt out after next year. Problem is LeBron could be gone by then. But just for fun, projecting LeBron and Yao on the same team beginning in 2010 is quite compellingโoffensively unstoppable.
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Can you imagine how many open three-pointers a team would see with those two on the floor? Steve Kerr could come out of retirement.
I can see the tee-shirts proclaiming, โDynasty in the Rust Belt.โ
Or, will LeBron be gone? Will Yaoโas he agesโturn into Zydrunas Ilgauskas?
Cavโs GM Danny Ferry will need to make a move this summer to make LeBron happy and give him a better chance of going all the way. If not King James may test free agency, which is why the offseason of 2010 is the one everybody is talking about.
Besides LeBron: Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Paul Pierce, Tyson Chandler, Manu Ginobili, Richard Jefferson, Joe Johnson, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, and Michael Redd could all become free agents.
Ferry needs to focus on this summer and adding another piece. Carlos Boozer (doubtful), Allen Iverson, Ron Artest, Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Andre Miller, Lamar Odom (wants to stay in L.A.), and Rasheed Wallace can become unrestricted free agents this summer.
Do any of these guys put the Cavs in a better position to win next year?
And if LeBron leaves, what happens to the wealthy Chinese manโs investment in the Cavs? What happens to the value of the Cavs? Yao?
And if LeBron leaves, Ferry will need to move, and hire a bodyguard, and never return to the state of Ohio again.
Yaoโs soonest availability will be too late for the Cavs if heโs their hope in keeping LeBron. Besides, I get the feeling Yao wants to do it in Houston. Wants to finish what he started.
Cleveland is praying LeBron has that same attitude.
Listen on the radio Saturday and Sunday nightsโTune into Patrick Mauroโs Sports Overnight America Weekend from 10:06 p.m. to 1 a.m. PDT
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