If you had a choice not only for just right now, but for the future as well, who would you take? Yao or Shaq, ill give Shaq a good 2 years and a moderate 2 after that... Ming has his whole career ahead of him...this is assuming Yao wanted to come to LA as a free agent and you could resign Shaq therefore losing out on Ming because of money...
Shaq is a proven, consistent, and dominant center, who has lead a team to multiple championships. Everyone knows Shaq can do that, because he has done it.
Yao has the potential to be a dominant center, but he doesn't have the consistency now, maybe because of his age. No one knows if Yao can lead a team to a championship, because he hasn't done it. Plus, I don't think Yao can be as dominant as Shaq is/was, since there have only been a handful of players as dominant as Shaq.
Replacing Yao with Shaq right now would yield exactly 0 titles for the next 3 years in the most likely scenario. Keeping Shaq gives the Lakers a great chance at a title this year and a title for at least one more year after that if Kobe stays, and maybe a 6th if Shaq is just about as dominant at age 33/34 as he is now at age 31.
Then again, it also depends on how much Yao develops the next few years. I have my doubts that he'll be no more than a top 2 or 3 center in the league for some time, and that's in a league with very very few good centers.
This is a no brainer. Yao is one of the most precious commodities in the entire NBA, the only players I would consider trading him for are Tim Duncan and LeBron James. Not only does he have the potential to dominate like few others have done before (one of those being Shaq), he is a marketing godsend who puts behinds in seats.
I think it's been all downhill for Shaq since 2001. The Lakers managed to squeak by in 2002 with another ring, but I don't see them winning another one with Kobe-and-Shaq as their centerpiece. Kobe-and-Yao, certainly.
The Lakers did spank the Nets in the finals that season. The Lakers didn't win last year, and they played great when healthy, so it's not like the Lakers have been going down hill.
Not only does he have the potential to dominate like few others have done before (one of those being Shaq), he is a marketing godsend who puts behinds in seats.
Originally posted by <b>ArtestFan</b>!
Not only does he have the potential to dominate like few others have done before (one of those being Shaq), he is a marketing godsend who puts behinds in seats.
Shaq in his rookie season would easily dominate Yao in his present state. I see no way Yao ends his career widely known as a dominant player either way.
I think it's been all downhill for Shaq since 2001. The Lakers managed to squeak by in 2002 with another ring, but I don't see them winning another one with Kobe-and-Shaq as their centerpiece. Kobe-and-Yao, certainly.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Professional and College Basketball Forums
8M posts
37.4K members
Since 2002
A forum community dedicated to Competitive Basketball players and enthusiasts. Talk about everything from the NBA to college basketball to even everything but basketball. It's all here!