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30th June, 2009 - 1:04 pm
by Brandon Hoffman
Yao Ming could miss the 2009-10 season due to a fractured bone in his foot. Yao re-fractured the navicular bone in his left foot in Game 3 of the conference semifinals against the L.A. Lakers . X-rays taken last week revealed the fracture hasn't healed properly. "The hairline fracture that is present in the previous X-rays shows evidence it has not healed and has extended across the bone," team physician Tom Clanton told the Houston Chronicle. Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski broke the story, and concluded that Houston should "start over." I think that's a little premature. Yao has a history of foot issues (three breaks over the last four seasons), but as the Chronicle noted, Zydrunas Ilgauskas overcame a series of foot injuries to become an All-Star. The 7'3", 260-pound Ilgauskas had five operations on both feet before doctors performed reconstructive surgery to reduce his high arch to a flatter position. Ilgauskas has been relatively healthy ever since. Clanton said reconstructive surgery is an option for Yao, though one the Rockets are trying to avoid. "That is certainly a realistic situation given his injury and the way the bone looked on the CT scan," Clanton said. "The fact he is having no symptoms gives us reason for optimism." The first step is to reduce Yao's workload. That starts with Yao, who is one of the hardest workers in the league, and extends to the Chinese national team, which has insisted Yao participate in international competition in each of his previous five offseasons with the Rockets.
Jason Kidd is expected to have several suitors this summer, with the Cavaliers, Trail Blazers, Celtics, Knicks, and Lakers rumored to have interest in the veteran point guard. The Mavericks can pay Kidd any amount up to the league maximum, while the Knicks and Cavaliers can offer their mid-level exceptions. Cross the Knicks off the list. I don't think the Trail Blazers are a possibility either because they're a season or two away from contention. That leaves the Celtics, Lakers, and Cavaliers. Boston has Rondo, and Los Angeles is trying to cut costs in order to retain Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom, which leaves us with the Cavaliers. I'd like to see Cleveland make a run at J-Kidd. Mo Williams exceeded many of my expectations last season, but the Cavaliers would benefit from Kidd's leadership, especially late in games when their offense comes to a grinding halt. A true floor leader like Kidd will get the Cavaliers into their sets, and deliver the ball to LeBron in scoring position. That's invaluable in the playoffs.
The Associated Press reports executives across the league are flooding Timberwolves president David Kahn's office with trade offers for Ricky Rubio. Kahn remains steadfast in his belief that Rubio will play for the Timberwolves, going so far as to state "he will be the starting point guard the day he walks in the door." Rubio's upside is undeniable, but the Timberwolves had better hope he reports this season if they intend for him to be their point guard of the future. The AP report alludes to the T-Wolves having the option to start Flynn at point guard next season, with the hope that Rubio returns to the States in 2010 after another season in Europe. But that's risky business. What if Flynn has a banner year at point guard? The Timberwolves would risk alienating Flynn by inserting Rubio into the mix. Not to mention the fact that Rubio and Flynn would struggle to defend opposing backcourts. No, Kahn's best course of action is to deal Rubio to the highest bidder since it's clear he's leery about living in Minnesota.
According to Yahoo!, the Amare Stoudemire to Golden State talks have continued since Thursday, but are moving at a slow pace. The proposed deal would send Stoudemire to the Warriors in exchange for Andris Biedrins, Brandan Wright and Marco Belinelli, and hinges on Golden State's reluctance to part with prized draft pick Stephen Curry. There are risks involved with acquiring Stoudemire, but I don't know why the Warriors are so hesitant to part with Curry. Stoudemire is a 4-time All-Star, 3-time All-NBA selection, and former Rookie of the Year. He was 2nd team All-NBA last season. Assuming he makes a full recovery from a partially torn iris, which is likely, and is amenable to a contract extension, the Warriors would be fools to pass on the opportunity to acquire one of the most talented players in the NBA. Curry is a good prospect, but he's no Steve Nash, despite what Don Nelson says. Pairing Stoudemire with Monta Ellis and Stephen Jackson would make the Warriors relevant again.
Is Daniels Still An Option For Indiana?, by Andrew Perna
Quiet Draft Could Push Bobcats Into Playoffs, by Danny Thompson
Hawks Flying High After Draft Night, by Patrick J. Austin
Consensus NBA Draft Grades, by Andrew Perna
Brandon Hoffman is a contributing writer for RealGM. To read more from Brandon, check out his blog at BallerBlogger.com. You can also email him at ballerblogger@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter.
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