Turns out the cyborg mechanics in Japan can’t even fix Yao Ming’s fractured foot. The big man from China has stated that he will give his foot time to heal, meaning that the Houston Rockets will be without the services of Ming and his 20-10 average this year. Do you regret leaving the Lakers now, Trevor Ariza?
Ming is worth $16.3 million this year, and has a player option of $17.7 million next year. With an injury holding him out this year, an extension doesn’t seem likely. Another team banking on Ming’s health to the tune of nearly between $15-$20 million per year is even less likely. The injury is seriously bad timing for Yao Ming who can opt out of his contract after this year, or rake in more money than you and I will ever see next year. Ming is just 29-years old and is entering the supposed prime of his career. With 15,369 minutes already played, Ming’s best days might be behind him. If his foot never fully heals, he might be no better than 10 point and 8 rebounds for the remainder of his career, and will be too slow to move laterally to cover the emerging athletes at center in the NBA.

I touched upon this in an article about Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, but mileage is becoming an alarming trend in the NBA. The Rockets are outside favorites at +3000, and will now have to move forward with a core of McGrady, Ariza and Aaron Brooks. The problem there is that Ariza has never been “the man”, Brooks is vastly undersized and McGrady’s health issues have been well documented. Without Ming, the Rockets don’t have a chance, despite heady play by Luis Scola and Shane Battier.

The worth of Ming will be defined by his ability to showcase any lingering affects of his injury next summer. But with Boston being ever concerned about KG’s knee tendons, and San Antonio’s Duncan suffering from knee tendonosis, Ming’s open market value is going to be very low. I mean, both Toronto and Miami were wildly optimistic about Jermaine O’Neal’s knees and look where they got them last year. O’Neal, for the record, has 22,441 minutes played and is 6-foot-11. Sure, his knee injuries have been a consistent part of his track record, but it’s a definite focus for teams who might be targeting the 7-foot-6 center next summer.

Also for the record, Al Jefferson’s knees are going to be a worry for the Timberwolves next year if and when he returns. If Dirk Nowitzki is reading this article, he’s calculating his average minutes against total games played right now and sweating like Big Ben’s fake mistress in Vegas. You’ve played 30,707 minutes, Dirk. Things don’t look good for you this year.

Yao is just one of the many big men to fall hard this year. If teams were smart, they’d surround themselves with insurance should their centers succumb to lower-body injuries. Houston sat on their hands praying that Ming could play this season, and now they’re going to pay for it. Does a starting line of Brooks, McGrady, Ariza, Battier and Scola scare anyone in the Western Conference? Didn’t think so.

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