Yao Ming competed in the NBA draft in 2002 and retired in 2011 due to injury. He spent 9 seasons in the NBA, all of which were spent with the Rockets, and in fact he had two opportunities to join the Lakers, but he turned them down.
In 2002, Yao became an NBA leader and signed a four-year, $18 million rookie contract with the Rockets. In the last year of his rookie contract, Yao Ming averaged 22.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.5 steals and 1.6 blocks per game, shooting 51.9% from the field and 85.3% from the free throw line.
In the first 4 years of his career, he was selected to the All-Star Team 4 times, 1 time to the Best Rookie Team, 2 times to the Best Team Three Teams, his performance is very good, coupled with the huge Chinese market behind, his agency team wants to get a 7-year maximum salary contract, but the Rockets are notoriously picky, and are not willing to provide such a big contract, there are some rifts between the two sides.
The news reached the Lakers' ears, and they were ecstatic - since O'Neal's departure, the Lakers' internal line is very weak, Kobe Bryant has grown into one of the best outside lines, need to cooperate with a strong inside line, is expected to replicate the miracle of the "OK" combination of that year, and the rising Yao Ming is their target.
Kobe Bryant has always appreciated Yao Ming, and when Yao Ming participated in the All-Star Game for the first time, Kobe Bryant also pinched the shoulders of the nervous Yao Ming and told Yao Ming not to be nervous and to enjoy the All-Star Weekend. Later, Yao Ming proved himself in the ridicule of many people, and Yao Ming also showed great strength when he confronted O'Neill, which made Kobe bryant appreciate him even more.
When he learned that Yao Ming might leave the Rockets, Kobe immediately called Yao Ming to outline a bright future for Yao Ming, and Kobe Bryant said that if they joined forces, they would win more than one championship. Lakers head coach Phil Jackson also promised to develop more tactics for Yao Ming, allowing him to get O'Neal's treatment that year.
At the same time that Kobe Bryant and the head coach actively recruited, the rich Lakers expressed their willingness to provide Yao Ming with a seven-year maximum salary contract, at this time, the Rockets who cut the door panicked, they were also willing to provide Yao Ming with a maximum salary contract, but the contract period was only 5 years, whether from the perspective of development prospects or from the perspective of interests, joining the Lakers was a better choice, but Yao Ming was very nostalgic, he was grateful to the Rockets for selecting and cultivating him, he was reluctant to leave the Rockets, and finally signed a 5-year 75 million dollars maximum salary contract with the Rockets.
Yao Ming firmly believes that he and Maddy can also win the championship, and it is his biggest goal to help the Rockets win the championship, and later Kobe Bryant also ushered in the big Gasol, Kobe Bryant and Gasol Big gasol led the Lakers to the Finals for 3 consecutive years, and won two championships. And Yao Ming and Maddy for many years of playoffs first round trip, the only time to enter the second round when Maddy was still injured and could not play, Yao Mai combination did not achieve any results, and then Maddy was not as good as a year, and there were conflicts with the management, and finally was traded to the Knicks, Yao Mai group disintegrated.
The 2010-2011 season was Yao Ming's contract year, but he only played 5 games due to injury, averaged 18.2 minutes per game, averaged 10.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.6 blocks, and shot 48.6% from the field, all of which are career lows.
In this case, the Lakers still can't hide their love for Yao Ming, they want to sign Yao Ming with a short contract, but Yao Ming knows that his physical condition is no longer able to compete in the NBA, so he declined the Lakers' invitation and announced his retirement on July 20, 2011, when he was only 30 years old, it was a pity.
If Yao Ming joined the Lakers in 2006, it is difficult to say whether he will win the championship, but it is certain that his career will be longer. The Lakers' tactical system is better than the Rockets, Yao Ming can play more easily, and Kobe's ability to attract defense is higher than Maddy, Yao Ming's scoring is not so laborious, the most important thing is that the Lakers have a better forward lineup, the all-round Odom can alleviate Yao Ming's pressure on the inside line, and the rich Lakers will sign some role players to help assist the core players, rather than letting the core struggle to support the offensive and defensive ends.
The Rockets did not have a good front line that year, so Yao Ming played very hard, especially against the Jazz, not only to face Oku, who can shoot three points, but also to defend against Boozer, who has the ability to shoot in the middle and moves faster than him, he consumes a lot on the defensive end, resulting in the efficiency of the offensive end becoming lower.
Yao Ming's words to join the Lakers will become different, he will not have so much pressure on both ends of the offensive and defensive ends, the excellent tactical system will make him more efficient and easier, will not overload his body, his career will become longer, there will be more possibilities, and he will get more honors, but unfortunately there is no if!