Is Yao completely finished?

[Reality]

Q.  Is Yao completely finished or, could he be a 12th-15th man in 2011-12 for minimum salary and contribute small minutes for a contender?  Would you sign him as a 13th?
Phil Jackson using Bob Parish in a couple more legit title runs.

http://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/19426201156190209
With lure of insurance offering $8M discount on his expiring $17M salary, Houston exploring Yao Ming trade on several fronts, sources tell Yahoo.

I don't think anyone will bite at Houstons offer but it's moot for next year as Yaos contract will expire either way.

[Joe Vancil]

If I'm a team that's a big man away from a title, I'd grab Yao in a heartbeat.

Big men's careers don't end until they're 6 feet under, and even then, a GM or two will remind you that that still leaves a foot of them left.

We've not seen the last of Yao Ming.

[jn]

I don't think he's completely finished but I can't envision him playing heavy minutes anymore. 

[Reality]

^^ Do you want him on MN for min salary along with Ricky Rubio at point and susperstar Kevin Love as the foundation and a new coach as the revived 2012 Timberwolves advance to the playoffs?

[Derek Bodner]

Any team would take him on a minimum salary because there's no risk. 

[Reality]

Any team would take him on a minimum salary because there's no risk. 

Will Yaowser and agent be cool and accept min salary or be dorks and try to go for max?
(I know agents are supposed to go for all they can get but i mean c'mon.)  Will Yao instead go with the "I want a ring and so will sign with contender for less."?  Okay maybe not minimum but low.  Altho minimum would be nice since in his case he's gotten what -100 mil so far?

[Reality]

BTW Dabods, what do players get paid while out with playing related injury.  Ie Yao and his 17 mil a year salary.
What's Yao pulling now that he is out?

[Joe Vancil]

$17 million.  NBA contracts like Yao's are guaranteed.  Whether insurance pays it, or the Rockets pay it, Yao's pulling down his full contract value.

[Reality]

As an unrestricted FA, i agree and see Yao getting plenty of offers.  Would not surprise me to see a mini bidding war.  I bet he pulls at least 5 mil.

Update May 20,2011  HOUSTON -- Yao Ming says his surgically repaired left ankle is healing properly and he would like to remain with the Houston Rockets.

and

Yao (ankle) has received an encouraging update from doctors, saying the stress fracture is healing well and "everything looks good", reports the Houston Chronicle.