Rockets to begin tricky negotiations over Yao Ming

Rockets to begin tricky negotiations over Yao Ming

Robert J. Saiget, Agence France-Presse, Beijing

The Houston Rockets's top negotiator Michael Goldberg is due in
Shanghai this week to begin complex talks on signing NBA top
draft pick Yao Ming, amid rampant talk the giant center's U.S.
future is in jeopardy, officials and insiders said Wednesday.

"Mr. Goldberg is due in Shanghai tomorrow (Thursday)," Li
Yaomin, general manager of Yao's team the Shanghai Sharks, told
AFP.

"The talks are not going to be easy because there are a lot of
things that need to be discussed," he said.

The most complicating factor will be the status of China's
other NBA star Wang Zhizhi, who has gone missing in Los Angeles
in recent days after refusing to return to China to train with
the national team.

Reports have speculated that Wang is on the verge of defecting
-- a possibility that he adamantly denied several weeks ago --
which in turn could prompt Chinese basketball authorities to
block Yao's move.

"This is a very serious situation. If the Wang Zhizhi
situation can't get solved, then things will become very
complicated for Yao Ming," Li said.

In a sign of how sensitive matters are becoming, Chinese
sports reporters have been ordered not to write anything about
what is happening with Yao and Wang, journalists and basketball
officials said on condition of anonymity.

The Rockets chose the 7 ft 6 in (2.24 meter) Yao with the
team's overall number one pick at the June 26 draft, making the
21-year-old the first foreign player ever chosen as top NBA
choice.

However getting him over to play is a deeply complicated
process.

Besides needing to sign a deal with Yao, the Rockets also have
to agree contracts with the Shanghai Sharks and the China
Basketball Association (CBA), as well as letters guaranteeing Yao
will return to China when needed for the national side, Li said.

Goldberg is expected to begin negotiations with the CBA over
the weekend.

Under Chinese rules, Yao must hand over up to half of what
could be a US$15 million, four-year deal to the CBA and China's
sports ministry, while the Sharks will also be entitled to a
share of what is left over.

As part of their guarantees over Yao's return for national
duty, Chinese officials could even want a letter of guarantee
from the NBA itself, Li said.

Under global basketball ruling body FIBA regulations, any
international transfers must be approved by the departing
player's home association, giving the CBA the power to veto Yao's
future in the world's top basketball league.

The CBA has already expressed anger at Wang's failure to
return to China to join training for the upcoming World
Basketball Championships and Asian Games.

The 7 ft 1 in (2.16 meter) center failed to show up after his
contract ended with the Dallas Mavericks in May, despite
agreements with Dallas, the CBA and Wang's Chinese club the Bayi
Rockets that he would do so.

Instead the 22-year-old ended up playing for the Golden State
Warriors in the NBA's Los Angeles summer league in the hopes of
impressing other NBA teams, improving his game and winning a
better contract.

As an unrestricted free agent, Wang can sign with any team
that wants him and has recently hired agent Jeff Schwartz, who
also represents other NBA stars like Jason Kidd, Jerry Stackhouse
and Paul Pierce.