By no means I am saying Yao's current contract is bad or anything, or he doesn't deserve it. He's hurt, it's not his fault, but it's not the fault of his club either.
He's paid max, he can't demand to play half of the minutes. Well, technically he can, but if he wants that, let's see whether he'll get that contract.
As for Shaq, everyone knows Heat was going to pay the remaining huge money for his first 2 years of service. Shaq delivered. Yes, it was Wade and his freethrows in game 7, but without Shaq, or replace Shaq with Yao, they wouldn't have been there.
The argument wasn't whether Yao deserved his current contract. Obviously he did. Any market price is fair price. You were discussing how he could get a max contract under current circumstances. In my opinion, there is no way, no how, he could get that, before he proves on the court. Or better to say, he can prove that he can play the whole season with playoff season, relatively healthy. If he could do that, offers will fly in. Don't worry.
But, if he can't. I guess Yao will retire.
There is nothing to blame, just being rational. Yao has enough money, and he can continue to make money no matter how. He will have a special place in NBA history, due to his uniqueness, in so many different ways.