NBA draft/Bucks-Yi discussion

[Nader Raider Tim]

Didn't Ramon Sessions and Nevada play the Badgers sometime this...in the tourny?... and didn't he play fabulous? I seem to remeber listening to a Nevada/Wisconsin game and Sessions play amazing. I could be wrong, im not a big basketball fan.

 

About the first round pick, I love it, as long as it is true that he will play for Milwaukee. I would have loved Brewer but skilled 7 footers have significantly more value than skilled SFs

[tigerbrew]

To me, Yi Jianlian is a great pick for the Bucks commerically and on the court. He's a good player and will help the Bucks sell lots of jerseys in Asia, plus there will be more Bucks games on ESPN Asia which is very good for me.

 

Frankly, my waning interest in the Bucks has been given a boost, I'm quite excited to watch Yi play for the Bucks next season. Bogut and Yi, first rounders from the Asia Pacific playing for the Bucks, who would've thunk it.

 

Btw just some useless info, his surname Yi means "easy" in chinese, and his name Jian Lian means "to build and to unite".

[gypcasino]

HUNT: Yi can bring Bucks back around

 

"So how do you say "holdout" in Chinese?

 

Forget that.

 

This wasn't a good pick.

 

It was a great pick.

 

Good for the Milwaukee Bucks for calling whatever bluff Yi Jianlian's people may or may not have issued. That's taking it strong to the hole, taking the absolute best player available, not looking back and making the bold move that this franchise needed in the 2007 NBA draft..."

[brewers255]

Yi is going to request a trade

 

Yi Jianlian

 

Yi's handlers did everything they could to keep him away from Milwaukee. The Bucks were not permitted to attend any of Yi's workouts and GM Larry Harris did not travel to China to see Yi play in person. According to league sources, Yi's representatives will ask the Bucks to trade Yi on Friday.

 

sportsillustrated.cnn.com...ash/1.html

 

who can we get for him?

[trwi7]

Don't let his handlers dictate where he goes. Keep him.

[jwaltz]

Yi can request a trade all he wants. It won't matter. He has no leverage. It will just make him look bad to the fans. I actually like the pick. He has a lot of upside. If we do end up trading him we better got a very good player in return.

 

I like the Sessions pick. I think he's going to be a contributor. I was hoping we would take him if he was still around. He needs help boosting his confidence and needs some coaching but I like his upside. He could be a good backup for us in a year or two.

 

It is now imperative we resign Mo Williams. Give him what he wants. He likes playing here and is turning into a very nice player.

[berniebrewer4life]

Quote:

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Yi can request a trade all he wants. It won't matter. He has no leverage. It will just make him look bad to the fans. I actually like the pick. He has a lot of upside. If we do end up trading him we better got a very good player in return.

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Agreed. He wants to play for another team? Not this year he won't. Question, if he doesn't sign a contract with the bucks, how long do they own the rights to him? Just this year?

[trwi7]

Again I'll say this Yi doesn't care where he plays this is all on his handlers. So if they want to make him look bad and cost him endorsement money that's their decision.

 

If Yi stays away from professional basketball for a year we lose his rights.

 

If he doesn't sign with the Bucks and plays professional basketball we own his rights for 5 years.

[PeaveyFury]

Didn't Ramon Sessions and Nevada play the Badgers sometime this...in the tourny?... and didn't he play fabulous? I seem to remeber listening to a Nevada/Wisconsin game and Sessions play amazing. I could be wrong, im not a big basketball fan.

 

The Badgers played Nevada-Las Vegas, not Nevada in the Tourney this year.

[dpapo]

I think Yi is getting bad representation from his agent or handlers. Putting up a big stink about where he is willing or not willing to play is one thing that I don't agree with. However, as far as Yi goes, I think what's even worse is that he seems as though his agent is either lying or isn't being honest with him about things.

I say this because of the following comments.

"It's a surprise to me (to be drafted by the Bucks) because when I was in China, Milwaukee didn't come to watch me play or to work out," Yi said.

Now either Yi is just lying or he isn't being told the truth. The Bucks have seen him play and they did want to see him work out but weren't allowed to.

Then you had this great comment from Ric Bucher from ESPN last night.

"While the Bucks might want to keep him, the truth is . . . Milwaukee does not fit the parameters of where they wanted to go," reporter Ric Bucher said. "And the interesting part here is that Larry Harris is going strictly on what his father has told him about this kid. He did not see Yi play in China this season."

 

Gee, I wonder who told him that. My guess is that Yi agent/handlers were telling him the same thing.

And doesn't Ric Bucher look foolish and like a total idiot for stating that on National TV. He looked like a complete tool for Yi's agent. Even seemed to look a bit pissed himself when he said it. Okay, maybe I'm was reading something more into it in hindsight, but he sure looks foolish for not knowing his facts. And Steven A. Smith looked even worse for then picking up on that and shouting about it and along the way showing that he didn't know what he was talking about.

At least Jay Bilas showed that he did some preparation and knew his stuff.

Don't know how all of this is going to work out, but I hope Yi does come to the Bucks and ends up being a great pick.

[patrickgpe]

was at summerfest last night so followed the draft on my cell but couldn't chime in with you guys here. Was not surprised that Yi was the pick based on who was taken before us, and it may turn out really good for us, i just think its going to be a big headache to get this guy signed and ready to go. You had the best defensive player not only this year but to come out for a while, and you passed.

 

Yi's agents may try to be working for Yi's best interests, but they are going about it wrong. To feed misinformation to yi and the media, as well as request a draft day trade is not the way to go about things. At least this is going to be interesting.

[BrewCrewForever]

You had the best defensive player not only this year but to come out for a while, and you passed.

 

I was very dissapointed they didn't take Brewer as well. But maybe Yi will get signed and learn to like playing in Milwaukee and be good. If he is as good as they say and could be the next Dirk I think it would help me forget about Corey Brewer.

 

Edit: On a side note I like the moves Boston made, they actually could be a good team in the East this coming season.

[Barbs4339]

Boston trading for Ray Allen and his bloated contract and busted ankles is puzzling to me. Seems like he Knicks made a great trade in getting Zach Randolph. Yi was a great pick and now we can start two 7 footers and maybe even a 6'11 in Charlie V at the 3 spot. Could be scary good.

[aracko]

Take Yi to summerfest today - perhaps it will change his outlook on Milwaukee as a city.

[MarquesJohnson2000]

Yi will not be appearing in Milwaukee any time soon. He has two exhibitions in Texas this weekend with the national team and then will be in Vegas next week, reportedly.

[Chio151]

Quote:

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This is why the nba and nfl is sickning now. 5-10 years ago no one cared what team they were on, no one really cared how much money they made, they were just glad that they were in the pros and were among the top athletes in the game. Would anyone do Yi for Devin Harris now?

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Ummm, John Elway and Bo Jackson just called from the past.

[patrickgpe]

from simmons blog last night

 

5:04: Uh-oh. Milwaukee just took Yi Jianlian at No. 6 even though they weren't on his list of acceptable cities because of its lack of a Chinese population ... or for that matter, any population other than good-natured, heavyset Caucasians who enjoy dark beer and fried food. This is gonna end badly. You'll see Brett Favre booed at Lambeau before you see Yi putting on a Bucks uniform.

 

(Another bad sign: We learned tonight that Yi's first name is pronounced "E," which means you could call this pick an "E-6." Literally.)

 

5:08: Yi's interpreter-less interview with Stu Scott wins the ESPY for "Best impersonation of Andre the Giant by a Chinese guy" and "Biggest lock to be turned into a YouTube clip by at least 500 different people." Although you have to admire him for doing it. I'm starting to come around on Yi -- the thought of him shovelling out his car in minus-10 degree weather in January while fighting back tears and screaming, "Why????? Why?????" in Chinese is delightful for some reason. Too bad they'll trade him. If the Chinese government can torture Jack Bauer for two years, they can definitely break the Bucks.

 

sports.espn.go.com/espn/p...ons/070629

[BrewCrewForever]

Ummm, John Elway and Bo Jackson just called from the past.

 

And Eli Manning. Not to mention Steve Francis.

[MarquesJohnson2000]

First trade rumor I've heard:

 

Resign Mo; Mo/Yi/Danny G to LAL, Kobe goes to Dallas, Devin Harris and Josh Howard to Milwaukee.

[And That]

This is certainly the most expensive "Yi" the Bucks will ever pay for. Hopefully he knows how to pick and, er... roll.

[don1481]

Quote:

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It is now imperative we resign Mo Williams. Give him what he wants. He likes playing here and is turning into a very nice player.

---

 

 

"Very Nice Player?" Yes - as a 2-guard or 6th man. As a PG? Absolutely not. He lacks the court management skills of a true ballhandler.

 

Here's to Larry flipping Yi into a PG AND a PF.

[augie46]

I have seen Yi play (on TV). I thought he was one of those guys who would be great as a college player but wouldn't have a position in the NBA.

[deeswan]

Resign Mo; Mo/Yi/Danny G to LAL, Kobe goes to Dallas, Devin Harris and Josh Howard to Milwaukee.

 

Don't like this deal at all. I just don't see Harris as being able to handl9õe starting PG position at this point. I like him, I'm just skeptical of him being high quality over 30+ minutes per game for 82 games.

 

I like the pick of Yi and hope they keep him at this point. I think that his handlers are just posturing at this point. He will sign and play in Milwaukee if he has to, because he wants to play in the NBA and he has no other options. This is not like MLB where a player can go back into the draft next year, Yi will remain Bucks property if he chooses not to play. He does not want to do that.

[dpapo]

Larry Harris is on WSSP. I caught the interview in progress. Said that he informed someone, I believe it was Yi's agent that if Yi was there at 6, they would take him. I came in right when it was being mentioned, so I'm not clear who he told, but I think it was Yi's agent.

Anyway, he went on to say that Yi will be playing with Milwaukee and there will not be a hold out.

They will meet up with Yi at Las Vegas next week. Don't know if it was a set up meeting or they will both be there and be able to get together at that time.

[patrickgpe]

i hope it all works out, the international attention would be fun, i just think this is a big headache.