NBA draft/Bucks-Yi discussion

[molitor fan]

Tons of new information today from Gery Woelfel, who was on AM-1570 out of Apple-ton about 15 minutes ago:

 

First, and unfortunately, the most important - Woelfel says that he does not believe that Yi will be a Buck. He stated that the Larry Harris comments recently have been spin control, and that NBA execs have told him that YI himself stated to Harris that he wished to be traded and that he would not play for the Bucks. Woelfel said that his opinion of the situation has changed drastically, and that he would be very suprised if Yi ever suited up for the Bucks.

 

As a sidenote, Woelfel believes that the National team that Yi is threatening to play for, which Yi believes to be a non-professional entity, which would thus free up Yi to go into the draft next year, may be regarded by Stern and the NBA as a professional entity, which would royally screw with Yi's backup plan.

 

Secondly, Woelfel believes that Mo Wiliams will sign with the Bucks - solely due to the monetary issue. Woelfel stated that the Pacers, Knicks, and Cavs are also still in the hunt for Williams, but that he believes the Bucks will prevail.

 

The host did not follow up with it, because he is a doofus, but Woelfel also mentioned that Villanueva may not be back with th Bucks next season...not sure how to take that...

 

I would like to hear responses to this bunch of news. How about Yi and Villanueva and filler such as Gadz for Elton Brand?

[trwi7]

Quote:

---

I would like to hear responses to this bunch of news. How about Yi and Villanueva and filler such as Gadz for Elton Brand?

---

 

Doesn't work. We take on too much salary and Brand only has a year left on his contract.

[MarquesJohnson2000]

Woelfel will be on WSSP at 3:40...

[patrickgpe]

looks like yi's team is threatening to block any move to the bucks

[brettac1]

Well, this isn't going to end well.

[patrickgpe]

i hope the bucks hold firm, and not let the Chinese team dictate.

 

also on 1250 now Sparky is advocating a boycott of all Chinese products to protest.

[T B0NE 10]

damn chinese commies!!

[molitor fan]

I know we have 3 Bucks threads floating around, but I thought I would add this info here, since this thread includes the seemingly wise Woelfel information.

 

Last year, when the Bucks big four of Villanueva, Williams, Redd, and Bogut were in the lineup together, the Bucks were 15-14, with victories over San Antonio, Detroit, and Miami.

 

When the foursome was not intact, the Bucks record was

13-40.

 

With Yi, or a product of Yi via trade, and a decent contribution from a small forward that knows the plays and does not molest babysitters or collies, I think the Bucks could be a pretty solid playoff team.

[don1481]

Quote:

---

i hope the bucks hold firm, and not let the Chinese team dictate.

---

 

Agreed. And I hope that Stern considers Yi to be "under contract" with the Chinese National Team, meaning that Yi cannot re-enter the draft unless he doesn't play with the national team. And now that would be "irresponsible" for the Chinese, wouldn't it?http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[aracko]

The Bucks have to hold firm for the sake of the league in general. If he doesnt sign, then he doesnt sign.

[RU Rah Rah]

I'm not blaming the Bucks, but why didn't they figure this out before the draft?

[don1481]

Quote:

---

I'm not blaming the Bucks, but why didn't they figure this out before the draft?

---

 

I still suspect that Larry saw it as win-win: Either the Bucks get someone who can help (Yi) or they can trade him for a lot. And I bet he still sees it that way.

 

If Larry caves, the entire draft system has lost all credibility. Teams can be held hostage by other countries. And I don't think that's how the league wants this to go down.

[foamboy1]

I agree....the league has some skin in this game. Foreign players have created worldwide interest and therefore $$$$. It's good for the game. At the same time, the league cannot allow these folks to dictate where they play or they'll create an imbalance in competition....time for Stern to get something done.

 

I hope they hold tight and tell him to sit if necessary. The downside is they'll lose him after three years anyway.

[BillScottCanRake]

The Bucks have to hold firm for the sake of the league in general. If he doesnt sign, then he doesnt sign.

 

I suspect that if Yi plays basketball anywhere in China that the NBA will rule that he has played professional basketball and the Bucks will retain his rights.

 

I think the NBA is going to do all it can to avoid the appearance that players can dictate where they play when they enter the draft and they are more interested in having the best players in large markets than the best interest of the league as a whole.

[qrk10000]

I think the NBA is going to do all it can to avoid the appearance that players can dictate where they play when they enter the draft and they are more interested in having the best players in large markets than the best interest of the league as a whole.

 

I second that and I think it is already happening. The more and more I read these articles about Yi and the quotes from his camp, the more I think it is a desperate, last attempt to get their way. I hope that Larry holds out.

[davego]

I might be off base here... but c'mon Larry. They (the Chinese) said he wasn't interested in playing here...now this. What did you expect? Dude, they are the CHINESE. Don't screw with them, just draft Brewer or do the Golden State trade and get Richardson before they move him to the Hawks.

 

I kind of do blame Larry here. I'd like to have Yi but of all the guys in the draft; he is the one that does have leverage not to sign.

 

Bigger question is how the Association is going to treat Yi's playing on the national team. I'll wager a dollar that we either trade Yi or lose his rights. China>Milwaukee.

 

Sorry...end of rant.

[Roscoe Chill]

Yeah, I've said all along that I don't blame the Bucks for picking him, but all this doesn't do much for already decreasing attention span for the Bucks or NBA for that matter.

 

I don't see Yi playing a minute for the Bucks, and I hope they end up getting value for him.

[Oldcity]

I don't blame the Bucks for taking him either. He's pretty dumb if he is actually willing to sit out for a year without a guarantee of being able to re-enter the draft.

 

I also think he'd get plenty of playing time, which is something they seem to be concerned about.

[PKBadger]

Quote:

---

I'd like to have Yi but of all the guys in the draft; he is the one that does have leverage not to sign.

---

 

Here's the thing.....I don't really see how he has leverage. He's done jack squat in basketball. This is not comparable to John Elway or Bo Jackson, who were so ridiculously good at their respective sports that they could afford to sit out a year without affecting their draft stock. To borrow a line from Bill Simmons, all Yi has done thus far is post up a chair. And he put up halfway-decent numbers in a summer league game. Big whoop.

[bucks2281]

If, indeed, the Bucks trade Yi, I'm looking forward to seeing him play at the Bradley Center and booing my lungs out. This predicament is a serious problem for the NBA (competitive balance) and David Stern needs to take a stand.

[ccbrew]

Here's the thing.....I don't really see how he has leverage. He's done jack squat in basketball.

 

According to scouts, Yi held up well in international competition for Team China. While scouts can be wrong, there's good reason why he was a top-10 pick on everybody's draft board. To say that he does/doesn't have leverage is one thing, but his talent/potential is there.

[RockCoCougars]

Let him rot if he doesn't want to play here. He'd be nuts to sit out a year, look at what happened to Mike Williams. If he sits out, he'll probably drop like a rock in next years draft.

 

Personally, I think that he's going to be a disappointment anyway, and I'm really tired of everyone trying to kiss his rear. If he's too scared to play, let the xenophobe sit.

[Roscoe Chill]

This isn't some poor guy that wants to start making money, this is a guy that has a government calling the shots for him...he's got plenty of leverage.

 

If the NBA considers him playing for the Chinese national team as not professional, then he's got even more, and I don't really see him sitting out for one year as too big a deal.

 

The Bucks are going to have to trade him sooner or later.

[gregmag]

I may be mixing up my Asian cultures here, but didn't the Chinese kind of invent the concept of face saving? If so, can anybody shed any light on how Chinese cultural norms might influence the posturing from Yi's camp and the Chinese basketball people? As in any negotiation, I'm just trying to figure out what statements on the other side actually mean.

 

I agree that this whole thing is annoying, but I don't think that's a good basis for ragging on the kid's talent. Scouts really did seem unanimous in their praise for him, and players who inspire those kinds of uniform raves generally end up being useful.

 

If the Bucks do resolve to trade Yi, aren't their options inherently limited, even before we start talking about who other teams might offer? Yi's going to be making rookie money, so wouldn't the Bucks either have to include another player who's making real money, settle for another '07 draftee or future draft picks, or get back a trade exception (if that's even possible)?

 

Greg.

[tigerbrew]

Quote:

---

Agreed. And I hope that Stern considers Yi to be "under contract" with the Chinese National Team, meaning that Yi cannot re-enter the draft unless he doesn't play with the national team.

---

 

Yi is under contract to play for the Guandong Tigers for one more season. And if I'm not mistaken, Chinese players are also paid an allowance by their govt to play for the national team. So either way Yi's being paid to play basketball, as such his NBA rights should also belong to the Bucks next year under current NBA rules.

 

Looks like Yi's boss, Guangdong Tigers chief Chen Haitao, is now resorting to using the national team as the excuse and making false claims to force the Bucks to trade Yi. He's also trying to swing chinese public opinion to his favor.

 

I hope the Bucks don't play into Chen's hands. There's little need to talk or negotiate with him, just repeat your earlier statements on Yi's playing time politely to the media and remain firm all the way. In the end it is much worse off for Chen to have Yi return to the Tigers this season, then it is for the Bucks.

 

If Yi prefers to play in China, so be it. But I hope the Bucks stand firm all the way, don't trade him.