Agent: Yi Looking For Trade

[Dr.Zoidberg]

I think, if you are a number 6 pick in the draft, you can choose your manager. And with a good manager and the Bucks willing to buy him out of the contract of his former team, a transfer to the NBA and Milwaukee shouldn´t be any problem.

[Tokey41]

If the Bucks were smart they would have traded him draft day after selecting him to a team that could pick for them and give them something for their troubles. I probably would have done the same thing if enough teams wanted Yi that bad. Instead they get this worst case scenario in which the player (or Chinese givernment whoever you want to blame) is absolutely destroying his own trade value.

The tragedy of it all is Yi would also be great in the Bucks lineup, although I can see where he might be concerned with playing time (Bogut, Gadzuric, and Charlie V). I still think he's going to be a bust, but this is pretty much an ideal situation for a young player to grow in since the Bucks are already in rebuilding stages and Yi fills a need.

[EricaLubarsky]

There is only one place that makes perfect sense and its playing for Don Nelson.

[alby]

Yi didn't decide this.

[NYCdog]

Originally Posted by alby

Yi didn't decide this.

Rumor up here has it the Chinese government will decide Yi is to be a Knick! *crosses fingers*

[alby]

That would be crazy for the Asian community there. Don't be surprised if he has the most popular jersey if he goes to New York.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

C´mon Beemer, you really think Yi is that important for the government?

Tell me one benefit, the Chinese government will gain if Yi plays in a city with a numerous Chinese population. It may be a Chinese population but those people live in America, many of them don´t even have family members in China anymore, and the Chinese government couldn´t care less about those people.

I think you lost the comparativeness a little bit. The Chinese government has forsooth other problems, than in which city Yi will play. We are talking about a Basketballplayer and not a political active person or someone which can get dangerous for their government. We are no longer in the middle ages. There is to many interest of the publicity outside of China and I don´t think that the government will stake their reputation because of a Basketballplayer.

In my opinion this all depends on the management, the former team, Yi and of course the money. All the other prattle is only making a mountain out of a molehill (stirred up by the media). I really would like to hear a Chinese national to this topic.

[alby]

Yi is very important for China. Most of his importance may not be justified, but he lives in a world where we don't have the slightest clue of how it really is.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Yi might be important to the Chinese nation. Of course they are very proud of him like they are proud of Yao, but I don´t think Yi is neither important for the government nor does the choice where he plays in America affect anything in China or its government. This is yet actually massively exaggerated.

[alby]

How are you so sure

[Dr.Zoidberg]

If you think it will affect China or the government, respectively the government will gain a profit, than tell me in what way?


Yi Confirms Trade Request
July 20, 2007 - 3:20 pm SI.com -

Chinese teen star Yi Jianlian has broken his silence following a torrent of criticism about his refusal to move to the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA, saying it was his decision alone not to play there.

The 19-year-old was was chosen by the Bucks as the No. 6 pick in last month's NBA draft but has refused to go there -- reportedly because he would not get enough playing time and that too few Chinese lived in Milwaukee.

The 7-foot power forward's U.S.-based agent, Dan Fegan, has been portrayed in China as one of the main villains in the affair.

But Yi made clear it was his decision, and not Fegan's, in wanting to be traded to another team.

"I've read some of the reports, but I don't think he has made too many decisions for me," Yi told Chinese reporters while training with the national team in Beijing on Thursday, and his comments were carried by the China Daily.

"It's clear that he works for me, so everything he is doing is based on my ideas," Yi said.

Link

Yi's Chinese Team Owner Says He Was Misquoted
July 20, 2007 - 7:49 pm ESPN -

The owner of Yi Jianlian's Chinese basketball team now says he was misquoted by the Beijing News when he was reported as saying Yi would "definitely not" play for the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks , according to PA Sportswire.

According to a transcript of his conference call with Chinese media earlier this week, Chen, the owner of the Guangdong Tigers, "specifically ruled out the possibility of Yi playing in the Chinese league next year," PA Sportswire reported.

However, Chen did say that the team "was trying to help [Yi] obtain a trade" from the Bucks, who drafted him in the first round.

In earlier reports, Chen was quoted as saying a lack of playing time was the primary reason Yi would not play for the Bucks. He said the Tigers were hoping to find a team that would be suiutable for Yi's growth as a player, with an eye toward developing him for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

But later reports quoted Guangdong vice chairman Liu Hong Xinjiang as saying Yi eventually could play for the Bucks.

Link

[rabbitproof]

Yao defends himself following 'unfair' newspaper attack

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/...nt_5440167.htm

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Like I said, it´s all money:

Yi's Chinese Team Owner The Issue For Bucks?
July 22, 2007 - 12:32 am Milwaukee Journal Sentinel -

The chief obstacle the Bucks face in getting Yi Jianlian in a Milwaukee uniform is Chen Haitau, the private owner of the Guangdong Tigers, the Chinese Basketball Association team for which Yi plays, according to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writer Bob Wolfley.

According to Wolfley, Chen doesn't merely view Yi as an employee.

Rather, Chen literally owns Yi and wants to make himself richer by negotiating a buyout agreement, retaining a portion of Yi's endorsement income and maintaining Yi as an ambassador to further Chen's business.

It has been suggested Chen might be looking for as much as 50% of all of Yi's endorsement money.

Yi has to buy out his old contract with the Tigers, agree to assign his representation rights to the Tigers and sign his NBA representation to an agent approved by the Tigers.

Link

[EricaLubarsky]

Bucks.com -
The Milwaukee Bucks announced today that 2007 first round draft pick Yi Jianlian has signed a multi-year contract. The Bucks 6th overall selection in the 2007 NBA Draft, Yi Jianlian signed his contract in Hong Kong following a negotiating session with Mr. Chen Haitao, owner of the Guangdong Tigers.

Bucks owner and team president Senator Herb Kohl, General Manager Larry Harris and Bucks Vice President Ron Walter were able to meet with Mr. Chen, as well as Yi and his family, as part of the process.

Yi Jianlian is expected to join the team for training camp that begins on Monday, October 1 at the Bucks Training Center in St. Francis, WI.

“There has been a genuine excitement throughout our city and state, as well as internationally, following our selection of Yi in the NBA Draft,” said Senator Herb Kohl. “We all anticipate Yi’s arrival and welcome him and his family to Milwaukee. We look forward to a successful relationship for many years to come.”

“We would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge and thank Mr. Chen for his assistance and support in the negotiating process,” Kohl added.

“We were thrilled to be able to draft Yi Jianlian in June and are equally excited to sign him to a NBA contract as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks ,” said Harris. “We drafted Yi with the expectation that he would be a part of our franchise for a very long time and this is the first step in that process. Yi is a skilled and versatile young man who we have seen play numerous times over the last few years including this summer in the NBA Summer League. Our players and coaches look forward to working with Yi and I know our fans will enjoy watching him compete with the many talented, young players on our roster.”

NBA Commissioner David J. Stern commented, “We are happy that Yi will be playing with the Bucks to further develop his skill and his contribution to both the Chinese National Team and the NBA. This is another great example of cooperation between the CBA and the NBA and I want to congratulate the CBA, Mr. Chen, the Guangdong Tigers and the Milwaukee Bucks .”

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Score one for the Bucks.

[Jack.Kerr]

Won't he be easier to trade with a contract?

[Tokey41]

Glad it's worked out for the team, I don't think the Bucks fans could handle trading away another foreign talent for crap and watching him turn into say I dunno... an MVP (not that I think Yi will, but it would have been a hilarious deja vu).

[craggmac]

man......what a shit storm.

[Pirate]

Much ado about nothing. He was drafted, he signed well before training camp after creating pointless drama that changed nothing, and life goes on.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Bucks officials travel to Hong Kong, sign Yi
Associated Press
Updated: August 29, 2007, 3:39 PM

MILWAUKEE -- Yi Jianlian is finally going to play for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Yi, the sixth overall selection in the NBA draft in June, signed a standard rookie scale contract with the Bucks in Hong Kong on Wednesday. The club also gave his former team, the Guangdong Tigers, money in the deal, but declined to discuss details.

A contingent of Bucks officials that included owner and Sen. Herb Kohl met with Yi's family and Chen Haitao, owner of Yi's Chinese professional team, over the last day to finalize the deal.

"We had a very successful trip here," Kohl said from Hong Kong. "We came with the hope, but not the certainty that we would, in fact, be able to sign a contract with Yi."

Later, the group, including Yi's parents, went out to dinner.

"It sort of cemented the relationship in a human and social sort of way," Kohl said. "He has wonderful parents, which is not surprising because he's a wonderful guy. And we sit here very pleased and happy."

The Bucks could not say when the 6-foot-11 power forward would be in the United States or meet with American media, but Kohl expects him to be in Milwaukee at the start of training camp on Oct. 1, or shortly afterward.

Yi, 19, said he was very happy, too, after months of saying nothing publicly.

"Today's agreement means I finally, formally enter the door of the NBA," Yi said in Chinese to the media contingent at the signing in Hong Kong. "This will be a great challenge for me. I know I will have a lot of opportunities, but also a lot of difficulties. But I'll do my best."

On draft night, Yi Jianlian said he was surprised he was picked for the Bucks, but thought he'd play for them.

After the interview, he said nothing more while he was in the U.S., leading to speculation that he would never show up.

"Certainly Mr. Yi and his representatives want him in Milwaukee as soon as possible," general manager Larry Harris said.

His agent, Dan Fegan, had pushed for Yi to be drafted or traded to a city with a large Asian influence -- or at least a larger city.

According to Census data, there are only about 27,500 people of Asian descent living in the city more famous for beers and bratwurst than cultural diversity, but the Bucks continued to say that it had little to do with Yi's situation.

With the Olympics in Beijing next summer, Chinese officials wanted assurances that Yi, who played on China's 2004 Olympic team and 2006 world championship team, would get significant playing time against the NBA's best players in an effort to sharpen his skills for those games.

"Certainly from our standpoint, we're very committed to making him the best player that he's going to be, we made that very clear," Harris said. "You're talking about a young man that obviously has a lot on his shoulders, not only for himself, but for his country and with the Olympics being in Beijing, we understand those situations."


Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images
After months of uncertainty, the Bucks finally signed Yi Jianlian on Wednesday.

Kohl said that they came to Hong Kong at the request of Chen and Yi's handlers, but the Bucks maintained the deal was not done when they got on a plane on Tuesday.

"I'll say they were very appreciative, all of them, of the effort that we made in coming here," Kohl said. "That to them was an indication of our commitment to Yi. When you get on a plane and go half way around the world at the invitation of the team owner, Mr. Chen, you're not doing that for any other reason except you're commitment to the individual. In this case, Yi and his career."

"He impressed us," Kohl said of Yi. "There's going to be no question about his character, about his work ethic, about his desire to do good for himself and his team and his country."

There's no guarantee Yi will make the same impact as Yao Ming, his national teammate selected by the Houston Rockets with the first pick in 2002.

Last season, Yi posted career-high averages with 24.9 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in 30.7 minutes for the Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association.

But there are questions about his defense, strength and age, and while he flashed some skills with Team China in the Summer League in Las Vegas, he also showed he had a lot to learn, being pushed around by first and second-year players instead of the NBA's elite.

The Chinese Basketball Association lists Yi's birthday as Oct. 27, 1987, but he has long been rumored older. Kohl said Yi told them he was 19, and the Bucks liked his determination when discussing what type of impact he'd like to have on the court.

"Talking with him over the last 24 hours, there's no doubt in my mind that he's going to become the player he thinks he wants to become," Harris said. "There's no doubt in our mind this kid is going to be a special person, a special player and we're going to do everything we can and we're committed to making sure that he becomes the player he wants to be."

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

Link

As much to all the wild conspiracy theories in this thread. As I said before, it´s all about the money.

[ty]

His potential is going to skyrocket in the NBA.

[EricaLubarsky]

Tigers extorted money from the NBA under the guise of a contract buyout and somehow no one in the NBA is concerned.