Yi Jianlian's agent is trying to pull together trade offers in
hopes the Milwaukee Bucks will deal away the Chinese star they
selected sixth in the National Basketball Association Draft.
But the Bucks vow they did not pick Yi on Thursday just to make
a trade deal even as a standoff appears set with Yi's
representatives.
"Our agent team had meetings to study this case immediately
after the draft. We feel that the Bucks are not the best fit for Yi
Jianlian," Yi's agent Zhao Gang said.
"Our team will make contact with other teams who have watched
Yi's training and games to see if there is any possibility of a
trade."
Milwaukee selected Yi despite not having a special workout to
view Yi in part because Bucks general manager Larry Harris is the
son of Del Harris, who coached Yi on China's 2004 Athens Olympics
squad.
The Chinese men finished eighth at Athens, the nation's best
Olympic result, with the elder Harris making Yi a starter and
saying he could follow the NBA stardom path taken by Chinese center
Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets.
Yi averaged 24.9 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots a
game last season for the Guandong Southern Tigers, who lost to Bayi
in the finals this year as they sought a fourth consecutive Chinese
basketball crown.
"Yi's selection at six has proved his capabilities and value,"
Zhao said.
Yi said after the draft he expected to play in Milwaukee this
coming season and Harris clung to the comment, downplaying the idea
of a holdout or negotiating nightmare.
"You saw in his own way, he's excited about playing in the NBA
next year," Harris said. "He's our property. He put his name in the
draft and we took him. So we certainly plan on him being here and
being in uniform next year."
No matter what happens with the Bucks, Yi's agents seem to lack
the ultimate power of saying Yi will stay in China rather than play
in Milwaukee.
Yi, whose agents wanted him to land in an NBA city with a large
Chinese-heritage population, will not be returning to the Chinese
league, according to Liu HongJiang, deputy general manager of the
Guandong club.
"Though the final result of the negotiations and communications
are uncertain, I can guarantee that whatever the outcome is it
could not be so bad that Yi will be back to play in the CBA," he
said.
The Bucks could entertain trade offers for 7-foot power forward
Yi, who skipped a trip to Milwaukee to join China's national team
to train in Dallas. But they snubbed trade offers for their pick
from rivals who wanted Yi as well.
Golden State coach Don Nelson highly praised Yi after watching
him at a workout in Los Angeles and the Bucks watched Yi at the
Asian Games at Qatar last December.
"Rest assured we know him," Harris said. "We felt comfortable
that we did not have to go out to LA to confirm or deny. We had our
own feelings about what Yi was going to be as a player. We had
hours of film, hours of discussion, and when it all came down to
it, he was the best player for us at six."
Milwaukee already has Australian star Andrew Bogut and Charlie
Villanueva handling the inside work but Harris, in the final year
of his contract with the Bucks, might keep them all or trade one of
the others to make room for Yi.
Philadelphia 76ers general manager Billy King tried to make a
draft-night deal to land Yi and has said he intends to continue
trying to make a deal for a big man, likely either Yi or Chicago
pick Joakim Noah.
"We had a lot of discussion with Philadelphia as well as other
discussions," Harris said. "At the end of the day, we really felt,
instead of moving back and doing some other things, this was the
best decision for us."
A front-line with Bogut at center and planked by Yi would make
the Bucks formidable as they try to work their way back into the
NBA playoffs.
"He fits perfect," Bucks player personnel director Dave Babcock
said. "He can stretch the defense. He'll rebound. He runs the
floor. He can really pass it. He needs to get stronger in the upper
body but how much better is he going to be when he does? He and
Bogut can play off each other. It's a good fit."
Yi would also be a formidable marketing force, bringing global
exposure and huge souvenir sales for the Bucks.
"I don't know if I comprehend the magnitude of it," Harris said.
"The Bucks will be global now. I'm sure they will try to televise
as many games as they can (in China). Chinese basketball is huge
and it's growing.
"To have one of their countrymen who can play, and is young and
can be here a long time, I don't know how that's not a windfall for
us."
Yi was impressive for China at last year's world championships
in Japan and will hone his skills when China plays in Las Vegas
this month as part of the NBA's off-season workout sessions.
Yi's transition to the NBA should be smoother than that of
Yao.
"Yao had a tough time initially, but Yao did not speak English,"
Babcock said. "This kid has spent a lot of time in the States, at
camps. There will be a learning curve, but it won't be as extreme
as Yao."
(China Daily via AFP July 2, 2007)