# Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged 2X)



## Blazer Freak (Jul 11, 2004)

> Training camp is 12 weeks away. Yi's camp insists that he won't sign with the Bucks and that the 19-year-old is prepared to play no professional basketball for a year to make himself eligible to re-enter the draft in 2008, unless the Bucks trade his draft rights. Milwaukee --- skeptical that Yi and Chinese basketball officials are prepared to hold him out of so much top-level competition leading into the '08 Beijing Olympics -- insists that it still won't even consider trade offers and remains hopeful that Yi will soon accept their invitation to visit the city and the team's home base.
> 
> 
> "When we drafted him, we knew it wasn't going to be the typical situation," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said Wednesday while watching Yi struggle to post seven points on 1-for-5 shooting against the Celtics in his summer league finale.
> ...


ESPN

The NBA should ban him from the NBA instead of pulling this bull****. There definitely needs to be a rule against it. Maybe keeping the player away from the NBA for a minimum of 5 years, or something like that. Yi is pulling some bull**** and he's gonna get away free.


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## Blazer Freak (Jul 11, 2004)

*Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

Double Post.


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## Blazer Freak (Jul 11, 2004)

*Re: Yi Going to sit out 07-08 season*

Blah.


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## crowTrobot (Jun 24, 2005)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

the way he has played in summer league maybe the bucks should be happy to trade


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## Draco (Jun 28, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

I hope he re-enters the draft and the bucks draft him again. How funny would that be.


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## Iwatas (Aug 3, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

I think the NBA needs to change the rules: anyone drafted who sits out is only eligible to play for someone else after *3* years. 

You cannot force someone to do something. But you can (and should) enforce the system you have. Players want to play in the NBA? Then they have to play by the rules. Otherwise the draft becomes a joke, with players picking their teams in a beauty contest.

iWatas


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

That seems wrong to me. I do not believe that sitting out a year allows you to be drafted again. If I also remember right he has hired an agent. I do not believe you can re enter the draft after you have hired an agent. You are done.


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## Draco (Jun 28, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

Nope, if he sits out for a year and doesn't play professionally outside the country he is re-eligible for the draft.

I like the 3yr waiting rule idea, but these are the current rules in place.


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



Draco said:


> Nope, if he sits out for a year and doesn't play professionally outside the country he is re-eligible for the draft.


Doesn't the Chinese Government pay him to play for the national team?:biggrin: I believe that is the definition of professional isn't it? I don't see him down selling chicken at KFC or nothing.


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



Draco said:


> I hope he re-enters the draft and the bucks draft him again. How funny would that be.


That would be really funny, but I believe the NBA should make a stand and not draft him. The NBA cannot afford for small market teams to be froze out of the talent pool. At the same time, I know the NBA wanted to start a pro league over there after the olympics. I can see some business deals in jeapardy already, and when a lot of money is on the line, you never know what is going to happen.


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## Schilly (Dec 30, 2002)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

We can all pick on Yi all we want, but the bottom line is Yi's camp sent warnings to the Bucks way before the draft, told the Bucks they wouldn't go there, refused to workout there, etc...etc.. Regardless of the rules and regardles of how it's dumb of the Yi camp the fact of the matter is the Bucks knew this would happen before they drafted him. they look like complete fools for #1 Drafting him knowing the circumstance, and #2 taking the idiotic stance that they aren't backing down. 

Bottom line every team i the NBA knows that a high profile player drafted from China is only going to be released from China if the Chinese Government is happy with the circumstances. It is what it is and the Bucks are way way way over their heads on this one.


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



Schilly said:


> We can all pick on Yi all we want, but the bottom line is Yi's camp sent warnings to the Bucks way before the draft, told the Bucks they wouldn't go there, refused to workout there, etc...etc.. Regardless of the rules and regardles of how it's dumb of the Yi camp the fact of the matter is the Bucks knew this would happen before they drafted him. they look like complete fools for #1 Drafting him knowing the circumstance, and #2 taking the idiotic stance that they aren't backing down.
> 
> Bottom line every team i the NBA knows that a high profile player drafted from China is only going to be released from China if the Chinese Government is happy with the circumstances. It is what it is and the Bucks are way way way over their heads on this one.



Maybe but from what I have read Stern was stepping into the situation last weekend, and said openly that he felt he had to protect the small market teams because of what they mean to the league. I don't think this one is over.


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## B_&_B (Feb 19, 2004)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



Schilly said:


> We can all pick on Yi all we want, but the bottom line is Yi's camp sent warnings to the Bucks way before the draft, told the Bucks they wouldn't go there, refused to workout there, etc...etc.. Regardless of the rules and regardles of how it's dumb of the Yi camp the fact of the matter is the Bucks knew this would happen before they drafted him. they look like complete fools for #1 Drafting him knowing the circumstance, and #2 taking the idiotic stance that they aren't backing down.
> 
> Bottom line every team i the NBA knows that a high profile player drafted from China is only going to be released from China if the Chinese Government is happy with the circumstances. It is what it is and the Bucks are way way way over their heads on this one.


I agree. The Bucks made a very bad decision and really only have themselves to blame. BUT, I also like the idea of a 3 year ban from the NBA if a guy refuses to play for the team he was drafted by.


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## MAS RipCity (Feb 22, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

Although YI and his agents and represenatives are being childish about this whole situation, the Bucks probably shouldn't have drafted him. Yes, I know he was thier target, but if someone says they don't want you, then don't pick them. It sucks, but thats how the cookie crumbles. Even if he did play there, he would have left as a free agent anyways. It's like askign a girl to go out with you, and you know she wants nothing to do with you, but you have something over her, maybe blackmail, and there's no way out of it for her unless you just don't ask her out(or something like that). The bucks should have just traded the pick or made another selection. They should have brought someone in there who WANTED to be a Buck. It is Yi's fault, but the Bucks could have played it a WHOLE lot better.


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## MAS RipCity (Feb 22, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

I have to admit though, the ONLY PROFESSIONAL sports franchise I would REFUSE to suit up for or be drafted by, would be the Lakers...and that is because I have a long history of dislike with them.


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## HOWIE (Dec 30, 2002)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

What if Yi had cried during draft night, maybe then Milwaukee might have taken a less of a stance and traded him to Houston......no wait, stuff like that does happen in the NBA.......does it? :lol:


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## Draco (Jun 28, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

I got to side with the Bucks on this one, they wanted other players but those guys were all gone at #6. Who was left for them to take; Brewer, Wright and Noah? Clearly they drafted the best player available. Even with the holdout they are probably better off then if they drafted a far inferior talent just because they are a small market.


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## Kmurph (May 7, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

The problem is that this sets a very bad precedent...

Imagine if both Durant and ODen had refused to go to POR...refused to workout for POR...told POR they would not sign\play there and for POR not to draft them...

How would you feel as a POR fan? All that excitement over getting the #1 pick, and that one of these guys could be a franchise changing player...and then they say they don't want to play for you...

Would you still think that the NBA is a fair enterprise? Would you think POR is being treated fairly here?

I think not....

and Stern is right to get involved (as he is rumoured to be)...as this really does send a bad message throughout the league...You cannot have players dictating what franchises they go to...when they are drafted that is...it send the wrong message...and it threatens the whole nature of market competiveness IMO...


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

I don't see why there needs to be anger towards either side... they're both doing what's in their best interests.

Yi has had NO say in the collective bargaining agreement. He's locked into a rookie pay scale, a set free agency period, and being assigned to a team based on the outcome of the draft. 

He has very few options and very little leverage.

But what he CAN do is sit out. That's his right as a person and a player under the collective bargaining agreement, and I don't think it makes sense to challenge him for exercising that right.

Is it *smart* to do that? I don't know, because he probably will go lower in the draft next year, costing himself money in the short run... clearly he'll miss out on a year of salary, be a year farther from free agency, and POSSIBLY be drafted by the Bucks (or the Pacers, or the Bobcats, or whomever) next year.

Of course, will the Bucks risk getting NOTHING for their lottery pick? That seems very, very unlikely. In which case, Yi might get what he wants... whatever that is 

From the Bucks' perspective, they didn't REALLY know he was going to take a hard stance. He was an excellent value as a player at that spot, and they thought (think) he was (is) worth the risk.

Ed O.


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## SheedSoNasty (Dec 31, 2002)

*Re: Yi Going to sit out 07-08 season*



Blazer Freak said:


> ESPN
> 
> The NBA should ban him from the NBA instead of pulling this bull****. There definitely needs to be a rule against it. Maybe keeping the player away from the NBA for a minimum of 5 years, or something like that. Yi is pulling some bull**** and he's gonna get away free.


If I had it my way, Steve Francis would have been banned years ago. I hate it when athletes do this crap. They get paid the big bucks for a reason and every time this happens, I feel as though it dilutes the quality of sports.

I hope the NBA does something about these sort of things.


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## Nightfly (Sep 24, 2002)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

I would honestly be really surprised if Yi goes as a lottery pick next year if he does sit out.


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

*Re: Yi Going to sit out 07-08 season*



SheedSoNasty said:


> If I had it my way, Steve Francis would have been banned years ago. I hate it when athletes do this crap. They get paid the big bucks for a reason and every time this happens, I feel as though it dilutes the quality of sports.
> 
> I hope the NBA does something about these sort of things.



I just don't want the NBA to turn into a league where the smaller market teams have no chance. What if this was Greg Oden saying he didn't want to play in Portland, or Durant in Seattle?


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## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



Kmurph said:


> The problem is that this sets a very bad precedent...
> 
> Imagine if both Durant and ODen had refused to go to POR...refused to workout for POR...told POR they would not sign\play there and for POR not to draft them...
> 
> ...


I understand what you are saying, but the draft is not a slave auction. Oden has the *right* to not play for the Blazers. The price, is that he can't play for another NBA team. 

What's the alternative? You can't throw a guy in prison for refusing to play in the NBA! :biggrin:


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## BlazerCaravan (Aug 12, 2004)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



Kmurph said:


> The problem is that this sets a very bad precedent...
> 
> Imagine if Kobe had refused to go to CHA...refused to workout for CHA...told CHA he would not sign\play there and for CHA not to draft him...
> 
> ...


Changed to reflect past reality... it was Charolette Kobe demanded to be traded from, right?


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## chris_in_pdx (Jul 11, 2004)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



Oldmangrouch said:


> I understand what you are saying, but the draft is not a slave auction. Oden has the *right* to not play for the Blazers. The price, is that he can't play for another NBA team.
> 
> What's the alternative? You can't throw a guy in prison for refusing to play in the NBA! :biggrin:


I don't think anyone is questioning the right of a player to not play for the team that drafts him. However, the ethics of refusing to play for that team are questionable at best, given the fact that the player willingly submitted to the draft process, and that one year seems to be too little of time as a consequence for refusing to play for the team that drafts him. Also, since the player is from a foriegn country, the stipulation of "not playing professional basketball" is nebulous at best, since their "amateurs" are as well compensated for their play as their "professionals".


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## Kmurph (May 7, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



> understand what you are saying, but the draft is not a slave auction. Oden has the *right* to not play for the Blazers. The price, is that he can't play for another NBA team.


I agree with what your saying here...in part...but players DO have a say in where they can play after their rookie deals are up...We are just talking the initial 2-4 years of their career...So its not like they have absolutely no choice in where they can play...._eventually_..,.they just can't choose where they want to play intially....

This whole thing IMO sets a bad precedent for the NBA...you can't have players dictating where they want or not want to go before the draft...


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## crandc (Sep 15, 2004)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

There are things a person has the legal right to do that most of us agree they should still not do. Like pardoning Libby or picketing the funerals of people with AIDS and Iraq war veterans or refusing to take millions of dollars to play basketball for a team in the "wrong" city.

It's not new. Francis and Bryant have done it. It does put a team in a pickle. No doubt the Bucks had hoped to woo and win Yi.


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## BenDavis503 (Apr 11, 2007)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

Not siding withYi by ANY means, but HOW STUPID are the Bucks for drafting him?! Very stupid in my book. Yi and camp clearly stated they do not want to play there. Why throw away your franchise and fans draft pick? They totally shot themselves in the foot and now Yi will be 24 before he plays in the NBA if he sits out this year. Or maybe the Chinease government will tell us they figured out age reversal and made Yi 19 years old again for the second time lol. Also, I wouldn't trust a guy that lies about his age. That's just wrong.


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## Draco (Jun 28, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

Bo Jackson was the #1 pick in the NFL draft. He held out for a massive contract Tampa Bay couldn't afford. Next years draft he dropped to the third round and went to the Raiders.


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## yakbladder (Sep 13, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

I'm not prepared to say the Bucks were stupid. I think they were willing to take a risk, a very big risk, for a player they thought had high enough reward to make it worthwhile.

I also don't think this sets a bad precedent because I believe this bad precedent was already set many years ago (Kobe, Francis).

I do, however, think that it is ridiculous that you only have to sit out a year and you're back in action. I'd much prefer a team to own your lifetime rights in the US. That way they get some sort of value for their risk. As many other people have pointed out, no one is forcing Yi to play in the NBA, but if you want to play in the NBA you play by their rules. And those rules need to change.


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## mediocre man (Feb 24, 2004)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

This isn't on Yi. I agree that players should go where they are drafted.....I mean if not Portland probably wouldn't be Oden's first choice. Yi made it really clear that he did not want to go to Milwaukee.


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## stupendous (Feb 17, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



MAS RipCity said:


> It's like askign a girl to go out with you, and you know she wants nothing to do with you, but you have something over her, maybe blackmail, and there's no way out of it for her unless you just don't ask her out(or something like that).


Sadly this is all too familiar for me :-D


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## HispanicCausinPanic (Jul 2, 2005)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

Didn't John Elway do the same thing back in the day?


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## smeedemann (Jul 16, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

Eli Manning did the same thing to the Chargers and it worked out better for them than it did for the Giants.


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## Five5even (Jun 15, 2007)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

If anyone is in to scheming up a plan with Milwaukee to get Yi out of there in a multi-team trade that lands us a SF, it wouldn't be a bad idea.

Yi clearly wants to leave, and Milwaukee clearly needs a PG.

Why not work a deal where Yi goes to a team that needs a big man, we give up Jack and a few other pieces in exchange for a SF?

Something like this...


Portland Trades: Jack, Filler

Milwaukee Trades: Yi (filler?)

Any of these teams could trade:

New Jersey (Jefferson), Indiana (Granger), Seattle (Green), Houston (Battier), Charlotte (Richardson, Wallace), Atlanta(Childress, Smith, Williams), Phoenix (Marion), Philadelphia (Iguodala), Clippers(Maggette), Memphis (Miller), Mavericks (Howard), Pistons (Prince), Minny (Brewer)

So the basic incoming players looks like:

Portland: SF
Milwaukee: Jack
Team X : Yi Jianlan


Does anyone think something like this has a chance?


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## Blazer Freak (Jul 11, 2004)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



Five5even said:


> If anyone is in to scheming up a plan with Milwaukee to get Yi out of there in a multi-team trade that lands us a SF, it wouldn't be a bad idea.
> 
> Yi clearly wants to leave, and Milwaukee clearly needs a PG.
> 
> ...


Nope. I don't think we're trading Jack. Management doesn't want to throw Sergio out there just yet.


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## Draco (Jun 28, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



Five5even said:


> Does anyone think something like this has a chance?


No chance. Yi or a good SF are worth more than Jack + our random scraps. Milwaukee would rather just take back the stud SF.


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## DanielGibson4MVP (Jun 8, 2007)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



Five5even said:


> If anyone is in to scheming up a plan with Milwaukee to get Yi out of there in a multi-team trade that lands us a SF, it wouldn't be a bad idea.
> 
> Yi clearly wants to leave, and Milwaukee clearly needs a PG.
> 
> ...


No. Milwaukee basically does Yi Jianlian for Jarret Jack. Stupid.


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## GOD (Jun 22, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

I think Yi's people listed the 4 cities with the largest Asian populations and said Yi would only play for a team in one of those cities. Portland was not on that list.

Yi has every right to do what he is doing, I just think that for the future, the penalty should be harsher. 3 years of non-pro ball seems fair. The problem is that teams bank on talent from the draft, and in some cases a demand like this could kill a franchise. I don't think Yi is a big enough talent for this to be the end for the Bucks, but if an Oden, Durant, Lebron, Duncan .... did this it would really hurt the franchise. I don't blame anyone in this case because both sides are doing what they thought was best, but the CBA needs to be changed in the future.

I actually feel bad for Yi, because this is most likely not his choice. I am sure he wants to play ball, but the Chinese government wants Yi to do X, so Yi has to do X.


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## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

BTW, speaking of the Bucks, where are they on re-signing Mo Williams? Williams is only 1 year older than Jack, and at this point appears to be the better player. 

What about a 3 way deal where the 3rd team gets Yi, the Bucks get Jack and whatever the 3rd team has to offer, and we get MO? 

I know....dream on!:biggrin:


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## BenDavis503 (Apr 11, 2007)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

I thought Chinease people were supposed to have honor and they are way into being honorable. Where is the honor in sitting out and being racist enough to the point he won't play where there are no asian people? This guy Yi is pathetic and a loser. Makes Chinease people look bad.


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## LameR (Jan 4, 2004)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



BenDavis503 said:


> I thought Chinease people were supposed to have honor and they are way into being honorable. Where is the honor in sitting out and being racist enough to the point he won't play where there are no asian people? This guy Yi is pathetic and a loser. Makes Chinease people look bad.


Stereotyping over a billion people doesn't exactly make you look great yourself.


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## BenDavis503 (Apr 11, 2007)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

Even more he should be honorable if there is a billion ppl watching him


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## GOD (Jun 22, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



BenDavis503 said:


> Even more he should be honorable if there is a billion ppl watching him


Yi has no say. It's up to his government.


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## Miksaid (Mar 21, 2005)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

Chinese Honor!!


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## Miksaid (Mar 21, 2005)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

What! Least of all Korean!


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## Yega1979 (Mar 22, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

Think of how horrible it would feel to be a fan of a crappy team and have your team waste a pick on a dip**** who won't play for you. 

They should ban this idiot and let him play in China the rest of his life. Screw em.


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## Basketball_Coach2000 (Jul 3, 2007)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



MAS RipCity said:


> Although YI and his agents and represenatives are being childish about this whole situation, the Bucks probably shouldn't have drafted him. Yes, I know he was thier target, but if someone says they don't want you, then don't pick them. It sucks, but thats how the cookie crumbles. Even if he did play there, he would have left as a free agent anyways. It's like askign a girl to go out with you, and you know she wants nothing to do with you, but you have something over her, maybe blackmail, and there's no way out of it for her unless you just don't ask her out(or something like that). The bucks should have just traded the pick or made another selection. They should have brought someone in there who WANTED to be a Buck. It is Yi's fault, but the Bucks could have played it a WHOLE lot better.



What would you say if the top 10 draft choices said they would not play in Portland?


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## RedHot&Rolling (Jun 26, 2004)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

I don't like it. He willingly entered a draft. What part of that was misunderstood? He's acting like StevieFranchise. Too bad. Gives the Chinese a bad name and Yi a badder name.

I wish for him to drafted by the LA Clippers.


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## crandc (Sep 15, 2004)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



RedHot&Rolling said:


> I Too bad. Gives the Chinese a bad name and Yi a badder name.
> 
> I wish for him to drafted by the LA Clippers.


What is all this "gives the Chinese a bad name" and "Chinese don't have honor" etc. etc.?

Did it give Americans a bad name when Steve Francis refused to go to Vancouver? Does Kobe Bryant saying he would only play for the Lakers means Americans have no honor? 

Why is it that what an American does is what he/she does but what a Chinese does is what all billion or so Chinese do?


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

I don't see why all the outrage.

The NBA is better off with the way things are developing.

Every team in the league now knows something extremely important about Yi that they would not have otherwise. He, or more accurately his handlers, want to have complete control of his career and want to see him get "special" treatment. It will cost him money and ironically it will cost him popularity which defeats their goal right out of the gate. This will haunt Yi throughout his career, and save some team from having to deal with a Prima Donna.


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



crandc said:


> What is all this "gives the Chinese a bad name" and "Chinese don't have honor" etc. etc.?
> 
> Did it give Americans a bad name when Steve Francis refused to go to Vancouver? Does Kobe Bryant saying he would only play for the Lakers means Americans have no honor?
> 
> Why is it that what an American does is what he/she does but what a Chinese does is what all billion or so Chinese do?


I agree it's a stupid attitude but I disagree that it's any different with Americans.

As a Caucasian American I have been penalized and scorned my entire life simply because SOME Caucasian Americans, none of whom I have ever met or were related to me in any way, shape or form, had slaves in previous centuries.


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## Public Defender (May 5, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



GOD said:


> Yi has every right to do what he is doing, I just think that for the future, the penalty should be harsher. 3 years of non-pro ball seems fair.


Yeah, agree with you. Although maybe two years is more fair. Players could have a really good reason for not wanting to play in a particular city or for a particular team, and giving up three years is basically, well, players wouldn't do it any longer. Two years I think is a powerful deterrant without being unreasonable.


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## Blazer Ringbearer (Jan 28, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

I understand that Yi and his handlers are working within the rules and acting in their self interests, but that doesn't make it the right thing to do... and the same goes for Kobe and Steve.

Ultimately, if Yi pulls this off, it's really bad for the league. Yes, it's been done before, but never has it been so blatant and public. I think it opens up the door for more and more players to say... "If Yi didn't have to play in Milwaukee, then why should I have to play in X?"

More and more agents will see this as an acceptable course of action to get their clients more endorsements and to more desirable NBA cities.

I think the NBA needs to rally around Milwaukee and make some sort of rule change. The ones proposed in this thread make a lot of sense - a longer moratorium, maybe two years, if you decide not to sign with the team that holds your rights. Then if you come back and decide again to not sign with that team, you're banned from the NBA for 10 years... or for life maybe.

I don't mind so much if the rare jerk tries to put pressure on teams to not draft them, because ultimately you probably don't want to draft someone who has that big of an ego and is not interested in your team - they would only create problems.

But I seriously worry if this becomes more common practice with top prospects and certain NBA teams. It's just unfair and goes against the entire spirit of a draft system. The league needs to do what they have to do to ensure that it doesn't get out of hand.


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## Blazer Ringbearer (Jan 28, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



MARIS61 said:


> As a Caucasian American I have been penalized and scorned my entire life simply because SOME Caucasian Americans, none of whom I have ever met or were related to me in any way, shape or form, had slaves in previous centuries.


Poor baby.


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## Entity (Feb 21, 2005)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

I don't see why the rules shouldn't be:

1. You only get drafted once.

2. If the team offers you a contract after you are drafted and you refuse, you can't play for any other NBA team for the maximum length of your rookie contract, and after that you become an unrestricted free agent (as opposed to the restricted status that players after their rookie contracts get).

In any case, this will end badly for Yi. Whether or not he has anything to do with this dilemma, he's already lost some serious face. If he plays for Milwaukee he'll get booed right away, and if he ends up being below expectations it'll be even worse for him. If his rights get traded to another team or he waits until next year, then he'd better hope he goes to the Western Conference.

But I'm with the draft system on this one. He may have a right to hold out, but it's bad mojo. There have been players that got their way, but none of them were ever forced to carry through with any implied threats, so I'm interested to see how the league examines this issue. I wonder where the players association is on this.


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## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

What I find mildly ironic about this argument, is that this sort of thing is accepted practice in MLB. A player doesn't like the team that drafts him - or at least doesn't like the money being offered - he can go back to school for a year, and re-enter the draft.

Teams may not like this rule, but they have learned to work with it.


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## stockfire (Jul 17, 2004)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



Oldmangrouch said:


> What I find mildly ironic about this argument, is that this sort of thing is accepted practice in MLB. A player doesn't like the team that drafts him - or at least doesn't like the money being offered - he can go back to school for a year, and re-enter the draft.
> 
> Teams may not like this rule, but they have learned to work with it.



True, and I understand your point, but baseball players take much longer to work their way to the professional tier than basektball players do.

Also, I think draft picks in baseball are significantly less important since they have a multi-level farm system that includes free agents, walk-ons, and draft picks. Even heralded draftees don't make an impact a soon as in other sports, so there is much less fall-out if a player goes back to school and reenters the draft.


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## Ed O (Dec 30, 2002)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



Oldmangrouch said:


> What I find mildly ironic about this argument, is that this sort of thing is accepted practice in MLB. A player doesn't like the team that drafts him - or at least doesn't like the money being offered - he can go back to school for a year, and re-enter the draft.
> 
> Teams may not like this rule, but they have learned to work with it.


No doubt. People in this thread are proposing alternatives that are, essentially, nuclear options.

Lifetime bans?

One-time draft with lifetime rights?

Man... Major league baseball sees players sit out a year every so often (even after they use up their college eligibility). Bo Jackson sat out a whole year in the NFL.

I simply don't see this as an issue that needs to be systemically addressed. Players are already locked down enough in terms of their rights under the current system. There's no need to punish players that aren't even members of the collective bargaining process...

Ed O.


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## Draco (Jun 28, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



Oldmangrouch said:


> What I find mildly ironic about this argument, is that this sort of thing is accepted practice in MLB. A player doesn't like the team that drafts him - or at least doesn't like the money being offered - he can go back to school for a year, and re-enter the draft.
> 
> Teams may not like this rule, but they have learned to work with it.


The NBA is very different because you have so few players on your team, and usually try to get a star player or two along with a couple more starters. If one of these players holds out from going to your team it can demolish a franchise. Baseball is completely different because you have 4 full teams of prospects and a 40 man roster.

Baseball players are just holding out for $$$. The Bucks are offering Yi the most they can, he just wants to go to a bigger market.


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



Oldmangrouch said:


> What I find mildly ironic about this argument, is that this sort of thing is accepted practice in MLB. A player doesn't like the team that drafts him - or at least doesn't like the money being offered - he can go back to school for a year, and re-enter the draft.
> 
> Teams may not like this rule, but they have learned to work with it.



This isn't MLB though, and in the NBA, I would argue having only 5 guys on the court at one time, the talent level of those 5 is much more critical then the talent level of one baseball player on a team. In basketball you get 2 stars, and your team can compete and have a good chance to win every night, pretty much independant of who else is on the team. In baseball I don't see it that way. A pitcher can only effect the games which he is on the field. A defensive player can only make a play if the ball is sent into a position for him to have a play on it. They can only make a good offensive play if their position in the rotation happens to be up at the time.

In the NBA, a good player who is on the court can effect each and every play, on both ends of the court, and is that much more important to an NBA team in order to compete from night to night.


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## BenDavis503 (Apr 11, 2007)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

I still say he makes chinease ppl look bad. And yes when kobe or stevie cries it makes americans look bad too. I agree with maris yet again.


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## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

I agree that there are significant differences between MLB and the NBA. I agree with Ed O, however, that there is no need for the league to go nuclear. 

There was a similar outpouring of wrath a couple of years ago when Fran Vasquez was drafted and then decided to stay in Europe. I'm sure Blazer fans will be miffed if Rudy or Playboy Pete decide they would rather stay in Europe. 

It is a tough break for the team (and the fans) - but it is also a risk teams assume when they draft foreign players.

Just as an aside, the anger at Vasquez was totally unjustified. Unlike Yi, he never *asked* to have his name entered in the draft.


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

Well here is how I see it. Yep he can do it, and its tough cookies. So as a fan, I will voice my displeasure the way fans to. By booing him every time he touches the ball in the Rose Garden.


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



BenDavis503 said:


> I still say he makes chinese ppl look bad. And yes when kobe or stevie cries it makes americans look bad too. I agree with maris yet again.


Thanks, but you're not agreeing with me because I don't think it makes anyone look bad, including the player who does it and certainly not his fellow countrymen. I'm just saying it shows teams they might have control issues with him and if that's a problem for them they can pass.

This used to be a free country and people were free to work for, or not work for, anyone they wished provided the employer wanted them to.

I think the NBA looks bad, and extremely un-American.


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## MARIS61 (Apr 28, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



Blazer Ringbearer said:


> Poor baby.


Not seeking sympathy and I certainly don't need any. I couldn't care less that moronic apologists think I or We owe African-Americans or Indian-Americans or Japanese-Americans something or other because their ancestors had a tough time at the hands of someone else.

I find the whole idea rather pathetic and anyone with a little self-respect would refuse to take advantage of it.

I was just using myself as an example of all Americans to point out crandc was mistaken that things are different here than in China in that respect.


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## sa1177 (Feb 18, 2005)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

Folks lets try to keep this thread on the topic of basketball and the single player involved, not on race or racial differences, behaviors etc. Thanks

-sa-


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## gamadict (Jul 28, 2002)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

Nobody is under any obligation to play for a team or in a league just because they are drafted. It's not like Yi has a contract with the Bucks and he's reneging on it. The NBA has internally decided which team has exclusive rights to his services, but that implies no obligation on his part and there are plenty of clubs out there that would be happy to pay Yi

It's important to remember that drafts are pretty rare outside the US(possibly completely unknown). They have their own peculiarities(transfers systems, academies, etc), but the foreign model is much more about the clubs then any central league dictating budgets, player movement and so forth. Honestly, I'm worried about a day when the NBA is actually put into competition with other leagues for talent. The draft and rookie salary structure probably isn't going to survive 30 years from now


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## yakbladder (Sep 13, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

It's official...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2939260

But now it's because the Chinese club doesn't find the Bucks suitable for Yi's growth as a player, not because they have a small Asian population.

Sure...sure...


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## Nate4Prez (Jun 3, 2007)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



yakbladder said:


> It's official...
> 
> http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2939260
> 
> ...


HAHA, he doesnt want to go there because they are too tall. Who Bogut? Anyone else?


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## barfo (Jan 2, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



yakbladder said:


> It's official...
> 
> http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2939260
> 
> ...


That's a little misleading given the title of this thread. That report does not say he's going to sit out this season, only that he won't go to the Bucks this season. 

barfo


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## Oldmangrouch (Feb 11, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



yakbladder said:


> It's official...
> 
> http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2939260
> 
> ...


They may be spinning the reason - but it does tend to confirm that Yi is not calling the shots.


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## deanwoof (Mar 10, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

man i cant wait for michael redd and andrew bogut to go off on team china in beijing next year.

as far as this whole situation goes, i think it's a terrible move for every party involved - the nba, the fans, milwaukee, yi, yi's handlers. yi's value will only diminish next year when or if he comes back. 

at least vasquez decided to play professionally in spain and probably will never come to the nba. but yi obviously wants to play here, his peoples just wont let him. 

all in all.. bad move and future int'l draft picks will be re-evaluated. another blow to david stern's evil grand schemes.


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## UOSean (Jul 7, 2005)

*OT: The Yi saga*

Things are slow in Blazerland so I find myself reading about other teams and thier issues. The Yi thing is a bit interesting. I don't see why Mil doesn't try to swing a deal for B Wright with GS. It'd be a great deal for both teams. GS gets Yi in the Bay area and Mil gets their PF to play next to Bogut. That's probably how they should have been drafted in the first place.


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## LameR (Jan 4, 2004)

*Re: OT: The Yi saga*



UOSean said:


> Things are slow in Blazerland so I find myself reading about other teams and thier issues. The Yi thing is a bit interesting. I don't see why Mil doesn't try to swing a deal for B Wright with GS. It'd be a great deal for both teams. GS gets Yi in the Bay area and Mil gets their PF to play next to Bogut. That's probably how they should have been drafted in the first place.


The longer they wait, the more screwed they are. Teams will know they have to trade him, so they won't get full value for him.

I actually hope they just keep his rights and say a big "screw you" to Yi, his agent, the Chinese government, and whoever else may be involved.


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## yakbladder (Sep 13, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



barfo said:


> That's a little misleading given the title of this thread. That report does not say he's going to sit out this season, only that he won't go to the Bucks this season.
> 
> barfo


Well I didn't want to create a whole new thread for something so extremely similar...geez, barfo, just trying to keep the place a little bit clean....


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

*Re: OT: The Yi saga*

Actually when I went and read Steve Jones column (MSNBC I believe), he said from what he had heard, the NBA is done with players trying to dictate where they will play, and is going to play hardball with China. 

As for the Chinese reason for being against him playing in Milwaukee, they said they want him to play someplace where he will get playing time so he can play for their national team as an improved player. What I don't get, is why they don't think he will get time in Milwaukee. There is plenty of time for Bogut, Yi and Villenueva on the front line, if not all 3 playing at once. So I call BS on their "reasoning" for not wanting him in Milwaukee. This is all about money and endorsement dollars to go corrupt Chinese government officials who want their piece too.


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## Tortimer (Jun 4, 2007)

*Re: OT: The Yi saga*



hasoos said:


> Actually when I went and read Steve Jones column (MSNBC I believe), he said from what he had heard, the NBA is done with players trying to dictate where they will play, and is going to play hardball with China.
> 
> As for the Chinese reason for being against him playing in Milwaukee, they said they want him to play someplace where he will get playing time so he can play for their national team as an improved player. What I don't get, is why they don't think he will get time in Milwaukee. There is plenty of time for Bogut, Yi and Villenueva on the front line, if not all 3 playing at once. So I call BS on their "reasoning" for not wanting him in Milwaukee. This is all about money and endorsement dollars to go corrupt Chinese government officials who want their piece too.



I hope Steve Jones is right and the NBA doesn't back down. This is to bad for Milw though. They probably won't ever see anything from this pick.


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## RedHot&Rolling (Jun 26, 2004)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



crandc said:


> What is all this "gives the Chinese a bad name" and "Chinese don't have honor" etc. etc.?
> 
> Did it give Americans a bad name when Steve Francis refused to go to Vancouver? Does Kobe Bryant saying he would only play for the Lakers means Americans have no honor?
> 
> Why is it that what an American does is what he/she does but what a Chinese does is what all billion or so Chinese do?


I'm sure you've noticed that the NBA is NOT dominated or populated by Chinese people but by American people. It is also obvious that the Chinese gov't has a big role in the decisions being made by Yi's side.

I DID NOT MEAN IN ANY WAY TO INSULT THE CHINESE PEOPLE. I AM NOT A RACIST.

And, YES, it gave American's a bad name when StevieFranchise showed his lack of professionalism IMO.


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## RedHot&Rolling (Jun 26, 2004)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*

Rich Laurel!!!


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## Blazer Ringbearer (Jan 28, 2003)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



MARIS61 said:


> Not seeking sympathy and I certainly don't need any.


OK. You're entitled to your position and this certainly isn't the place to get into a big debate about it. Don't want to completely hijack the thread.

Have a good one...


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## hasoos (Jan 3, 2003)

There is a lot more on this subject at hoopshype. It appears that the story saying that the Chinese basketball team would not let him play in Milwaukee was fabricated. It also says the Bucks are making overatures, such as promising him a starting spot if he will come over.


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## BlazerCaravan (Aug 12, 2004)

*Re: Yi to sit out 07-08 season (merged)*



MARIS61 said:


> Not seeking sympathy and I certainly don't deserve any.



:biggrin:


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## BlazerFanFoLife (Jul 17, 2003)

Seems like a lot of you dont know how the communist system works. Yi is infact property of China. Even if Yi wanted to play from Milwakki he can't unless China lets him. One of the great things about being an American is you own yourself. Every soul in China is property of the Chinese government.


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