Gamble on Yi Jianlian

[AhLian]

Here's what I think the Nets should do if they are in a serious mindset to win after 2010.

Use Yi Jianlian as the top scoring priority.

Why?

In the warm-up games leading up to the Olympics, China played a series of teams without Yao Ming; this left Yi the burden of carrying the team offensively and he did. In multiple tournaments Yi averaged over 20 points and 9 rebounds.

However, as soon as Yao was ready to play in the Stankovic Cup, Yi's production dropped immensely. After watching the Olympics as well, I can conclude that Yi is only able to score a meaningful amount of points given the top scoring priority. Otherwise, he will struggle to score and may only be used as a rebounder, a true waste of talent. While I know the Nets have characters like VC and Devin Harris, it is my opinion that VC probably wouldn't get a taste of a NJ championship. He no longer has the ability to carry this team and especially one that is made for the future. Devin Harris at best can be a sidekick for Yi; he lacks the mentality as a scoring power.

If we manage to pick up LeBron James in 2010 using the plan I have put out for Yi, we may see a very dominant dual of LeBron and Yi and perhaps a trio if NJ upgrades the SG position. We may be the Boston Celtics of '10 with dominant players in the SG, SF, and PF positions as well as a solid PG and a up-and-coming C.

What do you guys think about this strategy?

 

[GMJ]

Here's what I think the Nets should do if they are in a serious mindset to win after 2010.

Use Yi Jianlian as the top scoring priority.

Why?

In the warm-up games leading up to the Olympics, China played a series of teams without Yao Ming; this left Yi the burden of carrying the team offensively and he did. In multiple tournaments Yi averaged over 20 points and 9 rebounds.

However, as soon as Yao was ready to play in the Stankovic Cup, Yi's production dropped immensely. After watching the Olympics as well, I can conclude that Yi is only able to score a meaningful amount of points given the top scoring priority. Otherwise, he will struggle to score and may only be used as a rebounder, a true waste of talent. While I know the Nets have characters like VC and Devin Harris, it is my opinion that VC probably wouldn't get a taste of a NJ championship. He no longer has the ability to carry this team and especially one that is made for the future. Devin Harris at best can be a sidekick for Yi; he lacks the mentality as a scoring power.

If we manage to pick up LeBron James in 2010 using the plan I have put out for Yi, we may see a very dominant dual of LeBron and Yi and perhaps a trio if NJ upgrades the SG position. We may be the Boston Celtics of '10 with dominant players in the SG, SF, and PF positions as well as a solid PG and a up-and-coming C.

What do you guys think about this strategy?

I think you'll have a hard time supporting that the best offensive player shouldn't be the first scoring option. I think you'll also have a hard time offering Yi as an alternative given your username and avatar, but that's a different issue.

On a similar note, Sean Williams should get 40 FGA a game.

 

[AhLian]

I think you'll have a hard time supporting that the best offensive player shouldn't be the first scoring option. I think you'll also have a hard time offering Yi as an alternative given your username and avatar, but that's a different issue.

On a similar note, Sean Williams should get 40 FGA a game.

Are you kidding?

Is Kobe the best offensive player on his team? Is he the first scoring option?
Is LeBron the best offensive player on his team? Is he the first scoring option?
Is Wade the best offensive player on his team? Is he the first scoring option?
Is Bosh the best offensive player on his team? Is he the first scoring option?
Is Redd the best offensive player on his team? Is he the first scoring option?
I could go on and on.

The only disputable teams are Houston Rockets, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns.

Houston has Yao and McGrady
Boston has Allen, Pierce, Garnett
Suns have Nash, Barbosa, Stoudemire, maybe Shaq.

What's wrong with having Yi as my avatar? I like his game and I'm from China.

 

[GMJ]

Are you kidding?

Is Kobe the best offensive player on his team? Is he the first scoring option?
Is LeBron the best offensive player on his team? Is he the first scoring option?
Is Wade the best offensive player on his team? Is he the first scoring option?
Is Bosh the best offensive player on his team? Is he the first scoring option?
Is Redd the best offensive player on his team? Is he the first scoring option?

heh...

1) Yes he is, yes he is
2) Yes he is, yes he is
3) Yes he is, yes he is
4) Yes he is, yes he is (although I will say that Parker and Calderon also get their touches)
5) Don't know enough about Redd or the Bucks, and I think the jury's out with their current configuration. We'll have to wait and see.

I'm not sure where you were going with that.

 

[cLokwerk]

I'm a big Yi fan also, but there's no way he should be the 1st scoring option this year. He's only played 66 NBA games, he has to earn his touches. VC should lead, with everyone else following. By this logic, Yi, SWat, and Brook should be the top three scoring options because they have the most potential.

 

[Dumpy]

Ahlian, welcome to S2! We have a very active, very knowledgable Nets fan base here that contributes regularly, and hopefully you'll remain here with us for a long time.

It seems like you haven't seen too many Nets games. That's understandable. What you'll find is that Vince Carter is an awe-inspiring athlete still able to perform mindboggling feats on the court. He is double-teamed every time he has the ball; the strategy for the other team is structured around stopping Vince, even when Kidd and RJ were still on the team. Vince will simply have the ball in his hands more than any other player; the Nets will be successful if the other players can shoot well enough to force the other team from just keying on Vince and packing the paint. If Yi can shoot the ball well, he'll get plenty of opportunities, but they will come primarily because of the respect that other teams will show towards Carter.

 

[DynastYWarrioR6]

I think AhLian made a point, but to an extreme. (And I'm Chinese too!). What I think the Nets should do with Yi is not forget about him like Milwaukee did (or at least from what I witnessed in the majority of the season). Just give his touches here and there, in Milwaukee, alot of times he was treated like he was, to an worse extent, in this year's Olympics. Meaning they used him to set screens, and rebound, and the few touches he did get, were all cold due to the lack of touches.

So I don't think you should make him the primary offensive force, but do keep him in the loop unlike how the Bucks mishandled that. I think a free flowing and fast paced offense would be great for NJ this year. Yi is fast for his height, we all know Harris and VC can get up the court, and I think Swat can even try to run, but my point is, a fastbreaking team with this crew could be scary.

 

[AhLian]

To GMJigga:

I was referring to your comment that the best players shouldn't always be the first scoring option.

To Clokwerk:

I don't see why that is not a good strategy. Because the Nets are building for the future and one that includes an aging Vince Carter, it would make sense to make the most of the potential of young guys like Yi and SWat and really guide them to maturity come 2010. At that time, would you rather have a bunch of raw talent and an almost retiring Vince Carter or would you rather have polished young talent and a mentor in Carter?

To Dumpy:

You're talking as though the Nets are playing to win right now. Why would they use Carter as a first option when he probably won't be a key factor in the latter years, years that the Nets are actually in serious contention. Using Carter more than young guys like Yi will only stunt their development and decrease the probability of success in the future.

 

[Master Shake]

AhLian, you make good points. Except...

Kobe>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Yi

LeBron>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Yi

Wade>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Yi

Bosh>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Yi

Redd>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Yi.

So, yano..

 

[AhLian]

AhLian, you make good points. Except...

Kobe>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Yi

LeBron>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Yi

Wade>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Yi

Bosh>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Yi

Redd>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Yi.

So, yano..

How did those guys get to where they are now? They were given opportunities and freedom as the FIRST scoring option. I would say Yi might be at Bosh's level given equal opportunity because they both have quite the talent.

 

[GMJ]

To GMJigga:

I was referring to your comment that the best players shouldn't always be the first scoring option.

Except that you gave examples where the best offensive players were the first offensive option.

 

[DynastYWarrioR6]

Why do my posts always get ignored? Is it because I'm a Rockets and Lakers fan? Is it cause they win more?

*I'm totally messing with you guys

 

[Malorkayel]

Why put unnecessary pressure on the kid. You're setting him up to fail. Most of the people here has been very supportive of Yi and want to see him do well.

Normally,NBA players do not average starter stats until their 3rd year. Yi was hurt or not mentally ready for the second half of last season.

Adults know that wishing and reasoning are 2 different things. Let the kid take his time and learn. The Nets have a good system for Yi.

 

[SportsTicker]

In Milwaukee, Yi played on a team with two ball hogs in the backcourt...Redd and Mo Williams. The team also had a rookie coach and was unbalanced with too many big men, like Yi and Bogut and Villanueva, and too few role players. He rarely got touches...and after he hit the wall, none. In China, he played in an offense that relied on Yao and had poor guard play. Good ball movement was non existent.

Neither situation was ideal for him.

Yi will now be playing with two guys in Harris who know how to set up big men and who want to set up big men. Frank is a MUCH better coach than Krystowiak. He will make sure Yi gets touches. There is little doubt in my mind that if he stays healthy and plays the kind of defense we now know he can play (ask Dirk), he will get big minutes and be a much improved player.

I have never believed the primary purpose of that trade was a salary dump. Kiki thinks Yi has Dirk-like potential (and knows how Harris worked with Dirk). The Nets also thought RJ contributed to their chemistry problems. More importantly, they thought he had peaked.

I do think the Nets want to cut costs long-term and to want to give management the cap flexibility they haven't had in years.

 

[cpawfan]

7.6
15.4
19.9
22.5

Those were Kobe's PPG for his first four seasons while playing with Shaq. If Yi is good enough, he'll get plenty of scoring opportunities playing as a secondary and tertiary scoring option off of people that are already established NBA scoring threats.

Yi isn't coming into the NBA with the strength and power that LBJ or Wade already had. Last season Yi hit the rookie wall and didn't break through it. The NBA's 82 game schedule is a grind and Yi needs to first prove that he can make through an entire season and play strong at the end of it.

To quote Bill Murray's character in the movie What about Bob "baby step onto the elevator... baby step into the elevator... I'm *in* the elevator."

 

[Ma3oxuct]

How did those guys get to where they are now? They were given opportunities and freedom as the FIRST scoring option. I would say Yi might be at Bosh's level given equal opportunity because they both have quite the talent.

Kobe: No, Shaq was #1 for a long time.
Lebron: Yes, but he was a beast when he came into the league.
Wade: #2 after Odom first year, #2 after Shaq afterwards. Although after proving himself, he became #1 and Shaq became #2.
Bosh: VC was #1.
Redd: He started #12 or something back when he was well behind Ray Allen. He watched and learned how to shoot with Ray Allen.

 

[Dumpy]

I'd argue that teams that rely primarily on their young players that aren't quite ready to be the focus of the offense not only do poorly, but it ultimately stunts their development. There are many examples of teams that put all their eggs in players 22 years old and younger, and almost always it is a disaster on all accounts.

Besides, I disagree with your underlying premise that the Nets are destined to be terrible. I think they can contend for a playoff spot, and once there, anything can happen. I think their best-case scenario is to repeat the arc followed by Philadelphia last year, when they started out poorly, but jelled mid-season and became a complete beast by the end of the year and rolled into the playoffs as a team no one wanted to face. Like with Hurricane Gustav, anything can happen. They could steer to the right or the left, strengthen or diminish. No one has any sense, but they DO have a couple of significant talents and some youngsters with upside, which is why I think this will be an interesting season to follow from start to finish.

 

[SportsTicker]

7.6
15.4
19.9
22.5

Those were Kobe's PPG for his first four seasons while playing with Shaq. If Yi is good enough, he'll get plenty of scoring opportunities playing as a secondary and tertiary scoring option off of people that are already established NBA scoring threats.

Yi isn't coming into the NBA with the strength and power that LBJ or Wade already had. Last season Yi hit the rookie wall and didn't break through it. The NBA's 82 game schedule is a grind and Yi needs to first prove that he can make through an entire season and play strong at the end of it.

To quote Bill Murray's character in the movie What about Bob "baby step onto the elevator... baby step into the elevator... I'm *in* the elevator."

Dirk - 8.2, 3.4, 40.5%, 20.6%

Yi - 8.6, 5.2, 42.1%, 28.6%

International players have a tendency to hit the wall hard, in part I think because they are dealing not just with basketball transition issues, but cultural transition issues. Nets admit they failed with Zoran, not providing him the support he needed and it hurt his development badly. Yi played very well in Milwaukee, considering all that he faced: enormous pressure to succeed and to prepare his game for the Olympics, a city with 1,700 Chinese residents, a trying international schedule before he arrived in the US and even business commitments in Milwaukee!

The Nets basketball types face a HUGE challenge in limited the pressures the business side would like to push on him. I know that Yormark has said the Nets will try to "leverage" his role but not "exploit" it. Baloney. The Nets are hemorrhaging cash and the retention rate for season ticket holders is nowhere near what it was...or should be. The only marketing options they have are Carter and Yi, and to a lesser extent Harris. The Nets held a brunch for Chinese American businessmen at the Barclays Center showroom the morning of the USA-China game.

What does that tell you.

 

[AhLian]

Kobe: No, Shaq was #1 for a long time.
Lebron: Yes, but he was a beast when he came into the league.
Wade: #2 after Odom first year, #2 after Shaq afterwards. Although after proving himself, he became #1 and Shaq became #2.
Bosh: VC was #1.
Redd: He started #12 or something back when he was well behind Ray Allen. He watched and learned how to shoot with Ray Allen.

Look. If Kobe was given the first scoring option do you think he would get past 20 PPG only after the 4th season? He would get there in his second season. Who knows when he will score 81 points then and what kinds of awards he would've won already.

All of these players you have pointed out have the potential to be #1. So does Yi. Which is why I say it is important to let that potential be developed earlier rather than later like perhaps Kobe or Bosh.

 

[cpawfan]

All of these players you have pointed out have the potential to be #1. So does Yi.

Sorry, I don't see that type of potential in Yi

 

[Astral]

Look. If Kobe was given the first scoring option do you think he would get past 20 PPG only after the 4th season? He would get there in his second season. Who knows when he will score 81 points then and what kinds of awards he would've won already.

All of these players you have pointed out have the potential to be #1. So does Yi. Which is why I say it is important to let that potential be developed earlier rather than later like perhaps Kobe or Bosh.

I have high expectations for Yi, but he's can't be the first option on offense. He has a silky smooth jumper up to 20 feet, but only when's completely wide open, and he's athletic. If he started drawing the opponent's best defender he would get annihilated. Someone like Bowen or Battier will consistently force him into a 3-14, 4 rebound, 0 assists, 5 turnovers, 4 fouls games.

 

[AhLian]

Sorry, I don't see that type of potential in Yi

Did anybody see that type of Potential from Dirk after his rookie year?

 

[cpawfan]

Did anybody see that type of Potential from Dirk after his rookie year?

People saw Dirk dominate the Hoops Summit game before he was drafted. Yi hasn't dominated similar competition like that.

 

[wireonfire]

Did anybody see that type of Potential from Dirk after his rookie year?

Yi can't create his own shots, Dirk can. That is a huge difference. You shouldn't only compare stats. Yi was much older than Dirk in his rookie year too.

 

[SportsTicker]

People saw Dirk dominate the Hoops Summit game before he was drafted. Yi hasn't dominated similar competition like that.

On the other hand...there is this, from Pete Newell, Joe Abunassar and Kiki Vandeweghe, among others:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2007-06-24-yi-wows-scouts_N.htm

And while Dirk did dominate the Hoops Summit, he did not dominate his first season. I am not saying he will become Dirk nor that he should be the first option, but I think there is a lot of potential there...a 7-footer with a 7'4" wingspan, a 36.5" vertical and deep range. That is a rare combination.

 

[netsking]

The more time that goes by and more and more i think that Yi would be just a good rotation guy. I don't think that his jumper is money, his defense isn't great and rebounding is just average for his size. Also he isn't overall fast. He will be a 12 point scorer 7rebounder and 2 assists with less that 1 block per game. Hopefully he can prove me wrong and we made the right decision on the trade although, i like Bobby Simmons and i look for him to get to pre-surgery form.

 

[soul driver]

defense isn't great? ask dirk how yi's defense is
ok, it's not GREAT, but it's above average, and he's still young. I think with Najera, Dooling, and Harris on the roster, Yi and others will improve their defense. those guys love defense and I'm sure they'd love to push it onto everyone else.

 

[Claud]

The more time that goes by and more and more i think that Yi would be just a good rotation guy. I don't think that his jumper is money, his defense isn't great and rebounding is just average for his size. Also he isn't overall fast. He will be a 12 point scorer 7rebounder and 2 assists with less that 1 block per game. Hopefully he can prove me wrong and we made the right decision on the trade although, i like Bobby Simmons and i look for him to get to pre-surgery form.

Dude how can you say that after just 1 year in the league? Yi is very young and still has alot to learn but you can't use the B word just yet. He could end up being a "rotation guy" like you said but his career is barely starting and you cant make that assumption just yet, the same goes for thinking he will be a superstar or even allstar.

My POV in the whole Yi being the number offensive option on the team is this: He is not on the same level as Lebron, Melo or Wade to name a few. He is not that Franchise player at this point in time, But he could if you give him more time. That's the thing about international prospects, They usually take 3-5 years to adjust to the league and to a new culture. That means that we won't know how good he will be until then. Yi has the tools to become a very dominant PF in the league. But will he work his ass off and show it on the court? Who knows. But he certainly does have what it takes to succeed in this league and the whole situation is very premature to pass judgement already!

 

[cpawfan]

On the other hand...there is this, from Pete Newell, Joe Abunassar and Kiki Vandeweghe, among others:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2007-06-24-yi-wows-scouts_N.htm

And while Dirk did dominate the Hoops Summit, he did not dominate his first season. I am not saying he will become Dirk nor that he should be the first option, but I think there is a lot of potential there...a 7-footer with a 7'4" wingspan, a 36.5" vertical and deep range. That is a rare combination.

Athletically, he is very intriguing. I just want to see him go through the logical progression of development. Yi has tasted NBA competition and was soundly defeated by the rookie wall. Now he'll get to play in a better system and will have offensive opportunities created for him.

I agree with this statement from the article you linked

Bottom line, MacLean says, is that Yi "should be a good power forward who can really step out. Nobody's going to ask him to get 25 (points) and 12 (rebounds) or be an immediate All-Star.

"But he's big enough and skilled enough to be a contributor and be a starter right away."

 

[netsking]

Dude how can you say that after just 1 year in the league? Yi is very young and still has alot to learn but you can't use the B word just yet. He could end up being a "rotation guy" like you said but his career is barely starting and you cant make that assumption just yet, the same goes for thinking he will be a superstar or even allstar.

My POV in the whole Yi being the number offensive option on the team is this: He is not on the same level as Lebron, Melo or Wade to name a few. He is not that Franchise player at this point in time, But he could if you give him more time. That's the thing about international prospects, They usually take 3-5 years to adjust to the league and to a new culture. That means that we won't know how good he will be until then. Yi has the tools to become a very dominant PF in the league. But will he work his ass off and show it on the court? Who knows. But he certainly does have what it takes to succeed in this league and the whole situation is very premature to pass judgement already!

Yes he could be an allstar player but i just can't see that in him. He might adjust in time and be a solid starter maybe a first option on offense, but right now and maybe in the future he is a borderline starter and a solid backup. Dont mean to only go against you.