Let's call it what it is...

[JRon]

Devon and VC are players. Brooke Lopez, although developing, is a player.
Jarvis Hayes, Keyon Dooling, and Ryan Anderson are legitimate bench players.

Yi Jian Lian and Bobby Simmons are barely worth bench spots. They are NOT starters in this league.
The only reason Yi is starting is because he is from China.

So this doesn't sound completely negative... it is a testament to Frank and the the MEN mentioned in the first paragraph, that the Nets have been close to a .500 team much of this season.

It is bordering on extraordinary that they have played this way considering who is starting at the 3 and 4 spot.

It is one thing, and not uncommon in this league, to have to cover for ONE weak spot. To have to cover for TWO glaring weak spots in the starting lineup, it will not be long before this team is 5 and then 10 paces below .500; something must be changed... NOW!

And b4 the YI defenders come out of the woodwork, note something: Yi's piss-poor shooting is coming from a guy who ONLY shoots when he is wide open. If his shot selection wasn't as "wise" as it is, he would be shooting 11 percent from the field.
(And if you think he can develop a more consistent shot, and more importantly, consistent toughness going to and around the whole, fantastic, he can try it from the bench.)
And b4 the non-Yi defenders claim Najera should have his spot.... Sit down and Shut uP!

 

[YiOF]

Why start a new thread about this?

 

[kievitt]

I stopped reading after Devon.

 

[NOMAM]

Ummm.. I think this has been pointed out repeatedly by people here. It's no secret. There has to be at least one upgrade in the starting forward positions for the Nets to improve or at least maintain their current level of play.

 

[killa kadafi191]

Lets be real only reason Yi is starting is because of his race. Lopez had to earn his starting spot. it took an injury from Boone to get Lopez his chance. The Nets are not serious about winning and that goes from the people on top to the guys playing.

Yi should come off the bench. No he needs to be sent to the D League but it won't happen because the Nnets management hope he can at least generate some fans and marketing. Not happening.

The Nets players should meet with managment and request this guy to be sent to D League he is no NBA player

 

[Belarus]

Lets be real only reason Yi is starting is because of his race. Lopez had to earn his starting spot. it took an injury from Boone to get Lopez his chance. The Nets are not serious about winning and that goes from the people on top to the guys playing.

Yi should come off the bench. No he needs to be sent to the D League but it won't happen because the Nnets management hope he can at least generate some fans and marketing. Not happening.

The Nets players should meet with managment and request this guy to be sent to D League he is no NBA player

But then Colorado 14ers will draw bigger attendance than New Jersey Nets

 

[Claud]

I stopped reading after Devon.

Agreed.

 

[SportsTicker]

Lets be real only reason Yi is starting is because of his race. Lopez had to earn his starting spot. it took an injury from Boone to get Lopez his chance. The Nets are not serious about winning and that goes from the people on top to the guys playing.

Yi should come off the bench. No he needs to be sent to the D League but it won't happen because the Nnets management hope he can at least generate some fans and marketing. Not happening.

The Nets players should meet with managment and request this guy to be sent to D League he is no NBA player

Now if someone wrote the only reason a black player is starting or a white person is starting is because of their race, there would be a great hue and cry. But since Yi is Chinese, and from a smaller minority or majority, racist posters feel they can get away with it...and let's be real, this is racist.

Yi is starting because Kiki loved him from the time he first saw him as an NBA analyst for ESPN. Kiki believes, as his first round picks show--and his ill-fated pick of Skita show, that shooting big men offer a great advantage. People also conveniently forget the Nets tried to trade RJ to the Raptors for Bargnani and Kapono. Did Kiki want Bargnani because New York has the greatest population of Italian Americans in America?

What's "not happening" is critical thinking, which this board has in ever diminishing supply.

 

[DevinNets34]

When they coudn't trade for a productive player, they changed their mind for a marketing player, that's for sure.

Yi can't play defense, and he is very very inconsistent.

Some players give up their defense or offense for another one, but it's really sad to see that many Nets players can't do well at any one of both.

 

[ebc]

I don't agree with this post one bit, Yi is 7 foot tall, and has a guard's speed, I think he is the fastest 7 footer in NBA, he has a 38 inch vertical, if he isn't lazy in the court, actually he isn't, he already a defense force, a small one has to do more things to match his defense level, so Yi's defense is underrated. Yi just need more defense experiment, need to be stronger, need to hit his shot, need to moving better, when he finish, he is a beast, I say once again, he already a defense force right now.

 

[ebc]

If Yi's defense is so bad, frank don't let him play in the fourth quarter this game, why? frank already don't play him even one second in the fourth quarter for a long time, so it's not for so call market, ok, VC out, but frank still can put in najera or hassell or anderson or ager or cdr, but frank realize Yi has his advantage, the starting lineup playing well even VC out, in the fourth quarter almost catch up with Detroit, or you still argue with me, frank need a offense player or a shooter, but Yi can't hit a fucking shot, why put him in? that is the coach's angle different from your's, it isn't for market.

 

[DevinNets34]

The things that Yi needs are too many. When he can't hit his shots, he is almost useless,

Yeah, he is very fast as a 7 footer, but he doesn't drive to the rim very often, his speed is made for nothing.

 

[danxcr]

ummm people really forget how young Yi is... yes hes a project but he has great potential... and im am not giving up on him 30+ games into the season... jesus people... if kiki and thorn didnt pull this trade u guys would be crying that they didnt break up the core of devin, VC, and RJ... and RJ would still think hes the best scorer on the team...

 

[Himuki]

yi scores 16 so what you say hate?

 

[Malorkayel]

Funny, the Bucks fans have been bashing RJ for being a overpaid jump shooter. His stats is declining and on top of that, Bucks have better talent and worse record than Nets.

 

[DevinNets34]

yi scores 16 so what you say hate?

Precisely, it's 12 points.

 

[killa kadafi191]

Now if someone wrote the only reason a black player is starting or a white person is starting is because of their race, there would be a great hue and cry. But since Yi is Chinese, and from a smaller minority or majority, racist posters feel they can get away with it...and let's be real, this is racist.

Yi is starting because Kiki loved him from the time he first saw him as an NBA analyst for ESPN. Kiki believes, as his first round picks show--and his ill-fated pick of Skita show, that shooting big men offer a great advantage. People also conveniently forget the Nets tried to trade RJ to the Raptors for Bargnani and Kapono. Did Kiki want Bargnani because New York has the greatest population of Italian Americans in America?

What's "not happening" is critical thinking, which this board has in ever diminishing supply.

No I would say the same if a player is starting in this league if he is black white or purple. Yi in the begining of his NBA career felt he was good enough to say what team he didn't want to draft him. Remember Yi original didn't want to play in Mil. The reason because their is not a large Asian community to market him as Yao has been market here in Houston.

So this was about race before I click the submit reply button. Yi is a rookie and has to earn his way in this league and he hasn't. He was starting for the Bucks last year in the begining but Charlie Villanueva return once Yi begin to have problems.

Lopez had to earn his spot as do many rookies in this league. Hell the number 2 draft pick has been coming off the bench and Yi will never be as good as a player as Mike Bee is right now.

My question what has YI done or shown why he deserves to be starting in this league? I hear all these people say give him time and he is young well let him learn the game and earn his stripes.

Shooting big men offer advantage? No wonder why Denver was underachieving all those years. I hope he doesn't bring that thinking here. Shooting big men get eaten alive by players like Dwight Howard.

What's not happening here is independent thinking. Instead of being a robot to everything the Nets say during a press conference form you own opinions and gather an independent thought about how you feel and not how they want you to feel.

 

[Denny Crane]

The NBA is a business. If having a guy like Yi out there puts butts in the seats and sells merchandise, it's going to trump basketball decisions to some degree.

It's not specific to Yi being Chinese, though he is a draw with a lot of overseas fans (witness the all star voting).

I remember living in the SF Bay area when Joe Montana got hurt and Steve Young stepped in for him and outplayed him. When Montana was healthy, public opinion was on his side in the QB controversy that followed and he ended up starting. They did eventually trade him to make room for Young anyway...

 

[nets1]

No I would say the same if a player is starting in this league if he is black white or purple. Yi in the begining of his NBA career felt he was good enough to say what team he didn't want to draft him. Remember Yi original didn't want to play in Mil. The reason because their is not a large Asian community to market him as Yao has been market here in Houston.

So this was about race before I click the submit reply button. Yi is a rookie and has to earn his way in this league and he hasn't. He was starting for the Bucks last year in the begining but Charlie Villanueva return once Yi begin to have problems.

Lopez had to earn his spot as do many rookies in this league. Hell the number 2 draft pick has been coming off the bench and Yi will never be as good as a player as Mike Bee is right now.

My question what has YI done or shown why he deserves to be starting in this league? I hear all these people say give him time and he is young well let him learn the game and earn his stripes.

Shooting big men offer advantage? No wonder why Denver was underachieving all those years. I hope he doesn't bring that thinking here. Shooting big men get eaten alive by players like Dwight Howard.

What's not happening here is independent thinking. Instead of being a robot to everything the Nets say during a press conference form you own opinions and gather an independent thought about how you feel and not how they want you to feel.

Well Said!!

Netincome and his group always like to use the " race card" whenever they can't win an argument or have no facts to back up what they are saying. Yi stinks. He stunk with the bucks but had the rookie wall to hide behind. Then the bucks found a sucker and traded him and an overpaid player for a decent player in his prime in RJ. This year Yi has no rookie wall to hide behind or use as an excuse. He's just not that good.

Netincome is using the race card to deflect away from Yi's consistent poor play. Nice try Netincome, but i mean Really??!?!

 

[adisodes]

I agree that the only reason Yi continues to start is because of the advantages of a massive Chinese audience.

 

[killa kadafi191]

The NBA is a business. If having a guy like Yi out there puts butts in the seats and sells merchandise, it's going to trump basketball decisions to some degree.

It's not specific to Yi being Chinese, though he is a draw with a lot of overseas fans (witness the all star voting).

I remember living in the SF Bay area when Joe Montana got hurt and Steve Young stepped in for him and outplayed him. When Montana was healthy, public opinion was on his side in the QB controversy that followed and he ended up starting. They did eventually trade him to make room for Young anyway...

What butts?? Yi is not Yao. I stay in Houston and I see the huge difference between BY and AY (before Yao and After Yao) Hell you can contribute Francis all star games to Yao fans as well but Yi does not have that affect.

Also I have a problem with any thing that is not talent why a player is starting. Sebastian Telfair remember that name Yi fans. He was drafted high because he had a freaking shoe contract. Now look at him? You see how he was exposed too?

The Nets have not seen one advantage business wise or basketball wise from acquiring Yi. Well cap space for 2010 but who can they convince to play here?

 

[JRon]

The sad thing is: Yi very well might have the tools to be effective in this league. A true All-Star? Not likely.
But he could be a guy who contributes 12points/7rebs/and 1 or 2 blks a game in 20 minutes a game almost immediately. That would fit nicely, if from the bench. Even still, the uptick in stats and relevance or importance to the team would have to also come in the form of increased and more consistent toughness. I am prepared to allow him to grow into that, but that growth should come from the bench. He is a shrinking violet on the floor most of the time, he wakes up for a moment or two, and then goes back to sleep. Is he merely spoiled? Does he not care or have no fight? Either way, catering to him, Stern, the Chinese Market, or the almighty dollar will not help any of the above in the long-run. So bench his lanky ass and demand more of those waking moments in a shorter period of playing time. If he earns it, give him the starting spot.