Yi Jianlian

[=LarryLegend=]

You are petrie and have the 8th pick Yi falls passed 7th do you take a risk on him?

I do, do you?

 

[Vlade4GM]

Well it depends on who else is available, but yea probably.

 

[Bricklayer]

Sure, although you could say that about most of the top bigs. The interesting question comes in Yi vs. the other bigs who might still be there at #8, but after the Oden/Durant/Wright/Horford quartet, I likely gamble on Yi ahead of the rest who may not have as much high end.

In any case, IF we are even lucky enough to be #8, we should have a relatively simplified choice as only 1 or 2 of those top big guys will stil be on board. Of course that will also be where Geoff goes ahead and selects Jeff Green, praising his basketball smarts and "versatiltiy".

 

[NikateeN]

I do, at worst he can get rebounds, something we didnt really have untill Williams got minutes, imagine him and Yi out there together pullin em down.

 

[VF21]

On a purely selfish note, I'd be really scared to pick him. I'd worry there isn't enough bandwidth in the world to handle the onslaught of Chinese fans.

 

[nbrans]

I really think that if the Kings get the 8th pick it's just a matter of coming up with a list of your top 8 guys and then ticking them off as they're chosen. My list goes:

1. Oden
2. Durant
3. Horford
4. B. Wright
5. Jianlian
6. Hibbert
7. Noah
8. Thabeet/Brewer (can't decide)

So yeah. If Jianlian's still on the board and the Oden/Durant/Horford/B. Wright quartet is off the board he's my top choice.

 

[Kingzrool]

Yes. In a heartbeat.

 

[16to93]

Yes. In a heartbeat.

Yup.

 

[Entity]

I'd like to wait for all the pre-draft camps to be over with to see how these bigs match up against each other. I just have a feeling Yi is going to fall.

 

[supamari0]

On a purely selfish note, I'd be really scared to pick him. I'd worry there isn't enough bandwidth in the world to handle the onslaught of Chinese fans.

Yeah the Rockets forum grew tremendously when Yao came but it was already really big. That being said having a Chinese player is damn helpful.

1. ALL your games get telecasted online. The Chinese already put a lot of NBA games online but all Rockets games are always shown including preseason games. Very convenient if you're out of the home market.

2. They actually give you a lot better coverage. There are a couple of Chinese posters that translate Yao's interviews in China and they tend to be much more candid and informative. People will post pictures, info etc..

3. They're a source of endless humor. (for purely un-intentional reasons)

On the other hand, be prepared for absolutely uninformed NBA fans and opinions. Those have slowly died down now that Yao's been in the NBA for a few years but oh boy, it'll be a pain initially.

 

[SacTownKid]

Sure, although you could say that about most of the top bigs. The interesting question comes in Yi vs. the other bigs who might still be there at #8, but after the Oden/Durant/Wright/Horford quartet, I likely gamble on Yi ahead of the rest who may not have as much high end.

In any case, IF we are even lucky enough to be #8, we should have a relatively simplified choice as only 1 or 2 of those top big guys will stil be on board. Of course that will also be where Geoff goes ahead and selects Jeff Green, praising his basketball smarts and "versatiltiy".

I have seen both guys play. If what I saw weighed into who to take between Jeff Green and Yi Jianlian, I'd take Jeff Green in a heartbeat.

 

[Bricklayer]

I have seen both guys play. If what I saw weighed into who to take between Jeff Green and Yi Jianlian, I'd take Jeff Green in a heartbeat.

I mean obviously -- who wouldn't take a 6'8" tweener with no position in the NBA? Truly an opportunity to come full circle: first we return to the suck, and then we draft Lionel Simmons all over again to lead us out of it.

 

[Bricklayer]

On the other hand, be prepared for absolutely uninformed NBA fans and opinions. Those have slowly died down now that Yao's been in the NBA for a few years but oh boy, it'll be a pain initially.

Why VF21 did alarm me with that unforeseen angle, believe me, we've done that last bit before around here. The team of Peja/Vlade/Hedo remember? (also had the Chen phenomenon of...2004? -- training camp invite of a Tawiwanese guard)

Its all good though, shifting through the debris some of our best posters of that era actually originally arrived as fans of those guys. And figure that maybe the Yao experience will have already refined any Yi fans.

 

[nbrans]

I mean obviously -- who wouldn't take a 6'8" tweener with no position in the NBA? Truly an opportunity to come full circle: first we return to the suck, and then we draft Lionel Simmons all over again to lead us out of it.

Ahhh.. Lionel Simmons, good comparison.

 

[Smills91]

At this point my top 10 goes like this:

1) Greg Oden
2) Kevin Durant
3) Al Horford
4) Brandon Wright
5) Corey Brewer
6) Roy Hibbert
7) Mike Conley Jr.
8) Joakim Noah
9) Spencer Hawes
10) Julian Wright

 

[Merdiesel]

On a purely selfish note, I'd be really scared to pick him. I'd worry there isn't enough bandwidth in the world to handle the onslaught of Chinese fans.

lol, thats great...

to answer the original question...

Hell Yes! Hes a baller. It might take him a bit to adapt but once he does the pay off will be awesome.

 

[Vlade4GM]

Even if we get the 8th pick, I don't think there is any way he drops to us unless he totally bombs in his tryouts.

 

[walker60]

I think I would probably take Yi just ahead of Hawes and Hibbert.

 

[Wuster]

He will never drop to #10. Might as well close the thread.