There’s no way to sugar coat this one for the Bucks. They are about to get royally screwed by selecting Yi Jianlian with the 6th pick.
“Our agent team had meetings to study this case immediately after the draft,” said Yi’s Chinese agent Zhao Gang. “Yi’s selection at six has proved his capabilities and value.
“However, we feel that the Bucks are not the best fit for Yi Jianlian. Our team will make contact with other teams who have watched Yi’s training and games to see if there is any possibility of a trade.”
So not only is Yi’s team giving Milwaukee the finger by not showing up at all for the customary “hold up the jersey and smile for our local media” gathering… they’re going to kick Milwaukee in the nuts by forcing a trade. When you consider (a) the 6th pick’s salary is already set somewhere around $3 million and (b) they’re dealing from a position of weakness… the Bucks have almost no shot at winning in this deal. How many $3 million players out there are worth what Yi could be worth? The only $3 million players out there are other early draft picks that won’t be moved… or complimentary guys that aren’t as talented.
Nice one Milwaukee. You should have taken Corey Brewer. On the bright side… you’re the leader in the clubhouse in the OJ Mayo sweepstakes.
Holy crap… no beer for him I guess.