The YI conundrum: what do we do?

[EastSideBucksFan]

It became apparent about halfway thru his rookie campaign that Yi was a "Not Ready For Primetime Player". Unfortunately LK didn't realize it in time and kept trotting him out there as a starter while a more offensively productive player sat on the bench.

Yi was mired in a few injuries and ended up cutting his rookie campaign short. Villanueva became the starter and showed flashes of the player that we traded TJ Ford for. Unfortunately, even at his best, he's not the player that this team needs due to his defensive deficiencies.

So, the writing on the wall is becoming clearer and clearer and it's almost a certainty that Villanueva will not be back next year. So, there is a hole at the PF spot that needs to be filled.

BUT, what kind of player should we be acquiring?

Should we use our draft pick on a PF?

Unless we win the draft or get a top two pick and land Beasley there isn't anyone really at our draft spot worthy of being drafted. We could trade down and go for a guy like Joey Dorsey or Kevin Love (who I'm convinced will be a bust), but it's possible that a rookie and Yi at PF could be a disaster waiting to happen.

Should we look to acquire a premier talent at PF?

Elton Brand and Jermaine Oneal are the two big names. An Elton Brand trade would require more than we are likely willing to give up (Yi) and Jermaine comes with plenty of issues of his own. But for the right price JO would be a solid addition to our team and a good pairing next to Bogut.

BUT, how will that effect Yi?

Yi surely wants to be a starter, but I am not convinced that he is ready to be a starter or that we can win with him at starter.

Would the situation get dicey if we acquire a talented PF who clearly deserves to start over Yi?

Who knows. But it's apparent that this team needs a different type of player on the roster at PF that is the prototypical banger type that could start if necessary. We have Mo, CV and our draft pick as our bargaining chips.


So, it's almost as though that Yi has this team hostage. But I don't think that means Hammond will sit on his hands this offseason.

It seems as though we are resigned to looking to acquire a mid-level (talent wise) player that is experienced and could start, but would not necessarily become the clear cut starter over Yi.


Europa has long been touting a Mo for Haslem swap. This deal, or type of deal is exactly what we have to live with and that would be OK.


So, what are we going to do at PF this offseason and is Hammond going to be cognizant of "The Yi Conundrum" or is he going to go all out and improve our team in any way he can, even if that means acquiring a player who will start over Yi?

[jeremyd236]

If Mo is traded for Haslem, I'd hope that CV is traded for a PG.

Also, I don't think it's fair to say that LK kept starting Yi even though though Yi made it obvious that he wasn't ready.

Remember, Kohl/Harris gauranteed China that Yi would play 25 minutes a game. While Yi could have came off the bench, I don't think the nation would have been pleased with it. And let's face it....all Kohl wants to do is please people, nothing more or less.

LK has been quoted to say that he wasn't allowed to coach the way he wanted to. Perhaps this is just one of the many ways in which he was restricted.

[heynow]

It is clear from Hammond's comments, he is going to build around Yi and Bogut.
He singled them out for a reason.

You build from the inside out.
People always fixate on guards and shooters.
However the Pistons became a championship team when they went out and got Sheed. It was the combination of Sheed and Wallace (along with McDyess )...
THe Bucks have three long athletic and skillful bigs in Bogut, Yi and Villaneuva. The key is finding perimeter players who understand how to use bigs to make you a better player.
Perimeter players who are willing to defend and make the extra pass to get better shots in the half court.

I am not sure Redd, Mo Williams and the present group cannot do it but I am skeptical about them. The Bucks perimeter defense has been woeful for some time, their ball movement has been poor for sometime.

My hunch is that we are going to see maybe not this offseason, but in the near future a major overhaul of the perimeter players on this team.

Redd and Mo, along with Simmons are just not complete players and because what we pay them we are really hamstrung when it comes to what types of moves we can make.

[gobbler]

The answer to your conundrum is as simple as one word: Sessions.

If CV and Simmons look that good playing with him, imagine what Yi could do?

[trwi7]

If CV and Simmons look that good playing with him, imagine what Yi could do?

If the only thing Yi can do next year is shoot jumpers it doesn't matter who his PG is. He needs to get stronger and develop a post game. The chances of that happening this offseason is about 1%.

[paulpressey25]

So many things ride on this lotto drawing.....

I think the difference between top 3 and picks 7/8 is massive.

Mo for Haslem though works on so many levels.....but if Hammond wants to take a flyer on Redd for JO (assuming Indy would ever do it) that would be about the only guy I'd try to trade for that would clearly unseat Yi.

[fam3381]

I have zero expectation that we'll look to make a big trade involving Yi, so I think we have to expect Yi will be around for at least another year. I'm totally fine with that, and am still hopeful he can be a productive player. But I agree that we obviously need to strengthen the position.

The Haslem proposal would certainly be a great way of doing that, though it would possibly "block" Yi from PT. Still, Yi is getting to the point where he needs to bring it all together and move past the learning on the job phase. I certainly wouldn't hesitate to draft a guy like Speights if he's considered to be the best prospect on the board when we pick.

I agree with jeremy in that Yi starting over CV didn't really matter. Yi deserved to start through December and once he went downhill I'm not sure how Charlie could have saved us given what he showed the rest of the year.

CV showed *flashes* of offensive brilliance, but he was never a consistent guy on the offensive end and aside from about one week after the all star break we never were all that successful with him starting either. Aside from rebounding well, he doesn't bring anything to the table defensively, so we shouldn't expect him to turn around a team that was on the skids. And given it was going to be a lost season either way, I'm fine with Yi having been a starter.

[EastSideBucksFan]

Well, I would be extremely nervous next year if we trade CV, draft a PF and go into the season with a rookie and Yi as our PF's, unless it's Beasley.

I don't really see why Indy would take Redd for JO. Unless they have fallen in love with CV and would want to take our garbage contracts (Simmons and Gadz), I don't really see how it could work. Unless they want Mo, I guess. But all those scenarios are unlikely.

I'm liking the Mo for Haslem trade more and more, but I think I would like to expand it to have Mo/CV for Haslem/Dorrell Wright. That would give us length, strengh and athleticism at the SF/PF spots.

[fam3381]

Well, I would be extremely nervous next year if we trade CV, draft a PF and go into the season with a rookie and Yi as our PF's, unless it's Beasley.

I guess I'm just mostly resigned to next year being a rebuilding year, though I know the East is obviously a fairly weak conference right now outside the top two. And I feel like Yi being a year older and CV not being very good in the first place means it can't get much worse next season.

I'm liking the Mo for Haslem trade more and more, but I think I would like to expand it to have Mo/CV for Haslem/Dorrell Wright. That would give us length, strengh and athleticism at the SF/PF spots.

Wright's a RFA and at this point I'd guess he's not going to be getting an MLE offer from anyone. I'm also not sure how interested Miami is in bringing him back either, but any deal involving him would be S/T.

[EastSideBucksFan]

-= original quote snipped =-



Wright's a RFA and at this point I'd guess he's not going to be getting an MLE offer from anyone. I'm also not sure how interested Miami is in bringing him back either, but any deal involving him would be S/T.

I didn't remember he was a RFA. I would rather make him an offer then for throw CV in for him. Not too much, but enough that Miami won't match. Maybe split the MLE (can we do that?) an offer him a 3YR/$9M deal. I think he could be our starter at SF and would bring much needed length, athleticism, rebounding, and shot blocking to the SF spot..

[CBUCK06]

I love the thought of Mo for Haslem.

Sessions WILLINGNESS to pass with Yi in the same lineup is interesting.

If we can get some value from Mo, CV and our 1st rounder, that should be three pieces that really help us next year. W/ Hammond, my guess ist that the will all be team oriented and defensive in nature.

[BucksRuleAll22]

Ewww what with everyones obsession with Haslem. Not really any good loto PFs besides Beasly. And Yi was a rookie, almost all rookies struggle in thier 1st year. Skys the limit for Yi but he has to bulk up and thats the key. Sessions is obviously gonna start at PG next season, and gonna do great things.

[smalls]

I think ur being too hard on Yi, I dont think it was a coincidence that his play disappeared at the same time that the Bucks play as a team went into a selfish blackhole and he had some injury issues. After he came back from injury he lost sync and the team was such a mess it would be difficult for any rookie to regain what they had goin earlier. I think we see some vast improvement from Yi in year 2 as u would see in most rookies. Especially now that he has settled into the culture here. His biggest weakness is his lack of strength which all rookie big men suffer given a decent offseason i expect him to comeback stronger and ready to go.