Has anyone seen this? (Yi Jianlian Potential Trade)

[bgroban]

Then he's done a terrible job worrying about his team. What he should be doing is pursuing every option possible in moving Arenas to Orlando for anything (even Rashard Lewis). THAT is what he needed the most to do...to get Arenas the heck out of there and away from Wall while adding someone that doesn't make more (and right now NO ONE IN THE NBA makes more than Arenas) and who can actually contribute. He didn't need to get a "good guy" to "tutor" Wall (as was supposedly the justification for Hinrich)...honestly does anyone really actually and honestly believe that Wall believes he needs anyone to "mentor" him? And Yi? Wow that's a terrible trade. Yi stinks (he does) and he's a puss (he is). Why would you want a guy who shrivels at the first sign of pressure on your team? To show the other players that they too can go into a shell at the first sign of trouble?

Deals like this has happened before. In NY. Starting roughly 5 years ago. Get the best talent, regardless of need, fit, salary or bargaining power. Honestly, looks like Ernie is trying to challenge Kublai Kahn for worst GM in the NBA right now.

I assume he is trying to move Arenas, then he can plug Hinrich into the SG spot or have him backup both positions. And he can trade Hinrich in the future for future picks to a contending team this year or next year. And Wall is 19/20 years old. Lots of young players aren't ready for the NBA and Hinrich can help him cope and deal with the NBA life. And they also got Seraphin in the Hinrich deal, so that factors into the trade. Yi is an expiring contract that will be a backup for his team, so it's not like they're taking on a giant contract.

Hinrich isn't a SG...why do people keep trying to poney him up as one. He failed in the "hey let's keep Hinrich and move Gordon cause Hinrich can be a SG" experiment. But that's besides the point, the Bulls (and now the Nets) were NOT in the drivers seat on these deals. Each team pretty much HAD TO shed these guys. And instead of doing what he's supposed to be doing (milking it for all it's worth) he basically gave each team a favor. As mentioned before, the Rockets set the market. Grunfeld didn't bother using it. He could have asked for a future 1st rounder from the Bulls and the Nets and you think either team would have said "there's no precedence for that?". He got flubbed.

Do you work in the Wizards' front office, or any front office for that matter? Do you know for sure what GMs around the League are discussing? How do you know what EG has been asking for?

[the_warden]

Why not make a run at a Curry for Yi trade? I think the Wizards have just enough cap room to take on Curry's deal. I don't know what you guys could possibly give up to entice such a trade, though. You'd still have Yi's $4.1M on the books, but that is much less than Curry's figure and Yi would still be moveable (Q-Rich style).

[BrooklynBulls]

Who cares to discuss Hinrich's quality as a player? It simply doesn't matter anymore. He's entered the pit of despair known as the Wizards franchise. Why was he traded for? Grunfeld likes him for some reason. What reason? Who could wager to say? Who knows? Maybe Grunfeld just wants Wall to look even more athletic when he's running beside Hinrich. Maybe he thought Hinrich had magical powers and he could fold the basketball franchise and open a quidditch league. Who can read the thinking of a guy who's proven he's not good at his job?

[cgmw]

Who cares to discuss Hinrich's quality as a player? It simply doesn't matter anymore. He's entered the pit of despair known as the Wizards franchise. Why was he traded for? Grunfeld likes him for some reason. What reason? Who could wager to say? Who knows? Maybe Grunfeld just wants Wall to look even more athletic when he's running beside Hinrich. Maybe he thought Hinrich had magical powers and he could fold the basketball franchise and open a quidditch league. Who can read the thinking of a guy who's proven he's not good at his job?

No. Scott Layden proved he wasn't good at his job.

While Grunfeld was the Knicks top executive, New York advanced to at least the Conference Semifinals of the NBA Playoffs each season. He had five 50-plus win seasons, three Atlantic Division Championships, and two trips to the NBA Finals (in 1994 and 1999). In eight seasons as general manager or vice-president of player personnel, his Knicks teams had a record of 397–227 (.636), and a 61–44 record in the playoffs.

In fact, the year he got fired (1998) the Knicks team he assembled made the Finals. Oakley for Camby. Starks for Sprewell. Very unpopular moves at the time that proved highly successful. Larry Johnson's 4 point play helped.

You can pretty much trace the demise of the Knicks directly to Grunfeld's firing. But that's neither here nor there.

Back ON TOPIC -- I don't think any of us should be terribly afraid that New Jersey now has $4 million more in cap space. Think about it. Unless Russian Soprano makes an offer they can't refuse, what Free Agent is choosing the NEW JERSEY NETS over a comparable job in New York? The Nets were going to get second choice BEFORE this move, and they'll still get second choice AFTER this move.

[XcalibuR]

Good trade for both teams. Yi is actually a very talented player, just very timid and soft. Hes also been badly coached by pretty much all of his coaches, making him a perimeter shooter instead of developing/utilizing any of his low-post talents. Good trade for Yi as well, Washington has some hot asian girls.

[KnicksBigTime]

The Nets are dead in the water. The person trying to recruit free agents....is leaving. He's supposed to convince people to come? Hilarious.

[knicksNOTslick]

Grunfeld's trades aren't bad. They're good. They actually help his franchise.... BUT all these teams are so desperate to get under the cap that you can actually demand more and hose those teams out of their assets. That's what the Rockets did to us and I think Grunfeld could've gotten a little more. Doesn't matter though because I still don't think the Nets have a chance.

[StutterStep]

Nets management either cannot move Harris/Lopez or are really stupid!

They're moving the young guys with decent talent and flexible skill-sets (CDR, Yi) for scrap!

[StutterStep]

If they decline Josh Howard's option and make a S/T for a PF (Bosh, Boozer) or Rudy Gay by using Blatche, the Wiz might leapfrog both Nets and Knicks if we don't get very good players.

[TheBluest]

Nets management either cannot move Harris/Lopez or are really stupid!

They're moving the young guys with decent talent and flexible skill-sets (CDR, Yi) for scrap!

Last player to be moved is Harris and I hit the Trifecta Stutter. I told you they were absolute goners. Fegan got on the Nets nerves as did Yi with his play. Nets tried to move Harris in the Granger deal but no could do as you said. I think Avery would prefer he stick around too. But if he's all kinds of shaky to start the season he's Audi 5000 G.

[StutterStep]

Last player to be moved is Harris and I hit the Trifecta Stutter. I told you they were absolute goners. Fegan got on the Nets nerves as did Yi with his play. Nets tried to move Harris in the Granger deal but no could do as you said. I think Avery would prefer he stick around too. But if he's all kinds of shaky to start the season he's Audi 5000 G.

I can't believe they actually offered Harris for Granger...

You called it but those moves they've made are quite suspect, esp. since they did it because of personalities and not basketball (at face value).

I do think they might end up with two very good FAs but not LeBron.

[TheBluest]

Last player to be moved is Harris and I hit the Trifecta Stutter. I told you they were absolute goners. Fegan got on the Nets nerves as did Yi with his play. Nets tried to move Harris in the Granger deal but no could do as you said. I think Avery would prefer he stick around too. But if he's all kinds of shaky to start the season he's Audi 5000 G.

I can't believe they actually offered Harris for Granger...

You called it but those moves they've made are quite suspect, esp. since they did it because of personalities and not basketball (at face value).

I do think they might end up with two very good FAs but not LeBron.

I think they get Gay/Lee or Amar'e.

[StutterStep]

I think they get Gay/Lee or Amar'e.

Honestly, I cannot see the Nets paying Lee 10+mil, esp. with Avery "better play defense" Johnson as the coach.

I think the push will be for Boozer and Gay as to stay realistic. LeBron is the shot everyone must take but why waste time on Amare/Bosh/Dirk/Pierce, etc...?

[TheBluest]

I think they get Gay/Lee or Amar'e.

Honestly, I cannot see the Nets paying Lee 10+mil, esp. with Avery "better play defense" Johnson as the coach.

I think the push will be for Boozer and Gay as to stay realistic. LeBron is the shot everyone must take but why waste time on Amare/Bosh/Dirk/Pierce, etc...?

They will go Boozer first possibly but I think Chicago gets to Boozer before New Jersey does and offers him the contract he wants. I think Boozer wants to be in Chicago/Miami if not Utah.

[FutureKnicksGM]

Lame that we gave so up so much compared to what the the bulls and nets gave up. But yeah, i don't see them as a threat for the big stars, but they could be in the hunt for the second tier players.