I don't know if this is the end of that saga, but it seems to be for now.

He really didn't have any other options. Every time a player has forced a post draft trade, the team under the gun has come up short.

And if the Bucks did acquiesce to his desire, the other owners would be furious at the Milwaukee team for allowing more power than the CBA allows to incoming rookies. I know it's happened before, but we're in a period where the Players Union has sold out for guaranteed money and the balance of power has shifted back to the owners in a huge way.

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Momma was queen of the mambo, Poppa was king of the congo, deep down in the jungle, I start banging my first bongo
Every monkey like to be, in my place instead of me, cause I'm the king of bongo baby, I'm the king of bongo bong
-Manu Chao

What exactly in the most recent CBAs has lessened the ability of incoming rookies to pull a Kobe, or a Stevie Franchise? I'm not sure exactly what you're referring to in terms of the balance of power on this issue.

in a way I'm glad for Milwaukee but its too bad that its soooo costly to slap him back to the CBA.

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To market the NBA with Chinese players and using a Milwaukee angle, perhaps the NBA could do a commercial with Yao and Yi prancing along to the music of "Laverne and Shirley" in the streets of Milwaukee. Remember the intro to that sitcom? Yi could leave the glove on the beer bottle like Laverne did and then wave at it as it goes away.

I see real possibilities in this.

It is good for the NBA. But I agree that realistically Yi had two choices - sign with Bucks or go back to China. He chose the better alternative.

Funny idea, but who would that marketing be directed at? I'm not sure how many people in China would get the reference.

Well, they would have to change things around a bit. But how funny would it be to see those dancing arm in arm on the street?

The change in the draft age.

Rookie contracts for first rounders are 2 years guaranteed with back to back option years, as opposed to 3 + 1.

Players can be sent to the NBDL for 2 seasons at the team's prerogative.

The salary cap is in effect every season (means teams are less likely to risk going into tax territory when they know 100% for sure they will have to pay the tax, before it was likely in certain seasons the tax would not kick in).

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Here is how it would shake down if Yi absolutely refused to sign in Milwaukee.

The Bucks could trade him.

The Bucks could wait until any existing non-NBA contracts were resolved, then sign him before the next draft after those committments were completed.

The Bucks could release him outright.

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Now if the Bucks refuse to trade him, he has to play in China if he still has a contract with Guandong. His other option is to get a non-NBA contract, or sit out a year for the next draft and re-enter.

The Bucks could release Yi's draft rights, but then he would have to negotiate a free agent deal with a team with cap space. Which IIRC, are not his preferred destinations of Chicago or Oakland. That is, unless he was willing to take a max, 2 year deal at the minimum, and then enter free agency as Amir Johnson did, not looking at a max deal, but a mid-level or slightly better offer if there is serious competition for him.

As long as Milwaukee didn't yield to a trade demand, Yi wouldn't have been able to make the move without seriously jeopardizing his long term earning potential.

At the end of the day, money talks.

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Momma was queen of the mambo, Poppa was king of the congo, deep down in the jungle, I start banging my first bongo
Every monkey like to be, in my place instead of me, cause I'm the king of bongo baby, I'm the king of bongo bong
-Manu Chao

Money was talking the day Yi declared for the draft. He has opportunities to play. The team is just down on its luck and not a bottom dweller like the 90's Clippers. This was about maximizing profits outside of basketball. He should have a long career so why not just play out your rookie conract...its short.

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