Yi Traded to Wizards

[Alpha_]

The Nets traded Yi Jianlian to the Wizards, with cash, in exchange for Quinton Ross.

The story was confirmed by three sources.

The Nets are making a bid to get about $30 million under the salary cap, nearing the ability to offer two maximum-salary contracts when free agency begins Thursday.

http://twitter.com/WojYahooNBA/status/17349263547

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStori ... TORY_26906

[NovU]

This makes the Wizards a serious contender at championship with Blache and Yi twin towers, the best front court in NBA.

On less interesting side of news, anymore of cap space these teams make, 2nd tier FAs are going to get max contracts.

[Martti.]

Ernie Grunfeld has now made 2 moves to favor other teams cap space. I think it was draft night when it was said that the Hinrich move was partly so the Knicks chances at landing LeBron would drop.

Don't the whole Grunfeld-Knicks situation, but I'd assume the two didn't part on the best of terms?

[Sauru]

its not a bad time to pick up some extra pieces. if you cant land a big name you can probably get a player with giving little back which is what the wiz are doing. however all the teams they are helping clear cap space play in the east so it kinda is fucking stupid to do

[shadowgrin]

Wasn't Ernie Grunfeld the same GM who gave Allan Houston that $100M contract? If he was, no surprise about his recent moves.

[Andrew]

On less interesting side of news, anymore of cap space these teams make, 2nd tier FAs are going to get max contracts.

That was bound to happen anyway once the top tier players are off the table.

[Lamrock]

Whichever team lands Joe Johnson will not win a championship this decade. He and Rudy Gay are the biggest wastes of money. I could also see teams (like the Wizards and Wolves) giving out big money to "projects" like Ty Thomas and Darko.

Grunfeld's a joke. No idea how he manages to keep his job with every one of his moves failing. On the bright side, Yi will double their jersey sales.

[The X]

Whichever team lands Joe Johnson will not win a championship this decade.

Agreed

[Sauru]

johnson at best is a good number 2. problem is he think he is a number 1

[Static]

as a nets fan, i'm starting to become seriously worried at the prospect of the team giving a max contract to a player who doesn't deserve it (as in, anyone who's not lebron james or chris bosh).

[Sauru]

so wade does not deserve a max?

NJ and NY are both gonna over pay someone. i see 2 or 3 more rashard lewis situations about to happen

[Modifly]

Yi actually showed signs of promise last season before he broke his hand (if I recall correctly?). If he could stay injury-free, I can see him being a 15-8-3 guy. That is of course, if the Wizards give him minutes. Yi's got game.

[shadowgrin]

Yi's a bigger blackhole than Zach Randolph. At least Z-Bo is money in the post.

[Modifly]

Yeah, too bad Yi's inconsistent.

[Rip32]

Hey! Now the Wizards have THREE black holes on their roster! Blatche, Yi, Arenas! Now it's just a question of which one sucks the life out of John Wall's career!

johnson at best is a good number 2. problem is he think he is a number 1

This. He has the talent to be that top wing player on a team with a legit big man... but chances of that happening are slim to none. Rumor has it ATL wants to keep him, and he does seem to have a niche there as their "franchise" player.

as a nets fan, i'm starting to become seriously worried at the prospect of the team giving a max contract to a player who doesn't deserve it (as in, anyone who's not lebron james or chris bosh).

Someone is going to get the middle finger by all these major free agents and that team is going to throw a max-deal at Carlos Boozer or Rudy Gay and they aren't going to be happy with their returns.