Chris Mullin Talks about The Yi Movement

by Atma Brother ONE on Jun 20, 2007 8:39 AM PDT in Links

GSoM friend Tim Kawakami talked to Chris Mullin over the phone and posted a great read Why Mullin isn't nervous [Mercury News]. Tim of course asked Mullin about what he thought about The Yi Movement who he just checked out in LA the other day:

It was possibly a Mullin diversion, but he sounded distinctly non-ga-ga when he spoke about Yi, mostly because Yi has been speculated to be the Warriors' top focus in a supposed attempt to move up from their No.18 slot into the top eight or nine.

"That's what I hear," Mullin said of the Yi rumors. "But there's a lot of guys I've watched, you know? I didn't start those scenarios, and I don't feel like I have to finish them, especially if it's all about one player."

Still, Mullin agreed that Yi is an interesting combination of size and perimeter ability. Not the only interesting player in the draft, Mullin emphasized, but still interesting.

"He's impressive," Mullin said of Yi. "I saw him play in games (in China a few months ago), so it's not the first time I'm seeing him."

Does Yi fit as a power forward in Nelson's run-run style? "Could be, he runs, he's got athleticism, he can shoot it," Mullin said.

Mullin also made sure to mention that this year's draft, which will be held June 28, has several quality swingmen (always Nelson favorites). He also agreed that the Warriors might pluck a backup point guard in the first round, too.

You gotta love Mullin's poker face about the upcoming draft. Nellie has taught him well.

Definitely check out the rest of Tim's article for the Mercury for more on Mullin's take on Nellie returning and giving Baron Davis a contract extension.

Would Yi and Andris Biedrins be a good 4/5 combo for Nellieball next season?

UPDATE: You don't want to miss Tim's follow up piece this article on his blog titled Reading Mullin: Maybe the Warriors are chasing Garnett, not Yi.

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Comments

KG and the Dubs

Hard to imagine such a fate. We would be instant favorites. No matter who we'd lose, we'd still have tons of guys who could hit from downtown allowing Baron to move the ball down to KG and have him kick it out if triple-teamed. It would be too perfect, and Mullin for Executive of the Year if he could pull it off.

by eshock @ Golden State Of Mind on Jun 20, 2007 10:12 AM PDT reply actions

I cant see any of these rumors actually happening

I say we try to make a move for Josh Smith or gerald wallace. I dont want to sell the whole team for one player, proven or unproven.

by dallaswarrior on Jun 20, 2007 10:46 AM PDT reply actions

more than Yi

As nice of a player as Yi may be, what we really need is someone who can guard the post. As we saw against Utah, we had no answer for a solid post player (Carlos Boozer). Whether we use our draft pick to get that or through a trade or free agency, getting a someone who can guard the post should be our main priority. A player like Yi may be nice, but I dont think a player like that will be able to push us to the top.

by ecp on Jun 20, 2007 10:52 AM PDT reply actions

yeah

i was actually wondering how much better they think yi will be then lets say al harrington. yi is a little bit taller, al is probably a better shooter, al can't rebound, and i doubt yi is carlos boozer. i agree with "dallaswarrior" that we should go after gerald wallace or josh smith, which would both be tough to get especially josh, also i think we should go after chris wilcox

by travisl212 on Jun 20, 2007 11:21 AM PDT reply actions

Feelin' it

Nothing from Kawakami's article inspired this thought of mine, but I have this gut feeling that Mullin & Co. are making a serious push for KG. When the season ended, there was all this talk about Nellie possibly not coming back, and now by all accounts it seems he will be back for at least another season. Granted there has been no official word of such, but I can't imagine Nellie would leave Mullin hanging in regards to his future with the team this late into the offseason and with the draft quickly approaching. Which leads me to my belief that they are going after KG; he is one of the few players who could come here and make an immediate impact and that has to be attractive to The Don.

by Tony Stark on Jun 20, 2007 11:54 AM PDT reply actions

Same goes for Kobe

He's the other "immediate impact" player that might conceivably be available. On the downside, he's not a PF; on the upside, he's a couple years younger than KG and, imo, marginally more of a "winner." Also, since most of our tradeable chits are 2s or 3s, we theoretically match up better with the Lakers as a trading partner (though neither Min nor LA would likely be thrilled to send their franchise to one of their direct competitors).

I would part JRich, Monta, and Harrington for Kobe. I would do the same for KG. Those are the only two available guys I'd say that about.

Here's how I'd rank some potentially available objects of our affection, grouped by what I'd give up for them.

Whatever it takes, outside of BD and Beans

Kobe Bryant
Kevin Garnett

Monta or JRich (not both), plus Harrington, #18, whatever

Josh Smith
Pau Gasol
Gerald Wallace
Paul Pierce
Al Horford

Monta or JRich only

Joakim Noah
Yi Jianlian
Corey Brewer

Harrington only

Ron Artest
Udonis Haslem
Hakeem Warrick

No real interest, given potential pricetag, etc.: Maurice Evans, Rashard Lewis, Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin, Stromile Swift...

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few that have been floated on this site at one point or another. I don't think there's anything too controversial in there, other than maybe the fact that I would give up JRich for one of the top 8 or so picks in this year's draft. Naturally, most of those trades would be pretty favorable for us.

One thing I would add is that "standing totally pat and picking a decent player at #18" is not very high on my list of offseason plans. I think it's a recipe for another 40-45-win, barely playoff cusp season. If we're forced into that option because we can't consummate a trade, that's one thing, but in my view it should be a last option. First option should be to go balls-out for a superstar -- basically, Kobe or KG.

by Sleepy Freud on Jun 20, 2007 2:54 PM PDT up reply actions

I totally agree

Although, I never really liked Joakim Noah's game so I don't think I'd part with J-Rich for him. I would give up anything beyond BD and Beans for a shot at KG but I don't think it'll happen (but MAAAAN!). And I'd only take a chance on an Artest (I don't believe Jax is near the same category of crazy) if he were dirt cheap and I suppose Harrington counts as such.

But yeah, standing pat and adding a player at 18 is not exactly my cup of tea at the moment.

by sadleavy on Jun 20, 2007 4:21 PM PDT up reply actions

You take Noah over Yi?

I can see that, I guess, but I could never pass on Yi.

by Jeremy Belvins on Jun 21, 2007 4:02 PM PDT up reply actions

free kg and ricky davis

give them jrich, foyle and al!

by djchuckdeez on Jun 20, 2007 5:19 PM PDT reply actions

lol

by AJC3317 on Jun 20, 2007 5:35 PM PDT up reply actions

so basically

Kawakimi is assuming that because we aren't hearing anything about Garnett, Mullin might be working on it?

Well, I haven't heard anything about Durant or Oden, except from that lameo "ballin" fella who's mentioned just about every name out there from Bill Curley all the way up to Larry freakin' Bird's Clone.

Kobe is going east because the Lakers would never deal him to the Western Conference, much less Pacific Division.
Garnett is going to Boston because Chicago stupidly didn't trade for him while they still had PJ Brown's expiring contract.
Atlanta is stupid, but not stupid enough to give us Josh Smith for anything we can reasonably offer.
Memphis isn't trading Gasol anymore, since he doesn't mind staying and they have new management.
Since when do we have money for Gerald Wallace?
I'd take Paul Pierce, and I think we could put together a package. Sign me up for that one.
Al Horford: Yes please
Maybe J-Rich if we also got salary relief. Probably not Ellis.
You know the drill.
I would give my left nut for Corey Brewer.
I'd rather have Rasheed Wallace
Makes sense. Do it.
Not sold on him yet, pass unless we get salary relief as well.

Can we just sticky ^that and delete all future posts about those guys?

by OptionZero @ Golden State Of Mind on Jun 20, 2007 5:27 PM PDT reply actions

sorry

you're opinions are not facts

by AJC3317 on Jun 20, 2007 5:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Sure

None of those deals is likely to happen. That was pretty much implied. The point is that if Mullin doesn't at least inquire after all 13 of them, as well as a few others (e.g. AK-47, Ty Thomas, Rasheed) he's not doing his job.

The majority of this site would be happy to go into next season with our current roster, and a guy like Splitter, Thad, or Sean Williams added to the mix. I could live with that, but I think we need to aim higher. Start at the top of that list and move down. A starting 2-3-4 of JRich/Jackson/Harrington shouldn't be at the top of anyone's wish list.

by Sleepy Freud on Jun 20, 2007 6:34 PM PDT up reply actions

with the improved west

The same team + Splitter/Smith/Williams isn't really gonna cut it...

UNLESS
Williams turns into a freakish young version of Marcus Camby

AND

we score McGuire and Dudley and they turn out to be Diaw and Battier redux.

by OptionZero @ Golden State Of Mind on Jun 20, 2007 8:48 PM PDT up reply actions

wouldn't TOUCH

8-13 on that list.

Harrington for Haslem or Warrick? Harrington's bigger than both of those guys and shoots the 3 better. Why would the warriors do that? Artest is good and would fit but pairing him with SJax is unlikely.

Wouldn't trade proven players like JRich or Monta for other guards (even though Brewer was the 2nd best player in the NCAAs behind Oden) or for a project big (Yi) or an energy big with the fugliest shot (Noah).

Quite frankly I don't think any one of options 1-13 are likely or reasonable and would bet a lot of money that they don't happen. Pierce, Wallace, and KG are the only players the warriors might go after but they'd have to break up a team on the rise and only KG (who will cost a fortune) really solves our problems.

by BingBluNT on Jun 20, 2007 6:44 PM PDT reply actions

Obviously

They're not likely. I was just lising the prime suspects that have been discussed in this forum, either because they've been rumored available, or because they'd be a perfect fit for us, or just 'cos.

As far as not reasonable: if #8-13 are bad deals for us, how can they also be unreasonable? I think most of us will get behind any hypothetical deal that's wildly in our favor (JRich and Foyle for Pierce, Brewer, and Ratliff, e.g.). The grey area seems to be that #8-13 range -- the idea of giving up "proven talent" like JRich and Harrington for "question marks" with more upside like Brewer, Yi, and Warrick. Personally, I'd be disappointed if we weren't willing to deal JRich for Yi/Brewer/Noah, or Harrington for Artest/Warrick. A team like us, with zero chance of competing for the finals, should always be willing to roll the dice just a bit.

by Sleepy Freud on Jun 20, 2007 7:04 PM PDT up reply actions

with the improved west

the same team + Williams/Splitter/Smith/Young isn't gonna make the playoffs unless massive injuries occur to all of our rivals

that's why a shakeup with "fan-favorite" (lol!) Richardson or Harrington isn't just a possibility...it should be a prime consideration

by OptionZero @ Golden State Of Mind on Jun 20, 2007 8:52 PM PDT up reply actions

A team like us,

"with zero chance of competing for the finals"

Were we watching the same team? My team was a couple of baskets away from winning the utah series and woulda put in a strong showing againts the spurs. My team if healthy next season looks like it just needs that one big tough man to put us in the western finals? I want to keep the core and try to draft for need plus trade monta, cabbages, foyle,POB, Zarko, Bukkake, and maybe barnes in some combination to end up a thug and a backup point guard that nellie will actually use, that will let baron rest a bit and give us a closer to lock up the games with tough inside play when we are ahead.

by Skeptic con Urquell on Jun 20, 2007 9:34 PM PDT up reply actions

That's one way to look at it

Another way is this: the only team in the entire Western Conference with significantly worse talent than us is the Sacramento Kings. One could make a case that any of NOK, Minnesota, the Clips, Portland, Seattle, and even Memphis, with a bit of luck and synergy, could grab one of the last 2-3 playoff spots ahead of us.

Fate was smiling on us last year: we were the team with the luck and synergy. We got hot and healthy at just the right time, and ran off an incredible two months while most of the good teams in the NBA were resting and the bad teams tanking. We snuck into the playoffs on the last day of the season, thanks to incredibly lucky win by Sacramento over the Clips. We came thatclose to the amazing Mavs series never happening.

The thing is, there's no guarantee we'll catch lightning in a bottle again. Nellie and Baron were the prime movers behind that great run, and they'll both be back, which is a good start. On the other hand, Baron hasn't been fully healthy in five years, and there's no real reason to expect him to be this year. If he sits out 30 games instead of 20-25, maybe we go 39-43 instead of 43-39. Our margin of error is razor thin.

Bottom line: I'd rather not sit around praying for everything to go right. I don't realistically expect a championship, but I'd love some year to go in feeling like we were a solid 50-win team, a 4th or 5th seed in the West. I just don't think we'll be that unless we land another #1b bona fide star to pair with Baron. With our roster as it is now, I don't see how anyone can predict playoffs with any degree of confidence. We have a decent shot, if a lot of things go right. So do Portland, Seattle, the Clips, the Lakers, Denver, and Minnesota (if they keep KG).

We'll always have the memories of 06/07 to keep us warm. Let's not rest on our laurels. Fate doesn't like teams who rest on their laurels.

by Sleepy Freud on Jun 20, 2007 10:58 PM PDT up reply actions

Great Post Sleepy....

I agree completely. We need to be realistic and make any move we can to upgrade. The West is going to be a beast agin this year (even harder_ and we barely made it last year. BAron wont be healthy again so we need better players all around.

by dallaswarrior on Jun 21, 2007 12:12 AM PDT up reply actions

Harrington for Warrick??

is that a joke?? Not even close. Harrington is better yesterday, today, tomorrow....a year from now...etc.
Now, Harrington for Artest is a bit more realistic.

Jrich for Noah? Whoa fella...jeez get some rest man.

Let's Go Oakland! Gas, Brake, Dip.

by OaktownFunk on Jun 20, 2007 7:12 PM PDT reply actions

clarification

don't get me wrong, I like Warrick. Actually wanted the W's to draft him instead of Dookie. But I would be more thinking POB and a 2nd rounder for him.

Let's Go Oakland! Gas, Brake, Dip.

by OaktownFunk on Jun 20, 2007 7:14 PM PDT up reply actions

I think all these rumors are almost bull

they probably wont even happen and the media is just making the rumors to keep our hopes up! I want Yi here hella badly or KG or even maybe Kobe, I just want to see something change about this roster, because if nothing changes it will be highly unlikely that we would be better than last season (which we got very lucky).

The only realistic guy I can see the Warriors acquiring would be Rashard Lewis (maybe sign and trade for J-Rich)? or J-Rich for David Lee and Channing Frye? Anybody like that deal?

"Intensity, Integrity, Intelligence" - Kurt Angle

by ballin on Jun 20, 2007 8:50 PM PDT reply actions

thats funny

Coming from this guys

by OptionZero @ Golden State Of Mind on Jun 20, 2007 8:54 PM PDT up reply actions

I like 'Shard a lot

I actually think he's a little underrated. As our "go-to" wing player, he'd be a substantial improvement over JRich, and an even bigger improvement over Harrington. He basically is Harrington, only a bit better in every facet -- shooting, rebounding, passing, running the floor. You gotta love that he actually makes his shots and his FTs. None of those three guys really plays much D, though -- if you got 'Shard you'd need to pair him with a more defensive-minded forward, like 'Sheed. Sheed and Shard -- now that's a forward tandem.

Back on planet earth though: how exactly is Rashard Lewis "realistic"? We don't have anywhere close to the $$$ to sign him outright, and if we wanted to work sign-and-trade, Seattle is about the least likely trading partner for us. They don't need Harrington since they have Durant, and they don't need J-Rich or Monta since they have Ray-Ray. End of discussion.

As for the Knicks deal: c'mon ... not even Isiah is that dumb.

by Sleepy Freud on Jun 20, 2007 9:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Hm,

I know this is a big stretch. Big Yi sounds like a more athletic Zarko. Only with the exception of Yi being a highly better version.

Anyone agree?

by WarriorFanForLife on Jun 20, 2007 10:15 PM PDT reply actions

why get rid of JRich?

Why would we want to get rid of JRich? Some here have said we should trade JRich for Paul Pierce, Gerald Wallace, Josh Smith, Gasol, KG, a better spot in the draft, or David Lee/Channing Frye. The only ones from that group I'd take for JRich are Gasol, KG, or Greg Oden(but this would never happen), and KG is really the only somewhat possible option of those three. What can any of the other players do that JRich wont do for us? Dont forget that JRich put up 23pts/game for us only two seasons ago and he was injured for a good amount of this past season. Also dont forget how clutch he was in this year's playoffs.

We very well should have won games 1 and 2 versus Utah and if that did happen, there's no way we would have lost that series. Then we would have ran in to the Spurs, and there's nothing wrong with losing to a team that was the best in the NBA this year. Our biggest need, as seen through this year's playoffs, is someone who can match up or at least battle with players like Carlos Boozer and Tim Duncan for 48 minutes if we want to be the most successful that we can be.

Trading JRich away for another guard-forward type player is not going to push us to the top. What we need is a competent defender/rebounder in the post. If we cannot get that, I'm content with seeing what this year's playoff team (who potentially should have been in the Conference finals) along with the #18 draft pick (who says we cant draft a big man here who may provide decent help) can do in a full season together next year. As for the playoffs, we own Dallas, I'd like to take another shot at Utah and I think we can beat them, and if we can avoid the Suns in the first 2 rounds, we will be playing against the Spurs in the conference finals, which is essentially the NBA championship.

by ecp on Jun 20, 2007 10:39 PM PDT reply actions

Que?

You wouldn't take Wallace, Josh Smith, or Paul Pierce over JRich?

Pierce: a much better shooter, scorer, and all-around player than JRich.
Gerald Wallace & Josh Smith: taller, longer, and much, much better defenders than JRich.

As I said to Skeptic, you have to pray for a lot of things to go right if you're seriously expecting a WCF matchup v. the Spurs. Realistically, we're still much closer to the Clips/Hornets/Wolves/Blazers of the world than to San Antonio or Phoenix.

by Sleepy Freud on Jun 20, 2007 11:08 PM PDT up reply actions

wouldnt take it

I believe JRich could score for us as well as Pierce would be able to, and I see Pierce as somewhat of a ball hog. Wallace and Smith may be better defenders but the Warriors still got tons of steals and forced turnovers this past season. And our real need on defense is rebounding and post defense, which I do not see from Wallace and Smith.

Even if these players are better than Smith, would trading away JRich for one of those three really put us past LAC/NO/MIN/POR and closer to the level of SA/PHX?

I really see us on the level of Utah/DEN/LAL with Kobe/HOU as opposed to LAC/NO/MIN/POR, all teams that missed the playoffs. We potentially should have beaten Utah, I have no doubt we would have beaten Houston, I dont believe Kobe would have beaten us in 7 games, and I believe we could have outscored Carmelo and AI.
What would put us on the level of SA/PHX is someone who can compete with the Boozers and Duncans of the League. That's the kind of player I would be willing to trade for.
I dont believe trading for a Pierce or Wallace or Smith would push us to that next level. I feel that trade would leave us competing with LAC/NO/MIN/POR rather than pushing us to to the top, which is where I want to be.

In all, I dont feel it is worth it to trade away JRich for a Pierce, Wallace, or Smith. That trade will not solve our biggest problems, and you also have to weigh in how it may affect team chemistry. Why make this trade if it really not going to get us to where we ultimately want to be?

by ecp on Jun 21, 2007 12:28 AM PDT up reply actions

The Warriors haven't contacted Minnesota at all

Nothing I've heard about KG has linked him to Oakland - the teams in the mix are Orlando and Boston.

by pree on Jun 21, 2007 2:52 AM PDT reply actions

hmmm...

getting back to the original topic, I love the thought of a frontcourt of Andris and Yi.....Andris holdin it down in the paint, and Yi bolting down the court in 6 steps ending in a free-throw line dunk off a pass from boom daddy....I could watch those Warriors all day.
You'd gotta think Baron would loving having another athletic-high flier on the team to pass to....J-Rich and Yi on the same team is like a flashy pg's dream come true....