Can Yi Answer The SF Question?

[okanoho]

i think Yi can play SF, but not for a extended long period of time
he would be running out of breath because he need 100% to be catching the speed of guys at the height of 6"6

maybe 20 minutes SF rotation, or acquire another guy who can do similar stuff like Yi at 7" with the speed of catching the 6"6 guys

[showtimesam]

I think Yi and sf works, at least if CV is out there too.

CV can play the role of sf on the offensive side, and Yi can defend the oppositions three.

I'd like to try that at least over the othe rlineups that have had no success.

[okanoho]

As you know, Chapter, I don't think Villanueva is the answer at PF. He's such a horrible defender and he isn't the standout rebounder many people here make him out to be. We have seen that lineup a bit since Mason's injury but I can't recall who's been guarding the other team's SF - has it been Yi or Villanueva?

all they have been playing is Zone
guard what?

[Chapter29]

Yi played SF for a while with Bogut and Gadz on the court. I thouhgt Yi struggled when he faced Prince. Yi tried to post Prince up but Prince just fronted him and prevented Yi getting the ball. On the defence end Yi did OK but Prince still scored a three over Yi.

Interesting. I did not see the game. Looking deeper into this it would seem you are indeed correct.

Yi was on the court at SF for 3 minutes of the final 4:15 of the 2nd Qtr. The lineup was Ivey-Bell-Yi-Bogut-Gadz (Redd 1:15 for Gadz).

Yi scored no points and had no rebounds in this time. If the matchups were SF on SF he did in fact match up with Prince who during this time was 2-4 with a made 3. 5 points in a quarter is a fair amount, let alone in 3-4 minutes time. Yi did not fair well in very limited time, but who does against Prince?

Bogut in a bit longer stretch (5:45, with 3 minutes at PF) was 2-4 with a TO and 0 Rebounds. Ugh.

Gadz was his usual ineffective self. In playing most of the 2nd Qtr he managed 1 rebound and 3 points on 1 attempt (1-2FT) with 3 TO's.

I still like the idea of Yi spending some time at SF, but not against top flight ones like Prince.

[europa]

-= original quote snipped =-


I still like the idea of Yi spending some time at SF, but not against top flight ones like Prince.

He either plays the position or not in my opinion. If he can't play against top-flight SFs like Prince there's no point in playing him there at all since the goal is to have a player who can match up against the best in the league if possible. I don't think he'd be a world beater right away but the other options currently stink and I do not believe Villanueva is the answer at all. I think he is a much worse answer at SF than Yi would be because at least Yi would bring defensive potential to the position.

I think it's worth exploring if the right defensive PF could be acquired. If that player was not available but a good SF can be found, then go that route and keep Yi at PF. I just think it's worth expanding the options a bit rather than being limited and possibly narrowing the field of talent you might be able to acquire in a trade.

[stellation]

I think many of us would like to see a front line of Yi-CV-Bogut.

I would have liked to see that lineup starting in the frontcourt before seeing Simmons/Yi/Bogut starting- CV has been far from great this year but certainly was more deserving of the opportunity to start than Simmons was. I don't care either way at the moment if it is CV or Yi that we say is playing SF.

[CBUCK06]

I think can play some 3. Maybe even start there but I'm not sure about full time. Our real issue is that he's the only starting caliber PF on this team. CV is less physical, has less heart and has less basketball IQ so he REALY can't play the 4.

We are in trouble.

We still need an Al Horford, Milsap, Smith type of 4 man.

[BrewersGM]

Of the two who do must of you guys/girls think is a quicker defender. Thats seems like the issue between them. Some say Cv is stronger, some say YI is quicker on D. Who ever the better defender is should play the SF.... It makes sense to me...

[CBUCK06]

I'm not sure who is actually faster. I know who has a heart and basketball brain.

Personally, I'm done with CV. We saw this same guy 4-5 years ago....TT.

You can't win with him with our type of good guys.

Move him for a banging 4 man and let Yi play minutes at the 3 but start at the 4.

[Andrew34r]

I'm not sure who is actually faster. I know who has a heart and basketball brain.

Personally, I'm done with CV. We saw this same guy 4-5 years ago....TT.

You can't win with him with our type of good guys.

Move him for a banging 4 man and let Yi play minutes at the 3 but start at the 4.

Yep.

[wireonfire]

No.

Reasons: handles, passing, shooting off dribble. He is lacking in those departments.

[Bucks_Revenge]

Yi in my opinion can play the 3 but Larry K is to stubborn to do so....even though before the year we all knew that would of been perfect.

[jerrod]

i don't think yi can play the 3


i think in certain situations, cv can

[CBUCK06]

i don't think yi can play the 3


i think in certain situations, cv can

In essence, we have no SF. One of the easiest positions to fill in the NBA. What makes me sick is looking at J. Moon from TORONTO, we had him in camp 3 or 4 years ago.

We have no REAL SF..... how does that happen!

[fam3381]

Yi in my opinion can play the 3 but Larry K is to stubborn to do so....even though before the year we all knew that would of been perfect.

Perfect?

We did?

[Oly]

No.

Reasons: handles, passing, shooting off dribble. He is lacking in those departments.

+1

[El Duderino]

This season is already toast, i don't even care if we win 37 games or say 30, in fact long term we are likely better off winning 30 if the ping pong balls bounce our way.

The last thing i want the team doing is anything that might hinder the development of Yi in the slightest. Yi is going to be a PF for us in the coming years, so that's where i want him while he's learning the game regardless if maybe for this year it may have helped the team a bit more if Yi could play SF fairly effectively.

We already know that Redd won't be good enough to lead this team anywhere if he continues being our best player. Mo isn't good enough to be the man for the franchise. Bogut isn't good enough either for that.

Yi is the only hope left on the team right now and odds are against him becoming that good, but there certainly is at least some chance he'll get that good. Besides other moves made to the roster going forward, the development of Yi is far and away the most important thing i want to see from this team. Taking him out of the paint even more than he already is a PF isn't something i want to see. Maybe if this team was actually going somewhere this season, then i'd consider it. That isn't the case though.

[europa]

I don't see how moving Yi to SF hinders his development. If that's where he may be a more natural fit on this team. Why are we so convinced he's a PF? Because he's 7-feet tall? His game is more akin to a SF than a PF so why not play to his strengths and add a more physical defender and rebounder to the starting lineup? I'm not saying the team shouldn't pursue an athletic SF who can defend and play at a quality level. I'm saying if such a player can't be found, but the type of PF I describe can be, perhaps that's a way to make an improvement to this team. Adding another defender and rebounder to the frontcourt isn't a bad idea regardless of where Yi plays in my opinion.

[El Duderino]

I don't see how moving Yi to SF hinders his development. If that's where he may be a more natural fit on this team. Why are we so convinced he's a PF? Because he's 7-feet tall? His game is more akin to a SF than a PF so why not play to his strengths and add a more physical defender and rebounder to the starting lineup? I'm not saying the team shouldn't pursue an athletic SF who can defend and play at a quality level. I'm saying if such a player can't be found, but the type of PF I describe can be, perhaps that's a way to make an improvement to this team. Adding another defender and rebounder to the frontcourt isn't a bad idea regardless of where Yi plays in my opinion.

I agree that Yi is playing more like a SF right now, but there are reasons for that in which he currently can't control much for this season, but hopefully change starting next year.

His biggest and most obvious issue at PF is a lack of upper body strength. From what i read, Yi is a hard worker and i expect him to work hard at getting stronger each year. By next year he might not be quite there yet strength wise, but it seems reasonable to expect him to be stronger next season and even stronger the next.

Then the two more obvious keys are him working on finishing better around the rim and shooting thousands of post up jumpers during the offseason. With his length, lift, and great shooting form, Yi should hopefully develop a post up jumper skill set in the fashion of a Dirk/Garnett. Few are going to be able to block that sort of shot by Yi.

Yi is not only adapting to a new country, new teammates, and a new league, he's experiencing what it's like to play men each night that are his size that can defend. Where that situation is still hindering Bogut inside three years later, Yi has such a pretty jumper, i'm confident he'll develop a deadly post up jumper shot. He may never become a banger type of PF, but i see most of his weak areas being fixable through time, strength, and hard work the next offeason or two.

If he was lazy like CV, i'd have fear that Yi won't get strong enough or work hard at finishing inside better. He's not CV though.

[wireonfire]

IIRC, Yi has quickly adapted to the physical nature of the NBA. At the beginning of the season after that good stretch, his % of inside shots were less than 30%, now it is almost 50%.

I truly see him more of a post player than one on the perimeter down the road.