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Yi Jianlian Deal to the Lakers Looking More Real (and Expensive)

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After a Marc Stein report Tuesday evening stated the Lakers and former lottery pick Yi Jianlian were in advanced talks, there are now reports coming out of China that the deal is done. Our thoughts on how Jianlian fits on the Lakers haven’t really changed — the skill set is solid and a role could be carved out, but that likely comes at the expense of young players the Lakers should be more focused.

But it seems a new wrinkle may impact how this signing could be viewed. Namely, what Yi will be paid. It was originally thought a minimum contract would be agreed upon. As Eric Pincus notes, for a player with 5 years NBA experience, that amount would be roughly $1.14 million. However, back in 2015, Yi signed a contract extension with the Guangdong Tigers which would pay him roughly $3.2 million a season for 5 seasons.

It would seem strange, then, that he would come back to the states to make roughly one-third that amount, even if it did mean playing in the best league in the world. I mean, why would anyone do that? Well, it seems like they wouldn’t. I bet they would for over double that amount, though:

Yeah, one year, $8 million would probably do it.

If you want to try to rationalize this deal, it is pretty easy to point out that a). the Lakers have the money to spend, b). have an open roster spot, and c). could always try to leverage this one year deal later by trading Yi when he becomes eligible in mid December. That last point is probably the most important here since he would be making enough money to serve as real salary ballast in a larger trade where matching dollars becomes a necessity due to CBA rules.

Still, though, that feels a lot like giving the Lakers the benefit of the doubt here. Smart teams do see the value in contracts like this and do use foresight by envisioning the ability to use them in future trades. However, the real reason to sign a player should always be about what he can provide on the court and how he fits into the larger picture of roster development and winning games.

As I have written, Yi can play. As a traditional stretch PF or even a “small-ball” C — as much as you can say small when he’s a legit seven footer — Yi has value as a floor spacer/shooter who can open up the offense. Looking at the type system Luke Walton is likely to install, it’s easy to see the symmetry. Yi could slide right into the Mo’ Speights role of a reserve big who comes into games to impact the offense. He doesn’t need to be an every game option, but having that tool in the bag is useful and provides options. And, it should be repeated again, when building a team, adding more talent is never bad.

But things are never so straight forward. Not to repeat myself, but even in the best case scenario where competition sorts itself out and players naturally fall into the roles and minute allocations which best suit them, adding another player who wants to play — no, who likely needs to play — to a roster where you already have somewhat of a logjam of quality players who need development is tricky. I think coaches always want more talent, but when managing that talent creates scenarios where interests of all involved are put in direct competition, you start to create problems for yourself.

And, again, the Lakers may not be “stacked” at PF/C, but they have 1st round picks from recent drafts who are PF’s, just signed a guy to a $64 million deal to play C, drafted a player in the 2nd round who you had rated #16 on your board as another C, and resigned one of your back-up bigs to a deal in the $6 million range. That’s 5 players at the 4/5 spots and I haven’t even mentioned Luol Deng or Brandon Ingram.

So, yeah, it’s one thing to want more talent. It’s quite another to actually get it and then have the integration of it all go smoothly. I am not saying Luke Walton isn’t up for that job — it is his job to handle these things and one of his strengths seems to be relating to players and generating buy-in. But in the balance of adding talent and how adding that talent can actually impact roster dynamics, this move feels a bit like it’s tipping in the wrong direction.

Of course, that’s just me speculating in the middle of August. But this will bear watching and I am interested in how it plays out.


Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. jvilomar says

    You are not alone Darious, even Yi played great in the Olympics, everybody is wondering how this could impact the team.  Luke will have to let the Force flow in order to maximize this log jam, like an interstate highway on pike time. Or whatever!

  2. TravisR says

    Way too much hate on this signing. I’m sure it’s been reiterated to Yi that he isn’t guaranteed a spot in the rotation and that the team is gonna favor the development of Nance, Randle, and Zubac over finding minutes for him. And after you throw in Black and Mozgov, 5 bigs still isn’t enough to fill out an NBA roster for an 82 game season. Yi brings a skill set completely different than all 5 of the bigs and is gonna be used situationally and as a reserve in case of injury. Nothing more nothing less. Also, when you have bigs like Ryan Kelly and Robert Sacre on the team, how are you supposed to have the competitive atmosphere at practice that Luke always talks about?

  3. MT87 says

    I’d be a lot more sure about this deal if we had a hole at pf/c that needed to be filled.  Signing Yi makes me think that the FO isn’t betting on Randle or Nance being able to space the floor this year.

  4. LT Mitchell says

    At least it’s only for a year and they do not lose any flexibility in terms of cap space next summer….unlike umm the other deals.
    $8 million sounds like the front office envisions Yi as a regular part of the rotation.

  6. _DPeterson_ says

    I kind of like the logjam at PF, and I trust Luke to make it work. I think the competition is either going to turn Randle and Nance into total beasts, or the other guys will gladly take their time if they can. Maybe in the process we find we have another tradeable asset. And at 1 year and 8 mil, a financially palatable move.

  7. MT87 says

    I wonder if this is the deal that they were holding off on signing Ingram to get done.  Does this fill all of our roster spots?

  8. Nik K says

    At this point – after losing 65 games last season, we need to continue to add depth and talent across the board. I would like a clearer picture of the vision as we move forward. But I knew we were going to need a large veteran presence. Yi has played in the NBA for 5 years and adds to experienced personnel on the roster. Albeit, not a signing that will shift polarity in the NBA, the move would signify a continued priority to try to compete stronger next season. 

    Yi did put up the numbers in Rio and showed real promise between 2007 – 2009 until he got lost in the shuffle. 

    What I do like about the signing is it signifies and embodies the thought process of competition. 

    It teaches our young guys that they have to earn their spot in the rotation. That playing time is earned not just given. 

    I would like to continue to see competition as our primary objective / emphasis. 

    That we Lakers compete everyday in practice and us Lakers compete in every game – kind of like Pete Carroll when he 1st got to USC.

  9. basquiatball says

    I will say this- if the team isn’t interested in establishing a regular rotation and just wants to try a thousand different experimental offensive lineups just to see what happens, they are set. All small lineups, all big lineups, traditional lineups, they could be the NBA equivalent of a variety show if they want to be.

  10. Clay Bertrand says

    This is an odd talent grab that certainly wreaks of the same RUNNING IN PLACE we have done in terms of trying to add talent and maintain flexibility the past couple of years.

    Frankly, this is a NEW YORK KNICKS MOVE.  OR a Houston Rockets move.  

    Still, the circumstances are different because we do have a young core that we didn’t have in the past when we were filling out the roster going the GRAB BAG route.  When it was ALL GRAB BAG players and a hurt Kobe, there was no hope.  So even though as Darius says, this may FEEL the same as the past, it really isn’t because the roster has improved and the youth movement is set to roll.  

    IOW Same type of talent “gamble” but this time, we have a bigger pile of chips already so the gamble isn’t ALL we have going for us.  

    Hopefully, Luke has had some input in this signing which would signify more of a clear basketball plan. Either way though, very curious to say the least IMO. 

    Welcome to LA Yi!!!!!  Valley Blvd. in San Gabriel has more authentic Chinese food than Beijing!!!!! ; )

  11. Vasheed says

    I’m not overly concerned about this signing in particular, so long as only 1 year is guaranteed.  What is concerning are the overly generous free agent signing in general this season or rather the need to do so.  I can take it as a positive in that the F.O. seems to be willing to overpay to make the team more respectable in future dealings.  However, it is also an indictment after the last few years of failing to attract desirable free agents the Lakers are willing at this point to overpay.

  12. new rr says

    Clay Bertrand

    I don’t
    think it is that bad, but I do think that it suggests that the FO and the
    coaching staff are not envisioning this year being 100% “all about the
    kids” or about “development without distractions.” 
    As DS suggests, Yi is most likely
    a situational stretch big–the kind of guy that you get to serve a purpose on a
    playoff team and/or to use as a trade chip. It also probably means that there
    will be a lot of Chinese media following the Lakers even though Kobe is gone.
    Finally, I
    think it suggests that Zubac will open up play with the D-Fenders. They will want
    minutes for Mozgov and Black, and I do think Walton will play some smallball
    lineups for short bursts with Nance/Deng/Randle as the nominal 5.

  13. Clay Bertrand says

    new rr  Clay Bertrand

    I don’t think the signing is “bad” either……Just unexpected.  Certainly the marketing angle is there for the Chinese market.  That really should not be an overlooked aspect of this signing minimal a part as it may have played.   

    IMO, Zubac may have an easier time adapting to the NBA game with the big squad than down in the DLeague game.  The DLeague has become Paul Westhead’s Nuggets with teams just running and gunning ending up with scores in the 140s.  I fear Zubac would just be pinging back and forth between the opposing free throw lines without getting a touch or even being involved much on either end of the floor.

    For all its apparent value in developing players, the D League falls short IMO in developing BIG MEN.  True Centers do not evolve from that style of play. Black was able to play down there because he’s 6’9″.  I suppose its good for conditioning and all but I feel like it will be somewhat discouraging for Zubac unless the D League coach structures the Defenders’ overall game plans to better develop a traditional 7 footer.  

    All that said, Yi is still not a bad addition of talent and I look forward to Luke’s version of space and pace & small ball with our guys.

  14. mattal says

    TravisR

    I count 7 centers and power forwards:  Mozgov, Zubac, Randle, Nance, Black, Deng and Yi.  
    Overpaying on a one year contract is not as painful as doing so on a 4 year deal.  Still, this signing begs the question as to why the Lakers are paying full sticker price for talent that others are getting at a steep discount.

  15. allaninla says

    I think it has more to do with Mozgov getting hurt before training camp even started. In all of this talk about minutes and opportunity, the reality of injuries being a factor is never brought up.

  16. Mid Wilshire says

    Clay Bertrand new rr
    I, too, was surprised but not alarmed at the signing of Yi.  He could 1) contribute at the 5 position, 2) contribute at the 4, and 3) serve as trade bait at mid-year.
    Also, Mitch very often likes to have one open position on the roster.  If they don’t find a buyer for Nick Young by August 31, then I expect them to waive him and stretch his contract since Nick, from my perspective, has absolutely no role on this team.
    Finally, despite the money being committed to Yi, I do not necessarily expect him to play major minutes off the bench.  He could simply be part of the “Center by Committee” group which, I suppose, would be OK, at least until the trade deadline.

  17. Clay Bertrand says

    Mid Wilshire Clay Bertrand new rr

    “….surprised but not alarmed….” 
    Sums up my feelings as well.  An overall addition to the talent base for sure.  

    I’d really have liked to get something for Nick (not that we still can’t)…….I’ve been saying that Sacramento has some decent guys they have to move in Gay, Koufos, McLemore etc. and they are thin at PG and could use some back court scoring.  I figure Nick, Lou and even Calderon could be in play there.  Wishful thinking I guess……

  18. adamv37 says

    I’m like most here, in that I don’t think this is a bad signing if its only for 1 year, but I’m still wondering why the team isn’t addressing the perimeter defense issue. I’m sure Luke and the FO has a role in mind for Yi, but this doesn’t address the team’s biggest weakness.
    Over the last few years the Lakers biggest problem has been stopping guys out on the perimeter. This team is going have a tough time guarding the talented backcourt players in the league with the current roster. Either Clarkson and Russell step up their D leaps and bounds from last season or the team needs to find at least 1 more legit perimeter defender to add to the roster.

  19. BigCitySid10552 says

    Glad to see others realize Yi’s value will be bigger off court than on. With Kobe gone and to a lesser extent, Jeremy Lin, Lakers probably feel Yi can help their Chinese market stay “Laker focused”. 

    As far as his “NBA experience”, check out the following stat from Basketball reference on value over replacement player. Only Nick Young had a worst rating. 🙁

  20. ED 10 says

    Nance and Black are not going to be handed minutes unless they show continued improvement and earn them. Maybe also a sign to Randle to get with Luke`s program.Zubac to the Defenders.

  21. Clay Bertrand says

    BigCitySid10552

    Yikes!!  Three Lakers (or former) on that list!!! At least Powell has a Ring!!  

    Let’s hope that the change in the style of play that is taking place in the NBA along with Yi’s improvement with his experience etc. will allow him to be much better than his previous stint in the NBA.

  22. A Horse With No Name says

    Maxim of today’s NBA: A) You can never have enough shooting. B) Size matters

    Jianlian gives the lakers both.  He is skilled, and as can be seen, has filled out nicely and looks to be in great shape.  He is 28, very much in his prime–such as it is.  One year deal, let’s see what he’s got.  I like it enough.

  23. A Horse With No Name says

    Clay Bertrand BigCitySid10552  That’s it.  That’s what they must be hoping for–and it’s a reasonable bet.

  24. A Horse With No Name says

    allaninla Don’t think it has anything to do with Mozgov’s groin issue.  That will be fine be the start of the season.  It’s about more shooting, more spacing and having the pieces to make the offense work.

  25. Clay Bertrand says

    A Horse With No Name

    28 = 57 in Chinese years….. ; )

    Communist Athletes and Women over 35 guard their TRUE ages like Fort Knox!!!!

  26. A Horse With No Name says

    Seeing Yi’s apparent signing as evidence that Zubac is ticketed for the D-league is way off.  I would believe that based on my observations alone, but a poster on lakersground posted and translated an interview from Croatia in which Zubac states that the lakers wanted him to get back to LA asap after his performance in the summer league so that they could work with him in order to have him ready to be part of the rotation this year.  I’m not saying he’ll never see the D-league–he may play some games for conditioning–but he isn’t going to learn much there.  The D league is played at a frenetic pace, populated by smaller guys.  Zubac’s skills favor a high post center, on a team that plays with pace, but not six seconds or less.

  28. _ Robert _ says

    I am not overly concerned with this, because it is a one
    year deal.That said – I am puzzled for
    the same reasons some others are.Whether
    Zubac goes to D league or not, this certainly takes time away from him and
    others, and for what reason?The
    marketing might be it, but I would prefer if we filled out our roster for “basketball
    reasons”.

  29. LT Mitchell says

    — According to Mike Bresnahan, Yis contract is not even guaranteed, but if he makes the team, and with incentives, he can make up to $8 mil.  
    — The Lakers apparently went after him last summer, but were rejected. What a surprise. If the Lakers were after him since last year, the odds are high that he makes the team.
    — Depending on how Yi plays, there’s a chance that he becomes the first “center” off the bench behind Mosgov.

  31. fern16 says

    Im sure this is to cater to the chinese fan base. This guy is been on 4 NBA teams already after he was drafted 6th overall and haven’t play in the NBA since 2012. That is a bust. This is just a financial move. A dumb one at that.

  32. Michael NP says

    What if Brown and Ingram end up playing minutes in the backcourt? There are many players on the roster who can play multiple positions.

  34. John Citizen says

    Based on Today’s lakers talent, Yi would rank fourth, only Deng, Russell and JC are  better. TODAY. 

    So, i think its good we got him for the 15th spot.

  35. lalaker14 says

    Per CBS Sports: Jianlian’s one-year contract with the http://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/page/LAL/l-a-lakers-lakers is non-guaranteed for the veteran’s minimum of $1.1 million, But could be worth up to $8 million in incentives.

  36. Vasheed says

    lalaker14
    Pincus said a deal structured that way would be illegal under the cba.  So unlikely.

  37. wwlofficial says

    As of today, there are 1.3 BILLION Chinese. Jerseys cost +/- $100. If the Lakers get at the very least $10 out of 1% of the population, that’s 13 million times $10.

  38. david-h says

    Darius:can’t believe
    I’m saying this;the buzz I was hearing
    before I swatted the fly on the wall at home last night was that he was a
    distant cousin of that fly on the wall over at laker’s headquarters there in el
    segundo.
    So this is just fly’s hearsay to say the least.  turns out vp of basketball operations thought
    he was good at chinese checkers back in the day and of the 500 or so chinese dialects,
    communicates best as prisoner of the moment: watches olympic sports on tv,
    watches chinese basketball team; see’s chinese player; makes chinese checker
    move.

    This is the reason we are scratching our heads.

    Still searching this morning for el segundo fly’s cousin………thought
    I swatted it.  hope not having fly in my rice anytime soon. 

    Go lakers.

  39. Tra 35 says

    I agree with others who have stated that this move might be primarily based upon business. With that being said, Yi, at his size, does possess a skill set (shooting) that, last I checked, none of our bigs currently have. A skill set that, based upon what Luke plans to incorporate, this offense can definitely use. My issue with Yi is that when last seen within the ..A, he was as soft as cotton balls and weaker than wet tissue. Viewing him now, it’s quite obvious that his body has filled out. Will this translate to more toughness and physicality on both ends of the court, especially defensively? I guess that we shall soon find out. I’m in favor of the move because shooting is a talent that a team can never have enough of and because, by all accounts, it’s only going to be for 1 year. If he feels that he’s ready to compete in the foreseeable future against the best ballers in the world on a night in and night out basis, this eminent deal will allow him the opportunity to earn a multi year deal. Whether it be with us or elsewhere within the ..A

  41. Travis Y says

    Offensively, it looks like Yi will fit into the scheme we are looking to execute. Defensively, it looks like we added another sieve. As many have already stated, perimeter defense is one of the areas we have ALWAYS struggled. Of all the moves we have made, ZERO have been for a defensive minded player. 

    Without adding a defensive minded player, the only way the Lakers stay competitive is for Luke to hold our current guards accountable….or by becoming the next incarnation of the Seven Seconds or Less Suns and scoring 120+ per game.

    With the departure of Kobe, I’m hoping our collective defensive effort improves. Only time will tell.

  42. FredP says

    The only way this proposed signing makes sense is to try to keep the Chinese market now that Kobe is gone.  Yi will take minutes away from the players who need to develop and would not be around when the Lakers are competitive again.  The money is an issue since it could be better used to help move Young.  The Lakers need to move on from the circus mentality and focus on developing their next great team.

  44. A Horse With No Name says

    Mozgov back practicing with the Russian National team.  MRI negative.  So yeah, guys get tweaked.  It’s sports.

  46. jameskatt says

    During these days of insane cap amounts, how exactly is $8 Million a year  expensive?

  47. mattal says

    Because spending that amount on roster spots 11-15 is an untenable business model in a capped league.

  48. Clay Bertrand says

    A Horse With No Name Clay Bertrand

    As a child of the Cold War and a dude that wants to visit Venezuela some day, I will ALWAYS be hatin on the Commies………..

    In fact, I think I’ll watch RED DAWN tonight…….the OG one with C. Thomas Howell, Pat Swayze and Tiger Blood Sheen (pre Heidi Fleiss days)……..Not that modern remade garbage!!!!   ; )

  49. Clay Bertrand says

    A Horse With No Name

    Looks like our boy Mozzy got all healed up thanks to world renowned Russian Groin Masseuse Tatiana Yankov………  ; )

  50. A Horse With No Name says

    It’s a one year deal. It may not even be fully guaranteed. Calling it untenable is absurd.

  51. Mid Wilshire says

    Vasheed I always liked Xavier Henry.  Of course, there were some holes in his game.  But in the one full year with the team I thought he did fine:  10.0 ppg, 2.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists, all in 21.1 minutes per game in 43 games.  And he played solid D, too.
    His main problem was injuries.  He had wrist surgery and a bad knee and barely played more than half-a-season.  Then he blew out his Achilles. Tough break.  He’s not a big guard for a 2:  6-4, 200.  But he’s big enough and rock solid.
    Is he capable of a comeback?  I hope so.  If he can play at the level that he played 3 years ago (he’s now 25 years old), he’d be an excellent backup SG.  At least, that’s the way I see it.
    I wish him well.

  52. Mid Wilshire says

    Vasheed lalaker14 This is from Broderick Turner’s article yesterday (August 17, 12:50 PM) in the LA Times:
    “The Lakers and Chinese star Yi Jianlian are in the final stages of completing a deal for the forward to return to the NBA, said league officials who were not authorized to speak publicly about the contract.
    “Yi’s contract would be for the veteran’s minimum of $1.139 million that could reach ‘several million more’ if he reaches some wide-ranging incentive bonuses in the deal, one official said.”
    There are several conflicting reports, then, as to what Yi would actually get paid.  And I understand that the deal is indeed non-guaranteed.  It’s difficult to say at this point what the reality is.

  53. A Horse With No Name says

    Mid-W: Xavier is a big guard; 6’6″ 220 lbs. Your off here–check it out. He’s always been known for his big body and strength for a two.

  54. Mid Wilshire says

    A Horse With No Name Horse, Thanks for the correction.  I appreciate it.  My sentiments still stand, however.  I’d like to see him return to his prior form.  It’s probably a long shot, though.

  55. A Horse With No Name says

    I don’t know why you think the lakers could ever sell that many jerseys in China. The vast majority of people in China cannot afford that luxury. Further, revenue from jersey sales is shared by all the franchises. Whatever fractional amount of your math is correct, it would then have to be divided by 29. If you could flip an 8 million dollar contract into a 130 million dollar profit, don’t you think every team would be clamoring to sign Yi or any other Chinese player? Seriously dude….

  56. mattal says

    The implication of my comment is that going forward you can’t pay so much for players who will contribute minimally on the floor. $8 mil is a lot for what Yi will likely provide.
    Looking at it another way: 15 players @ $8 mil = $120 mil. That’s over the cap. Got to spend less on the back of the roster.
    I don’t think that observation is absurd. But if that’s how you feel. go for it.

  57. KevTheBold says

    mattal 
    It’s not guaranteed, there are caveats which may prevent him from collecting chunks of it.

    I do find it curious however that they are not only looking at Yi, but another 7’6 center that may get an invite to summer camp.
    I would think that we had that position covered.
    I assume this is Walton’s secret plan.

  58. matt24 says

    C, pf, sf= 144 minutes
    Mozgov, starting center, 24 minutes, has never really played big minutes in his career
    Black, backup center and pf, or bench, 10 minutes, good energy, he’s been hanging around the d league too much
    Zubac backup center, 10 minutes, possible d league, prospect
    Yi, backup pf and center, or bench, 12 minutes, bench scorer, needed stretch 4/5, mostly taking playing time from nance, and black, who are not really scoring players
    Randle, starting pf, 28 minutes
    Nance, backup pf, could play sf as a defender, 12 minutes, good matchup against scorer, possible key defensive player.
    Deng, starting sf, also plays some pf, 24 minutes, deserves more playing time, makes other players better with unselfish game.
    Ingram, backup sf could play some sg, 20 minutes, top prospect needs experience, needs more playing time, should get more playing time with experience.
    A. Brown, bench, backup sg and sf, 4 minutes d league player looks like he’s gonna get lost in the mix.
    I’m not dropping names but the signing of yi makes at least 1 player on this list tradable

  60. Vasheed says

    Mid Wilshire Vasheed
    I remember just how athletic he was.  I looked up his ESPN stats and was surprised he shot over 34% from 3pt range in his last year.  I’d still be concerned with his injury history but, I’d love to see him try and make a comeback with the Lakers.