Mavericks Accounced They Have Recalled Yi Jianlian From D-League

by j0Shi on Jan 9, 2012 1:30 PM CST in News

@BalinWithBryan reports that the Mavs have recalled Yi Jianlian from their D-League affiliate Texas Legends. He will join the team in Detroit.

Dallas signed the 6-foot-10 three days ago to a one-year contract out of China and immediately assigned him to the Texas Legends where he rejoined Del Harris, who coached the forward during his stint as a coach of the Chinese national team.

Obviously the Mavs were pleased what they saw from their new acquisition. He averaged 23.0 Points on 47.4% shooting, 12.0 Rebounds and 2.0 Blocks per game in 36.6 Minutes through two games with the Legends over the weekend. Sean Williams, who was sent down to the D-League alongside Yi Jianlian, will stay with the Texas Legends for now.

Yi will most probably compete for minutes behind Dirk Nowitzki and Lamar Odom at the power forward position and it seems that with that move Brandan Wright is pushed even further down the bench.

UPDATE: @fishsports reports that Legends Coach Del Harris is raving about Yi as a center for the Mavs, thinks Yi will crack the rotation at that position.

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Comments

Wright needs to go to the D league to work on some things.

Yi on the other hand can learn a lot playing alongside Dirk and LO. he is a top 10 first round for a reason.

by go87 on Jan 9, 2012 2:48 PM CST reply actions

Let me guess

You’re chinese

by Raptorel on Jan 9, 2012 4:47 PM CST up reply actions

I thought Yi kind of sucked and stuff...

Was i wrong?

by elbow greater than face on Jan 9, 2012 4:49 PM CST reply actions

Sean Williams has been playing really well in the D-League too

I wonder when the Mavericks will call him back into the rotation.

by Dark Narwhalskee on Jan 9, 2012 5:07 PM CST reply actions

when he can learn to play smarter

Sean Lissemore = The next Bruce Smith

by Lissyyyyy on Jan 9, 2012 8:17 PM CST up reply actions

If you care and havent seen this yet....

http://espn.go.com/blog/dallas/mavericks/post/_/id/4683287/great-news-for-mavs-dwight-howard-doesnt-expect-trade

by ArntorWindir on Jan 9, 2012 6:38 PM CST reply actions

ESPN is listing Yi at 7 feet

where are you getting 6’10?

Sean Lissemore = The next Bruce Smith

by Lissyyyyy on Jan 9, 2012 8:16 PM CST reply actions

JJ Barea is listed at 6 feet

Do you really think those height listings matter?

I shortened my sig so I wouldn't be frowned upon at Lookout Landing

by chrisR on Jan 9, 2012 10:25 PM CST up reply actions

Interesting

An ideal rotation when Kidd is healthy would be the starters Kidd/West/Marion/Dirk/Haywood with a 2nd unit of Jet/Roddy/Vince/Odom/Mahinmi. Now, enter Yi into that equation – who I actually do think will contribute. I don’t want Mahinmi to lose minutes to Yi. I want Yi as a SF/PF hybrid, as well as Odom, off the bench. I guess he’s a dynamic C in a small lineup, but honestly, Mahinmi is the perfect C in such a lineup – he’s athletic, explosive, plays extremely hard and can run the open court and finish at the rim. But I guess having Yi as a C would put 5 players on the court that can hit from long range.

Looks like we have a robust 11 man regular rotation, with D-Jones, Sean Williams and Brandan Wright on the outside looking in and Cardinal jumping in and out as the situation calls for it. What a complete roster we’ve put together.

"Look at our current situation with that camel f$%ker over in Iraq. Pacifism is not something to hide behind."

by Walter Sobchak on Jan 9, 2012 10:29 PM CST reply actions

Yi can't play SF

He’s slow, unagile, and has horrible foot speed. Imagine him trying to guard LeBron. One crossover and Yi would be tripping over his feet and on the floor in a nanosecond. It’d be uggy as my 2-year old niece would say. How we have only 1 true SF on the roster for the 2nd-straight year is a mystery to me.

"I'm a unitard!" - Ralph Wiggum

by stupidsexyflanders on Jan 10, 2012 2:20 PM CST up reply actions

I'm not talking about defense; and I'm not talking for long stretches of the game

but a guy that can play with Odom or Marion as a combo 3/4 is valuable. And both of those guys (especially Marion) can guard a 3 on most opposing teams. The offensive mismatches he would create is what I’m referring to.

I also don’t think it’s such a big deal to not have multiple true PG or SF on this roster when you have a combo SG/SF in Vince, a few combo SF/PF in Marion and Odom, several capable combo guards and several capable centers.

"Look at our current situation with that camel f$%ker over in Iraq. Pacifism is not something to hide behind."

by Walter Sobchak on Jan 11, 2012 8:04 PM CST up reply actions