[Kneepad]

I'm not asking whether Krause likes Yao as a player, but rather if Krause and the Bulls have dotted the i's and crossed the t's with all the relevant parties to take Yao should Houston not take him for some reason? Everyone is wondering if Houston is going to agree to terms... what if they don't? What about the next teams in line?

 

[Songcycle]

Houston taking Ming first is the one thing I have total certainty about. But, lets say they trade and JWill goes first, I see the Bulls trading Ming to the #3 team and picking up Dunleavy. With Curry and Chandler, I don't see keeping Ming, but that is just my opinion.

 

[Kneepad]

Yes, but my question is, since Houston has had to do quite a bit of preparation before drafting Yao, just how tradable is he going to be on draft night if no other teams have done the same preparation? How are any other teams-- Bulls included-- going to know what they're getting into with Yao unless they've done the same homework Houston is doing?

So, anyone got any opinion whether Krause has done it or not?

 

[Songcycle]

Krause spent a lot of time in China and his thorough. I also think given the large Chinese population in San Fransisco, the Chinese government would not have a problem with them.

 

[Wynn]

I'm guessing that if Houston fails to complete a deal for Yao, his stock will fall like a box of rocks (Darius Miles?!?). Since no one else has been doing any negotiation, and since it looks like Houston will draft him unless there is a complication (such as not being guaranteed to play the season, etc.), it's unlikely to me that he'd go even in the top 5 or 6.

I'm also guessing that this would be against China's best interests, since they likely rank the prestige of having a Chinese player being selected first in the draft a higher priority than sucking all the marrow out of his professional contract.

If I were a betting man (I'm not), I'd put my money on Ming in Houston...

 

[Kneepad]

Originally posted by Sicky Dimpkins
While I think he's the only special player in the draft; because the problem(China) is bigger than the Bull(or the NBA) I don't want the Bull to draft him because "negotiating" with a bigger more powerful party is a losing exercise.

I agree that Yao is the only special player in the draft. But don't be so sure that China is the bigger and more powerful party in this negotiation. Well, OK... they're bigger for sure, but not necessarily more powerful. Word is out world wide that Yao is pretty special and China has a lot to loose by screwing this up, whereas tha NBA will go on just fine without Yao Ming if that's the way it has to be.

 

[Jammer]

Draft Pick Obligations

Don't forget that the new CBA is not like the old one where you could have the rights to a player indefinately, like when Portland tabbed Arvydis Sabonis with a #24 pick and waited 9 years for him.

Now, if you don't sign a first round pick within 2 years, that player is back in the draft pool. If you don't sign a second round pick within 5 years, that player is back in the draft pool.

So, if Houston and Yao fall through, because of the risk of losing Yao, unless big conditions are accepted, he could slip big.

Earlier reports said that Yao would be available from the start of the seaon until the end of the playoffs, which is like November to June. Now, supposedly the Chinese want him available for any international competions. I can see why Houston is having doubts over using a #1 pick on a olayer who not only will miss summer league, big man camp, pre-season and scrimmages with teammates from June to November, but possibly be lost at other times as well.

I'm still hoping that the Bulls end up with Dunleavy at the end of the night.

 

[Damian Necronamous]

If Houston for some reason passes up on Yao, Chicago should try to trade the pick and Marcus Fizer to a team with a good PG (Cavs). Cleveland would have 2 top 10 picks and a good player. Sounds good to me.

 

[BlazersNBulls4ever]

Guys, its Krause, anything could happen.. unfortunalty

 

[Kneepad]

What does China have to lose? Public opinion in China is an oxymoron IMO. Internationally; China is the one being courted not the other way around.

China is most certainly more powerful than the Bull.

China has much to lose, in my opinion. Public opinion in China is not even part of the equation as far as I'm concerned. China very much wants to assume a place among North American and European countries as world leaders. They very much want to promote the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and plan to use that stage to promote their cause. Having the star player in the NBA will further that cause. They very much want to take part in the economic growth that will follow-- as much so as the rest of the world wants to tap the huge Chinese market.

The team that drafts Yao is taking a risk of being a puppet.

Only insofar as they allow themselves to be. That's why prior negotiation is so critical. The terms of Yao's entry into the league must be clearly defined ahead of time. Rest assured that China wants Yao in the NBA one way or another. Again, the NBA will go on without Yao and will have lost relatively little. China, however, will have lost a great deal if Yao never enters the premier league in the world and instead remains sequestered in the CBA to appear on the world stage just once every 4 years.

If Yao whispers in Krause's ear ( ) that he'll defect if the Bull draft him then I'd say welcome aboard Yao. I respectfully remain more skeptical about the Chinese govenment and therefore don't want Yao on the Bull unless that link is severed.

That would be the ideal situation as far as I can see. Unfortunately, I don't think it's a very likely one at this point.

In the end, I still think Yao ends up in Houston. And he will turn out to be the dominant player from this draft.