I read elsewhere that ... Zhou's buyout would release him this year if he got drafted in the first round and next year if he got drafted in the second round. This is looking to be a draft and stash (for one year at least).
For me they are just 2 different players not regarding their height. White was in the face, physical guy going to the rack the couple of games in College and NBDL. Zhouqi is a shotblocker, decent midrange I guess, definitely should watch him more. I have not seen much of Zhouqi rebounding, so will keep an eye on that.
What are you trying to argue here? This is why the rep system on the board sucks. Just troll or make dumb comments and anyone will rep you.
It's a second round pick, with length and shooting touch, who can actually shoot a free throw. There is no guarantee either way. There is no sure NBA ready players left. Some people act as if front office wasted a lottery pick for market. The same group of dumb people act as if any Chinese in US will be a market phenomenon. Not surprisingly, the same group of ignorant ones started the Only Fan crap immediately. Bunch of noisy kids piss and spit in public swimming pool and act outraged because they believe some Asian kids about to enter COULD pollute the pool.
As I said, they are nothing alike except that they are boom/bust type of picks. Royce White is a knuckle ball. Zhou Qi is a slider. It doesn't matter that they are different as Morey is still swinging the same at both, like he's Carlos Gomez, with all his might causing his helmet to fly. Probably going to be a strikeout with Morey on one knee, but every now and then he's due to actually make contact.
And Kawhi Leonard was a slow-pitch meatball over the middle of the plate, and Morey didn't even swing, choosing to wait for the next pitch. Did I do that right?
Zhou is a bench player and Royce is an idiot. All I got to say to this. Zhou might become better than I think he is but I think if he works hard like Yao he can at least be a bench player.
This is just a marketing ploy. This organization is a joke. Please sell the team and get new uniforms while you're at it.
I know Kevin Pelton's metrics he spews out are mostly full of hot air, but he did project Capela very high in his draft class, and equally noted that Qi projected very high as well. So maybe at whatever Morey & Co. were looking at to evaluate Capela will equally translate to what they are seeing with Qi, and he's got some potential hidden under a rock. The China thing is a joke... we all know that. Honestly I doubt Les had anything to do with this pick even though its fun to pick on him as if he did. I doubt Les knew anyone on the draft board other than Ben Simmons and Ingram.... if he even knew who they were. If he were any other race we'd be super intrigued with the pick, and not laughing at it. At the end of the day, its a good gamble in the 2nd round on a 1 year stash. If he decides he has to come over in year 1 like Capela did yes it will suck to give up a roster spot for a player that won't contribute, but like with Capela it will really expedite his physical ability to play in the NBA when he has quality NBA dietary planning, and strength training. If he's a joke, and a bust who gives a s#$%? Its a second round pick. That's what those draft picks are for. You can get players like Gary Payton II, Tarik Black, Covington, etc. undrafted if you do your homework.... why not shoot for the moon with a Qi type? The only thing that sucks about this pick is the LOF or soon to be QOF who will get their panties in a wad about this guy, and play the race card about anything and everything. Folks are going to criticize Qi here 24/7 so just deal with it. Some folks might say some inappropriate racism crap but just ignore it, and lets keep the LOF nonsense at bay.... please??... nevermind its going to happen so why bother??
I expect Les was highly involved with the pick, but not in the "let's get him for public relations reasons". Les probably has better skills regarding cutting red tape with foreign governments, China more-so because of Yao, than Morey (Morey was likely less involved with the international business/marketing aspects with Yao). I can't imagine Morey not bringing Les in to help find out how difficult it will be to get him over and to help negotiate with when the Rockets can bring him over once he was identified as a potential pick.
There were multiple threads on Zi as a prospect before the draft. Opinions in there probably make more sense, since there are so many here spewing bias. For one, OBVIOUSLY there is a Chinese connection here going on. So? Why is that a bad thing? Sure, it'd be great if China already was consistently producing true 1st round talent, as opposed to just Yao. But one day they'll get there. In the meantime, its still GREAT to be THE NBA team with a Chinese connection. Believe it or not, it DOES move the needle a bit with regard to marketing of players and potential free agents, with regard to bringing in money to allow Les to spend more - because even if you think its all about the money, Les does spend. He doesn't like to go over the luxury tax threshold, but nor should he. For two, beyond all that, 2nd round picks are 2nd round picks. It is more likely a swing and a miss, and that there'll be a better player picked after Zi... simply because that is always more likely. I will say that for basically every pick in the 2nd round, not even knowing exactly who was picked where, when. For everyone, stats would say some other team is more likely to have picked the diamond in the rough. just the way it is.
He reached a buyout with his original team last week, he is free agent now. Some news reported he will stay in China for another year if he is picked on 2nd round, but I believe he won't. We will see him in Vipers next year.
Probably somewhere along the way. Same thing with Sam Cassell. You do know the history America down pat right? Not Korean but Chinese.
