Yi Watch: Day 22

As promised, the contradictions keep coming out of China.

• The Guangdong Tigers are disputing quotes attributed to owner Chen Haitao, claiming the the interview didn't happen.

  Liu Hongjiang, a club vice president, said club officials had not talked with the newspaper.
  
  "The reporter never interviewed anyone at the club," Liu told the Associated Press. "The reporter used second-hand information he heard somewhere."
  
  Liu said he spoke later with the reporter and "expressed strong anger."
  
  "The club supports Yi playing in the NBA and is very willing to work with the Bucks," Liu said. "We are waiting for any chance to cooperate with the Bucks."Liu said he believes Milwaukee is "not a suitable team for Yi, but this is not the same thing as saying he will not play with Milwaukee."

• Larry Krystkowiak was interviewed by Lance Allan of TMJ4.

  Talking with TMJ4's Lance Allan, Krystkowiak says it's unfortunate that "we've got a couple of individuals who are trying to manufacture something that's not there, and truly putting the cart before the horse and thinking about marketing dollars when he needs to get in and play."
  
  Krystkowiak adds, "the funny thing is the comment I read, they didn't feel like he'd have an opportunity to play because it's too competitive here. I'm thinking there's not a team in the NBA out of 30 teams that you can get into and have more of an opportunity."

• China Daily did another interview with team owner Chen.
  

  When asked "What choice should Yi Jianlian make if the Bucks insist on no trading?" Chen thought for a moment before answering, "the only way out is negotiation. As for final decision, I really have no answer."
  
  However, Chen suggested the media should not oppose Yi's agent team against the Bucks and denied he's in bad relationship with the Bucks.
  
  "The National Basketball Association is a sort of business where people negotiate on set platform with set rules," Chen said. "There's no opposition between us and we respect each other. "Now it's the phase in which everybody express opinions, not like what some people think."