Reports: Lakers offering Yi Jianlian second chance in the NBA

After dominating statistics in China, Yi Jianlian may be ready to come back for another stint in the NBA if he and the Los Angeles Lakers come to a contract agreement.

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Los Angeles Lakers are in “advanced discussions” to sign Guangdong Southern Tigers forward Yi Jianlian.

Yi, the sixth pick in the 2007 NBA draft, has been out of the NBA since playing 30 games for the Dallas Mavericks in 2011-2012.

He lasted only his rookie year in Milwaukee before being traded to the New Jersey Nets, where he spent two years and enjoyed a career-high 12.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game in 2009-2010. However, his player efficiency rating was still well below the league average of 15.0.

Yi’s career win shares per 48 minutes is a paltry .025 and he never topped 0.0 offensive win shares during any of his five years in the NBA.

After stints with Washington and Dallas, Yi was an NBA washout by age 24.

Since returning to China, Yi has enjoyed immense success in his home country, averaging 25.2 points and 11.4 rebounds per game over the past three seasons.

Yi’s name has been making waves in American media as of late due to his play with the Chinese national team in the 2016 Rio Olympics and in exhibition play against the United States’ in July.

In the showcase game on July 24, the United States thrashed China 106-57, Yi led his team with 18 points and was second amongst all scorers.

During group stage play in Rio, Yi was one of the lone bright spots on the team alongside Houston Rockets draft pick and fellow seven-footer Zhou Qi.

At 28 years old, Yi is in the middle of what is a ripe time for players to be hitting their prime. Standing at 7-feet tall, he would be a similar height as the Lakers’ current center, Timofey Mozgov.