(Wu Dai-hao signed with Taiwan Beer Monday, photo courtesy of ESPN Taiwan)
The rich gets richer, they said. Taiwan Beer did just that Monday by signing Wu Dai-hao and Yang Chin-min, both national team members, from ETSN and Bank of Taiwan and sent out a clear message that it looks to defend its SBL title next year.
The Beermen signed Wu to a contract with a NT$ 120,000 per month salary. Plus the incentives, estimately Wu will make NT$ two millions per year. Yang Chin-min was signed for NT$ 100,000 per month, a 25 percent increase of his salary with the small-budget Bank of Taiwan.
Wu is expected to be the last piece of puzzle for Taiwan Beer, which has been hampered by its lack of inside presence all season long. Yang will make TB's perimeter squad, which included veteran Lo Shin-liang, Ho Sho-jen, Chen Shih-nian and Lin Kwan-lun, even more dangerous.
However, team basketball is not mathamatics. Will TB players be able to share the ball and playing time? It's roster is obviously loaded at this moment, going two or three deep in every position. The internal chemistry will be the first concern.
The signing was a devastating blow for two teams that lost their star players. Bank of Taiwan lost Yang to TB and will probably lose Yua Ying-li to Dacin, if the rumor was correct. ETSN, which rumor said is seeking for potentital buyer for the team, lost its best center.