Volume 1: A rookie who breaks into the basketball world Chapter 10: Opening Map Cannon
After arriving in Orlando, Bill Duffy came to pick Liu Xiu up at the agreed time and take him to the hotel where the Trail Blazers summer league team was staying.
Surprisingly, the coach leading the Trail Blazers' summer league team this time is head coach Maurice Cheeks, with chief assistant coach Kevin Pritchard assisting him.
After exchanging pleasantries, even though he had just reported in, Maurice Cheeks didn't say much. It was assistant coach Kevin Pritchard who told him the time and place to gather tomorrow morning.
After reporting, Bill Duffy and Liu Xiu went to the room prepared for him by the Trail Blazers.
Bill Duffy entered the room and looked around. He smiled and said, "As expected of the Trail Blazers. The Nuggets have double rooms. If Carmelo knew you were staying in a single room..."
Seeing that the serious Bill Duffy actually showed an expression of wanting to watch a good show, Liu Xiu really wanted to take a picture with his camera.
But soon Bill Duffy returned to his old-fashioned attitude: "Jace, as a lottery rookie, the Trail Blazers will definitely give you a chance to show your abilities in the summer league..."
Liu Xiu had heard this several times on the road, so he quickly interrupted: "Bill, what kind of person is my head coach Maurice Cheeks? He seems difficult to get along with."
Bill Duffy was not annoyed by being interrupted. This was a serious question. He thought for a moment and said, "I don't know much about him. I only know that he is not a very strict person. Many media and experts believe that the Blazers' increasing chaos is due to his lack of strictness in leading the team. The former general manager of the Blazers, Bob Sweet, also resigned after the draft because of the chaos in the team..."
Not being a hard person to get along with but not being a strict person?
No matter how I think about it, it feels wrong.
Liu Xiu has also investigated various information about the Trail Blazers in the past few days, but he couldn't find much useful information on the Internet and in newspapers. Eight out of ten news reports were negative. The players were so powerful, but the head coach Maurice Cheeks didn't have much presence except for being criticized.
However, under such circumstances, the Trail Blazers won 49 games in the 2001-02 season and 50 games last season...
Liu Xiu thought it would be better to go and experience it for himself.
On the way from the airport to the hotel, Liu Xiu had already talked about a lot of things with Bill Duffy.
Liu Xiu learned from Bill Duffy that the Trail Blazers had officially submitted his contract to the players' union and the league, and he officially joined the Trail Blazers.
Before the Trail Blazers officially submitted Liu Xiu's contract to the league, Liu Xiu only needed to occupy a virtual base salary space of $460,000. After officially submitting the contract, the salary space occupied had to be calculated based on $1.78 million.
In fact, for the Trail Blazers, signing early to take up space is not important at all. The Trail Blazers' salary of nearly 80 million US dollars next season has already been burst, and they don't need him. It's just a problem of team process.
After some investigation, I found out that Stockton chose to retire from the Jazz, and Malone's contract expired and he notified the Jazz that he would not renew it. The Trail Blazers have a one in ten thousand chance of completing a sign-and-trade with the Jazz, sending a bunch of contracts to the Jazz to free up huge space. By trading Malone back, even if they pay Malone a considerable salary, the Trail Blazers can still free up some space.
As a result, the Trail Blazers have the possibility of clearing space on a large scale - this is the idea of the Trail Blazers' new general manager John Nash.
However, the probability that the Jazz are willing to take on the contract is about one percent, and this also requires Malone to be willing to join the Trail Blazers, which also has a probability of about one percent.
After the free market opened on July 1, the Trail Blazers contacted the Jazz and Malone. The Jazz were quite interested in some of the Trail Blazers' strong players, but Malone ignored the Trail Blazers and did not respond for several days. This morning, Malone seemed to have remembered the Trail Blazers and rejected the invitation.
As expected, John Nash's "grand plan", which was his first move after taking office, collapsed.
John Nash had just become the general manager, but he was so eager to do something that was bound to fail and would make the team's high-paid players unhappy. When Bill Duffy told Liu Xiu about this, there was a hint of mockery in his tone.
Bill Duffy also mentioned some small things, such as that after he withdrew 30% of his salary in advance, the players' union's commission would still be calculated based on the total salary when the salary was paid in the new season.
It seems like everyone knows these things without having to say them, but agents will all say that most NBA players are black, and although some black people are clear-headed, a good portion will definitely make a fuss if nothing is said.
After seeing off Bill Duffy, who is now in the busiest period and comes and goes in a hurry, Liu Xiu still has a little regret.
"Malone, he averaged 20 points per game last year when he was 40 years old. I don't have a Latina girlfriend, so I'm not afraid of being his teammate..."
"Wait, I already have Tianzun and Black Bear, why do I need Ma Long? Isn't the one who plays table tennis handsome? Isn't the one who plays tennis domineering...I do n't think the one who plays tennis is called Ma Long, so what is his name..."
Liu Xiu entered his habitual absent-minded state... After a while, he finally came back to his senses, and with an idea, he opened the system screen.
The screen shows the ability evaluation of basic information, which is the same as before, but there are three more options next to the "Simulation Training" option.
"Lottery" and "Exchange" are hidden and cannot be selected, but the last "Talent" can be entered.
When I opened the talent section, there was only one option, with the word "incomplete" behind it.
"Great Magician (Incomplete) (Not officially joined the team): Temporarily copy a teammate's best skill as a talent, and get a bonus during training and competition. (Note: 1. The specific effect depends on the matching degree, the strength of the copied teammate's skill, and the host's own skill. 2. Only one talent can be specified per day. If there is a game on the same day, you can re-specify a talent before the game starts. Please choose carefully.)"
Seeing this, Liu Xiu became excited again.
Fortunately, there was no strange scream like at noon on the plane that scared a group of people around.
Now, Liu Xiu can finally analyze relatively calmly the talent that was unlocked after he officially entered the NBA.
"What is the effect of this bonus... There's no need to speculate about it. Just try it out after you join the team."
"From the description, I think I can copy whoever I want... Well, no, only teammates can do that."
“I don’t know what the full version is.”
"Damn, I used to dislike the Trail Blazers, but with this kind of talent, the Trail Blazers are simply a treasure team!"
Liu Xiu accepted to join this team because everyone on this team didn't look like a good person and he thought there was something to be gained.
Now think about it, if we only look at talent, Damon Stoudemire, Pippen, Rasheed Wallace, Randolph... Even without Sabonis, Steve Smith and others, there are not many teams in the NBA with more stars than the Trail Blazers!
…
…
The next morning at 8 o'clock, after Liu Xiu finished his breakfast, he slowly walked from the hotel to the training ground arranged by the Magic for the Trail Blazers.
It is only a few minutes' drive from the TD Waterhouse Center and a few minutes' walk from the hotel where you are staying.
He had planned to go at a time that would not attract too much attention, neither too early nor too late.
Normally, the gathering time at 9 o'clock, after 8:05 to 8:25, should be the least noticeable time. Any later than that may be a little late, and if it is earlier, you may be the earliest one.
But Liu Xiu strolled around slowly and arrived at the training ground at 8:20. After entering the training ground, he saw a training scene in full swing.
"Roll your sister!"
The air-conditioning temperature was obviously quite low, but some players were already sweating profusely... "Is it because they are too weak?"
Obviously, Liu Xiu felt several hostile gazes.
How is hostility felt?
"Healing value +11, from Quintel Woods."
"Healing value +9, from Tita Carter."
"Healing value +7..."
“…”
“…”
The healing value increased by nearly a hundred points in an instant!
Liu Xiu thought of what Bill Duffy said yesterday - "You can be selected by an NBA team. There are many teams that want you. I don't want you to go to the Trail Blazers, but for undrafted players, veterans who no longer have jobs, and development league players , I hope they will go all out for any opportunity from any team..."
"Is it because I was selected 13th overall and officially signed? What's up with that guy named Quintel Woods? Never mind, it's not important. I was met with so much hostility right after I arrived... It's just too good to be true!"
Although it sounds cruel, Liu Xiu knows that the probability of undrafted players, unemployed veterans, and Development League players entering the NBA through the summer league is probably one in a hundred, or even lower.
After Liu Xiu changed into his summer league jersey under the guidance of the trainer, he returned to the training ground and continued to enjoy the attention, but this time his healing value did not increase.
Everyone's attention is on Liu Xiu's figure... This is so unfair!
How can a guy who can't even manage his body be selected in the lottery? Why?
Feeling the negative energy overflowing from his temporary teammates...Liu Xiu certainly had to comfort his teammates' wounded hearts.
Liu Xiu showed a warm smile and said to his teammates loudly: "Hello, we are teammates from now on. In the coming days, I hope you will work hard to show yourselves and play well, and strive to get a fully guaranteed contract!"
Liu Xiu was the last one to come? Not really.
There was also a dark-skinned fat guy who had just entered the training ground. When he saw Liu Xiu firing his map cannon, he cursed out loud with his catchphrase.
"This rookie is...strong!"
