Basketball Terminal

Chapter 71 One Heart

Having your own information channels within the team is very valuable. Many players are traded when they are suddenly informed by a text message or phone call that "you've been traded." This sudden shock, without any psychological preparation, often leaves players feeling frustrated.

A more practical problem is that if you move to another city for work, you'll have to give up everything you own in your current city. You'll need to sell your house, move your car, and sever your social connections. If you have a family or children, things will become even more complicated.

The offseason is fine; there's time to process things gradually. Mid-season trades, however, require players to rush to their next team, don new jerseys, and start playing. Therefore, players dislike being suddenly traded; if a trade is necessary, it's best to discuss it together.

Some well-informed players learn through various channels that they might be traded and will make some preparations in advance. They might communicate with their teams to try and avoid being traded, or specify their next destination. Alternatively, they might try to find ways to prevent the trade from going through. If all else fails, at least they have some psychological buffer.

It's rumored that McGrady, having learned in advance that he was going to be traded, decided to undergo surgery on his own, causing the trade to fall through. This reportedly led to a rift between the Rockets' management and McGrady, resulting in restrictions on his playing time after his return. However, another version claims that McGrady did indeed need surgery, but the Rockets' team doctor misdiagnosed his injury.

In short, for players, having news is definitely better than having no news, as it allows them to take the initiative.

After Levi joined the Nets, he naturally developed a good relationship with McCallum. McCallum gained the owner's favor because of Levi's signing, which elevated his position within the front office and gave him access to more information. Griffin had already reached an agreement with the Pistons on February 15th to leave the roster and seek solutions to his $56 million contract.

It's almost March, and McCalil learned at a scouting meeting that Griffin's buyout with the Pistons is imminent, and the Nets are likely to be his next destination. Kevin Durant is very interested in recruiting Griffin. He immediately reminded Levi that if Griffin comes, the two will likely compete for playing time.

Li Wei wasn't initially worried; he was confident in his abilities. However, the game against the Magic, where DeAndre Jordan took the starting spot, made Li Wei realize that the Nets were a complex team. A former All-Star like Griffin, who is also good friends with Durant and Jordan, would definitely get playing time with the Nets; he wasn't there to sit on the bench.

Li Wei doesn't mind fair competition, but he wants to prevent his playing time from being taken away because he has the least seniority, as this would be detrimental to his skill development and stat accumulation. All of this is closely related to his next contract. He suspects that DeAndre Jordan's meeting with him might also be related to Griffin's potential signing.

Let's start by forming an alliance with DeAndre Jordan. I'll give you the starting position, and if Griffin really comes later, I'll accept it if I can't compete with him on the court. But don't try to trip me up or cut my playing time; try to get it from other players.

The next day, the team collected their gear and went to the hotel restaurant for dinner. Levi, DeAndre Jordan, and Kyrie Irving met, bumped fists, touched their hearts, made the sign of the cross, and finally clasped their hands together and bowed in farewell. This was a brotherly gesture invented by Irving; black people love doing these kinds of things.

Irving even came up with a name for the trio, saying, "Since we're united in one heart, let's just call ourselves the 'Unite in One Heart' group." Li Wei thought, "We're just playing basketball together, what the hell are you trying to do?"
Durant observed this but didn't ask anything, continuing to play on his phone. Durant had a good relationship with Irving and Jordan, but he was the type of person who, despite being close to them, often kept to himself and maintained a distance. As the team's leader, he wasn't sensitive to cliques or adept at forming factions.

Because of his exceptional talent and strength, when he first joined the SuperSonics, the team immediately traded Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen, making him the undisputed core player and giving him a season to play freely and develop his skills.

For many years afterward, he was the team's absolute core player. From age 19 to 27, the eight most crucial years of his youth development, he played for a team and in a city that doted on him. As a child, he was also well protected by his mother, focusing solely on playing basketball, and naturally didn't know much about certain tactics.

When he went to Oakland, he contributed on the field and won the Finals MVP, but was ostracized and attacked off the field. Only then did he understand some things.

Harden, somewhat curious, asked during dinner, "Victor, what are you three doing? Is it some kind of initiation ceremony?"

Li Wei made up a lie, saying, "Ah...yes, this is a stay-at-home dad group. I want to join them; I want a child. They both already have one, and now that I have a job, it's time to think about getting married and having kids. Do you want to join?"

Harden quickly shook his head and said, "No, no, no, I'm not interested, there's no need." Harden and Durant are well-known in the league as non-marriage advocates, so Li Wei's story makes a lot of sense.

In the afternoon, during a warm-up practice at the Spurs' home arena, Steve Nash called Levi aside, who was practicing three-pointers, and said, "Hey Victor, tonight... I probably still can't let you start."

Li Wei shrugged and said, "Oh, that's a real shame. I thought I could start and make a bigger contribution."

"I need to consider more things, such as the offensive issues and rotation. For now, being a substitute is more suitable for you."

“That’s right, that’s what I think too. You can learn more as a substitute. I need to observe. I’m new to the league, and I don’t know many teams or players. Going straight onto the court to compete might put me at a disadvantage. If I sit on the bench and think and observe, I’ll perform better.” Nash didn’t expect Levi to say that. He knew Levi had a tough temper, and he was prepared for some friction and conflict.

"It's good that you think that way, it's really good for the team."

"Of course, I'm part of the team, so I should consider the team's needs and follow the coach's instructions."

Nash nodded repeatedly. It seemed Victor was a sensible person who knew when to back down. Signing a guaranteed contract and becoming part of the team made all the difference. Nash increasingly felt that his decision to be tough and start Levi, resulting in his excellent performance and securing a permanent contract, was the right one.

See, once someone signs a formal contract, they become reasonable and reciprocate the favor, right? I can't help but admire him even more and think about treating him better.

Nash was still somewhat naive, completely unaware that cliques had already formed among the players, or perhaps he knew but couldn't do anything about it. His situation was very similar to Durant's.

He was one of the Mavericks' "Big Three," and the undisputed leader of the Suns, never needing to consider allying with anyone. As a point guard, he distributed the ball around, and with the Suns consistently using an eight-man rotation, he rarely considered things from the perspective of a junior player, such as how to secure limited playing time and ball possession.

As for my experience with the Suns in 1996, that's too far in the past. Back then, the team had Jason Kidd and Kevin Johnson, so there's no point in thinking about it now.

This is why superstar players often struggle to be good coaches; they are unaware of the subtle thoughts and feelings of role players, and tend to assume things from a superstar's perspective, inevitably leading to clashes with players in daily management.

Successful superstar coaches like Larry Bird cleverly delegated authority to two assistant coaches, using them as cover. Furthermore, the Pacers, primarily composed of veteran players, were subject to the discipline of a tough coach. After three years of coaching, the team underwent a rebuild, and Bird wisely stepped down, preserving his reputation.

The situation in NBA teams today is far more complex, and the Nets are the most complex of all. Nash, with his traditional management methods, only made things more chaotic for himself. When Levi arrived, Nash felt like a window had opened, allowing him to breathe a little easier. Little did he know that this guy was also a madman.

Not crazy? If he weren't crazy, could he even beat LeBron James?

Another example of how complex NBA teams are becoming is the San Antonio Spurs, the Nets' opponent tonight.

At 7:30 p.m., both teams took to the floor of the AT&T Center on time. The Nets wore white jerseys, while the Spurs wore city jerseys with their traditional tricolor stripes, instead of the black and white color scheme that fans were familiar with.

The profound mark left by Tim Duncan has faded with time. As a basketball fairytale in the eyes of many fans, the Spurs' Big Three (GDP) did create a legendary story, but it also gave many people the illusion that the Spurs were special and that they should be like this, full of friendship, sacrifice, and unity.

Since the conflict between Leonard and the Spurs broke out, supporters of both sides have been sticking to their own stories and attacking each other. The team believes that Leonard is ungrateful, acts unethically, keeps everything secret, lacks communication, and has manipulated the team.

Those on Leonard's side believe that the Spurs have been reaping the benefits of the GDP (Big Three) for too long, taking the players' concessions and sacrifices for granted. They feel that if they don't gain anything, they are at a disadvantage. They are arrogant, disrespectful to the players, and veterans are leading the way in bullying younger players. The new generation doesn't accept this and simply walks away.

Regardless of who is right or wrong, the final result is that the Spurs' hopes for a legacy, for nurturing the next Tim Duncan, have been dashed. The team went from championship contenders to the edge of the playoffs. Now, with Aldridge preparing to leave, the Spurs are back in contention for the number one draft pick.

Currently, the Spurs only have DeMar DeRozan, who insists on the classic mid-range shooting style of guards, to carry the team. His playing style, like his performance on the court, is entertaining and appreciated by fans, and can win games, but it cannot go any further and can only go so far.

DeAndre Jordan earned another starting opportunity and scored the Nets' first points with an alley-oop after receiving a pass from James Harden. This highlights the significance of his fight for a starting position: to score as many easy baskets as possible while the defensive intensity is still relatively low.

Once the intensity of the competition increases, it won't be so easy to rack up points, and weaknesses will be exposed on the defensive end. Wouldn't it be perfect to give the position to Li Wei then, letting him take the hits?
If Blake comes, he'll also be messing around with flight attendants. If he does a lot, won't I be doing less? Thinking about it this way, DeAndre Jordan felt more and more that it was really good to team up with Levi and have a division of labor.

(End of this chapter)