NBA's King of Talking

This wasn't Jia Fei's first time in Houston, so he wasn't too unfamiliar with the city. However, he really didn't like the NBA team in this city, neither the owner nor the general manager.

When he thought about whether he would consider joining the Rockets if they asked him to join when he entered the free agent market in the future, he immediately rejected the idea—he didn't want to go!

Of course, no one can predict what the future holds. Perhaps he will remain a "one-man city" player with the Thunder!

The rookie challenge training was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., and Jia Fei hadn't even settled in before he had to go to training. Sometimes, he couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.

Of course, this training intensity is much lower than that of the male and female protagonists in adult films.

Jia Fei and Kemba Walker are like conjoined twins, inseparable from training to interviews. Other rookie All-Stars are used to their close bond, as everyone knows they both graduated from UConn.

The Rookie Challenge officially began at 9 p.m. that evening.

This was Jia Fei's first time participating in such a competition, but he knew that winning or losing was actually irrelevant. As long as everyone had fun, the fans were satisfied, and the organizers were happy, that was enough. Neither the coaches nor the players cared about the outcome.

The game was very low-intensity, filled with flashy moves, one-on-one duels, and long-range three-pointers. Ultimately, Jia Fei's Barkley team defeated Kemba Walker's O'Neal team to win the game.

Kenneth Faried, nicknamed "The Orc" by Barkley, won the MVP award.

Jia Fei didn't really perform; he barely took any shots, acting like a supporting player, highlighting his teammates on the court. He certainly wouldn't try to win the so-called MVP award unless he needed to complete a task; otherwise, his personality wouldn't allow him to compete for such a meaningless award.

After finishing the Rookie Challenge, Jia Fei's competition tasks were all completed, and he could now watch the upcoming individual competitions and the All-Star Game as a spectator.

The three-day All-Star Weekend has ended, marking Jia Fei's second All-Star appearance. However, he wasn't a true All-Star player in the traditional sense, which is one of his goals. He hopes to participate in the All-Star Weekend next time not as an individual event participant.

After the All-Star Game, the Thunder returned to Oklahoma City and regrouped to prepare for their next game against the Rockets.

On February 21, the Thunder suffered a last-second defeat to the Rockets on the road, marking their second three-game losing streak this season.

After this loss, the Thunder's record improved to 41 wins and 13 losses, maintaining their top spot in the Western Conference.

After the game, the Thunder held an internal meeting.

The meeting was attended by all the players and coaching staff, who discussed the team's recent poor performance.

This was Jia Fei's first time attending such a meeting. It was clear that although the Thunder were still first in the Western Conference, they had lost to the Heat twice and were on a three-game losing streak. The entire team was very dissatisfied with the current situation.

The discussion in the meeting wasn't particularly lively. Durant is a quiet type; he excels at playing well, but leading the team isn't his forte. Westbrook, on the other hand, had more of a leader's presence, encouraging everyone to step up, focus on defense, be decisive on offense, and be passionate in the upcoming games.

Coach Brooks offered self-criticism, stating that he hadn't done a good enough job in game planning and that his rotation decisions weren't wise enough.

Neither Jia Fei nor Reggie spoke, and Lamb wanted to speak but was stopped by Jia Fei.

What are you, a rookie, supposed to say in this situation? Even the team's star player hasn't said much, and you, a rookie guarding the water fountain, are spouting nonsense? Is that appropriate?

Clearly, Lamb doesn't understand some workplace rules. Some things are the same all over the world. If you don't have seniority or standing, your words carry no weight, and you shouldn't say anything more.

Jia Fei felt that if he were the leader, one of the core players of the team, or a locker room leader, he would point out the problems. But he was just a role player, and his contract was the smallest on the roster, so he couldn't say anything.

After the meeting, Jia Fei and two others left the stadium together by car.

In the car, Lamb asked impatiently, "Jia, why did you pull me just now? I have something to say!"

Reggie, who was driving, smiled but didn't say anything.

Jia Fei said, "Did you see I told Reggie?"

“You may not have anything to say, but I do!” Lamb still didn’t understand.

Jia Fei patiently explained to him, "Jeremy, do you even know the rules of the workplace?"

"What does this have to do with anything?" Lamb asked, puzzled.

"Of course it's related. Playing in the NBA is like a workplace for professional players like us. Think about it, as a newcomer to the workplace, is it appropriate for you to speak at length in an internal company meeting?" Jia Fei retorted.

Lamb fell into deep thought... but quickly retorted, "But there's no rule that says newcomers can't express their opinions!"

Jia Fei laughed: "Of course there are no rules, but even if you express your opinion, how much of an effect do you think it will have? It won't have any effect, but it will make the team's veterans and core players think that you are a show-off. There is an old Chinese saying, 'The first bird to stick its head out gets shot,' which means that those who always stick their head out will be shot down. Unless you are so strong that you are irreplaceable, you should not be the first bird to stick your head out."

Lamb finally understood: "Okay, Ja, you're right, though I don't want to admit it."

Reggie suddenly spoke up: "A person's ability to admit their shortcomings is the beginning of maturity. Jeremy, you should learn from Ja; he really has the demeanor of an older brother!"

Lamb laughed too: "Yes, I'm still a freshman, you guys are all second-years, I have a lot to learn from you!"

The atmosphere in the carriage immediately became relaxed again. No matter what, everyone remained optimistic about the future.

February 22nd was the trade deadline. Although there was a lot of speculation, Jia Fei knew that the three players wouldn't be traded. He currently had the highest trade value among the three, but his contract was too small. Trades need to be balanced, and with his abilities, he could easily trade for a mid-level player. However, if the balance wasn't managed properly, the trade wouldn't be completed. Of course, he could trade for draft picks, but the Thunder are a championship contender, and championship contenders need immediate impact; draft picks aren't as valuable.

The possibility of a major trade by the Thunder's trade deadline is virtually zero. They'll likely make minor adjustments and try to find some bargains in free agency. With their current record being the best in the Western Conference, there's really no need for a big trade, given their limited time left to gel.