NBA's King of Talking

Jia Fei also wondered if he would be traded by the Thunder, but reason told him that the possibility was very, very small. He certainly had trade value, but trades need to be balanced. His contract was too small, and players with similar contracts were mostly fringe players on their respective teams, and their value was likely even lower than his. Using him as a trade filler would be a major deal, but for their team, it wasn't about trading for the sake of trading.

He felt that even if he fell out of the rotation, President Putin wouldn't trade him unless President Putin had lost his mind, but President Putin's professional ability was beyond doubt.

Jia Fei isn't afraid of being traded. To be honest, playing for the Thunder, a championship contender, hasn't been very friendly to rookies like him and Reggie. Not only have they received few development opportunities, but they've also faced a lot of pressure. If he were traded to a bottom-tier team, he might have more opportunities.

However, the initiative in trades lies with the team, not the player.

At 3 PM on the 16th, the trade deadline arrived, and the Thunder made no trades. This doesn't mean their roster will remain unchanged; they can still sign players in free agency and the buyout market.

In the evening, Jia Fei received a text message from assistant coach Cheeks, informing him that he would not be in the rotation for the next night's game.

This outcome was predictable, but when he actually found out, it was still quite difficult for him to accept. It's like subconsciously knowing that your crush doesn't like you, that there's a 99% chance she just sees you as a simp and will give you the friend card at any time, but when she actually confronts you, you still find it hard to accept because you still had a 1% chance!

Similarly, Jia Fei also felt that even though he had played so well in the past 9 games, he could only play the role of the benchwarmer again when the injured players returned.

But that's the NBA, that's the treatment of a second-round pick. Teams don't need management to step in or the head coach to talk to him personally if they want him back on the bench; a single text message from an assistant coach is enough. For fringe players, the NBA is a jungle law: survival of the fittest!

Fortunately, I did get some playing time in my rookie season. I didn't play many games, but it was over 10, which is a decent sample size. Now I can only wait patiently for the next opportunity!

Thabo Sefolosha has recovered from injury and returned to the starting lineup, while Daequan Cook has returned to the bench and Jia Fei has fallen out of the rotation.

Reggie Jackson is still in the rotation because Eric Melo is still recovering from injury.

This game is a key match in the Western Conference, and the winner will temporarily lead the West in the standings.

Both teams want to be the top seed in the West, and home-court advantage is very important in the playoffs. Many teams have experienced firsthand the Spurs' intimidating home court.

Sefolosha's return was limited to a limited time, and he only played 15 minutes in this match.

The game was exciting, but the Thunder ultimately lost, missing out on a seven-game winning streak.

When the outcome of the match was no longer in doubt, the on-site director cleverly switched the camera to Jia Fei, who was sitting quietly next to the water dispenser with no expression.

After the game, Jia Fei stayed behind for extra practice. He was practicing his shooting like crazy. The original owner of this body had pretty good shooting talent; his shooting form was standard, and his release speed wasn't slow either. So, when he was at UConn, as a key rotation player for the team, his shooting percentage was consistently high. But after entering the NBA, the shorter playing time and higher intensity of the games have made his jump shot percentage less consistent, sometimes good and sometimes bad.

Before Jia Fei can fully integrate Iverson's peak skills, he must have a stable shooting percentage if he wants to become an excellent 3D player.

The shooting percentage doesn't need to be particularly exaggerated. As long as the mid-range shot is above 45% and the three-point shot is above 35%, and you can be used on the court without worrying about being left open by the opponent, that's enough.

With the help of the team's shooting coach, Jia Fei practiced his three-point shot like crazy, from the two corners to the two 45-degree angles, and even the top of the key. He also practiced catch-and-shoot jump shots while moving, from near the baseline to the two elbow areas, and then to the free-throw line.

Jia Fei practiced until he was covered in sweat, and only stopped when he felt a little tired. After taking a shower, he felt a little hungry. Since it was getting late, he decided to go home and make something to eat.

As he walked to the entrance of the arena, he saw a familiar car—a Ford pickup truck. He recognized it, of course; it belonged to his teammate, Reggie Jackson.

At that moment, the driver's side window of the Ford pickup truck opened, and Reggie's white teeth were particularly eye-catching in the night, while his eyes and nose were not very clear.

“Hey, Ja, get in!” Reggie said from inside the car.

Jia Fei got into the car.

After getting in the car, Reggie handed him a takeout box: "I just had lunch at a restaurant, so I brought you one too!"

"Thank you!" Jia Fei smiled. Reggie's gesture touched him quite a bit. Sometimes what moves people isn't necessarily a momentous event, but rather a very small thing.

Jia Fei was eating in the car while Reggie drove forward.

The food was quickly finished, and Reggie drove to a riverbank and pulled over.

The two got out of the car. Under the streetlights, the river flowed silently, just like time itself.

"Jia, are you in a bad mood today?" Reggie asked.

Jia Fei nodded, not denying it; clearly, Reggie knew why he was in a bad mood.

“This kind of thing is always hard to accept. Sabo has recovered from his injury and returned, and you've fallen out of the rotation. When Eric recovers and comes back, I'll also fall out of the rotation!” Reggie was also in a bad mood.

Jia Fei could understand that, just like no matter how well you play, once your teammates recover from their injuries, you'll be back on the bench. The only difference between the two is the time.

"But no matter what, you should play your best if you have the chance to play. That way, even if you fall out of the rotation, you will still have priority when you get another chance!" Jia Fei said.

Reggie was surprised by Jia Fei's maturity. He thought that if he asked Jia Fei to have a heart-to-heart talk, he would hear a lot of complaints and that Jia Fei would complain about the coaching staff. But Jia Fei was so calm that he actually comforted him instead.

"Jia, you're so mature. You're nothing like a rookie!" Reggie exclaimed.

Jia Fei smiled and said, "But I'm just a rookie right now. We have to adjust our mindset ourselves; nobody can help us. Reggie, you're still in the rotation, so play well. I'll train hard too and be ready to play at any time!"