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Dragon Emperor in Pokemon World.
The return of Itachi
I am Sasuke. Why should I defect from Konoha.
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On the morning of July 23, 2003, a four-team trade caught the attention of basketball pundits!
The Atlanta Hawks traded Glenn Robinson and a 2006 second-round pick to the 76ers.
The Timberwolves traded Terrell Brandon to the Atlanta Hawks and Mark Jackson to the 76ers.
The Chicago Bulls sent Sprewell to the Timberwolves.
The 76ers sent Randy Holcomb and a protected 2007 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks, and Keith Van Horn to the Chicago Bulls.
The Champion Guard was tragically traded.
The Chicago Bulls had just signed veterans Pippen and Oakley, and Sprewell was in high spirits, planning to continue slacking off in the new season!
However, his joy was short-lived as the Chicago Bulls kicked him from Chicago to Minnesota within days.
Under such circumstances, Sprewell was naturally in a foul mood.
After the trade, he suppressed his discomfort and responded casually:
"The Chicago Bulls are about to rise, and I was with the team through its low point, but they chose to trade me!"
"I don't want to say too much. I will bring my championship experience to the Timberwolves. Kevin Garnett is a good brother. I can teach him how to win a championship!"
The "Madman" who was tanking did not lose his physique.
Compared to some stars who got fat at the end of their careers, Sprewell was relatively professional.
At least he maintained an athlete's build.
However, saying this made Kevin Garnett difficult to respond to, as the Timberwolves were his team!
Before Kevin Garnett could respond, the onlookers were drawn to the remarks of Ray Allen from Seattle.
Every offseason, Ray Allen would make a training plan for himself.
As a straightforward star, he almost burst out laughing when he saw Payton abandon Milwaukee.
When interviewed by the Seattle Times this time, Ray Allen very naturally brought up old grievances:
"I said it a long time ago, Gary Payton is not the answer for Milwaukee!"
"Coach George Karl made a foolish decision! He can't win a championship. He only suppresses players' talent, and he's still reminiscing about those Finals!"
"But times have changed, and no one wants to pay for his old-fashioned tactical ideas."
"Joining the Lakers is not a good choice either. Basketball is not about stacking star players. Gary Payton will not succeed either."
However, when asked if the Seattle SuperSonics could make it to the Finals, the straightforward Ray Allen seemed to run out of steam and could only answer quietly:
"The Seattle SuperSonics are very talented, but I've only been with the team for half a season. We still need time to gel as a roster."
Sprewell, preparing to report to Minnesota, was clamoring to teach Kevin Garnett how to win a championship.
Ray Allen, still in Seattle, continuously attacked the Milwaukee Bucks, George Karl, and Gary Payton.
The public's attention gradually shifted from the Eagle County incident.
Gary Payton, who had already arrived in Los Angeles, was no pushover and also made a statement during an interview:
"I don't care about the complaints of those small characters. I love the Seattle SuperSonics, but unfortunately, Ray Allen is not a qualified leader."
"He plays too soft. I don't mind teaching him another lesson next season. A player who hasn't even played in the Finals has no right to point fingers at me!"
Gary Payton's voice was a bit thin, coupled with his fast speaking speed, the mockery instantly reached its MAX.
On July 24, the Knicks announced the signing of future DPOY Ron Artest.
This news was leaked in advance by the New York Times, with several columns naturally lending Ron Artest the title of DPOY.
General Manager Grunfeld completed this signing for $45 million over 6 years, with a player option in the 5th year.
This was the team's first signing of the offseason.
The Lakers chose to add veterans, while the Knicks chose to re-sign a Rookie.
Ron Artest signing a big contract made his family and friends the happiest.
His Rookie salary after taxes was simply not enough, but now they could comfortably leech off him.
The Lakers announced the signing of Karl Malone, which naturally affected Robert Horry.
Old Malone naturally had no interest in being the Lakers' 10th man.
With his still strong physique, getting a starting spot was inevitable.
Coupled with potential locker room issues for the Lakers next season, Robert Horry ultimately left.
The Knicks naturally weren't interested in this veteran.
In the morning, the San Antonio Spurs announced the signing of free agent Robert Horry!
The Pacers also announced news, with the team signing free agent Stephen Jackson.
With a 4-year, $24 million contract and a guaranteed starting position, Stephen Jackson ultimately rejected the San Antonio Spurs and chose to play in Indiana.
Of course, this also related to the Head Coach's coaching style.
Although Isiah Thomas always lost in the playoffs, as a famous player, he was especially good at making grand promises when recruiting players!
Subsequently, the Pacers, Sacramento Kings, and San Antonio Spurs made another three-team trade:
The Pacers sent Brad Miller to the Sacramento Kings and Ron Mercer to the San Antonio Spurs.
The Sacramento Kings sent Scott Pollard to the Pacers and Hedo TĂŒrkoÄlu to the San Antonio Spurs.
The San Antonio Spurs sent Danny Ferry to the Pacers.
With continuous trades, the Pacers had strengthened their roster.
Jalen Rose was likely not in the team's plans, but no buyer had been found yet.
On Friday, the 25th, Clay Lee and Tim Grover's book, "Win," reappeared at the 8th spot on the New York Times bestseller list.
Winning is the best advertisement.
Although a small part of the book's content was slightly exaggerated, looking at Lee's stats and on-court performance, many people still chose to believe.
As for why other basketball players couldn't achieve such performance, it was naturally because they lacked talent and ability.
After all, there was first Michael Jordan, and then Lee appeared, with the same trainer, similarly above-average league statistics, and both big winners!
The data and on-court performance added to the book's persuasiveness.
With the Knicks winning the championship again this year, "Win" also became an essential guide for young players.
As long as the NBA exists, this book will continuously provide Lee with some pocket money!
At the Tarrytown Training Center, Lee returned to Manhattan mainly to cooperate with the team in updating a wave of training equipment.
The training center covers a large area.
Not only the Knicks but also the NHL Rangers are located within this complex.
The Knicks have two complete basketball training courts, and the Rangers have an ice hockey rink.
Both sides have their own building wings, and after several years of construction, the training center is now complete.
This time, the main focus was on updating strength training equipment, adding some high-tech training facilities, and also some entertainment facilities for the players' lounges.
The drive from the training center to Manhattan takes over 10 minutes.
If the schedule is dense, Lee usually chooses to rest at his home near the training center.
As for Rookie players, some are reluctant to leave the bustling Manhattan, so they naturally commute back and forth.
Adding some entertainment facilities is also to help the players work better.
General Manager Grunfeld was completely relaxed this year.
With the draft picking up the atmosphere group, the Knicks are unlikely to get lottery picks in the next few years, and Grunfeld wanted to hear Lee's thoughts.
Looking at the newly added steam room and ice bath equipment, and listening to the staff introduce whirlpool underwater training facilities, Lee felt that someone in the team must have taken kickbacks.
Grunfeld didn't care about any of this. Looking at the brand new training facilities, he immediately said with a smile:
"Our training center is definitely the best in the league, with no drawbacks except for being a bit far from Manhattan."
"Lee, you know Stephen's contract. We don't have a starting position, and we can't offer him more than Ron."
Stephen Jackson had called Lee before the ESPY Awards.
Being able to make a name for himself again, secure a good contract, and become a starter for a playoff team, Stephen Jackson had become a model of a player's comeback.
Lee would naturally wish him well for gaining more influence and a bigger contract, as there really wasn't a spot here.
"I've talked to Stephen about this, and it's a good thing he got this contract!"
"Young players who haven't made a name for themselves might see the Knicks as an ideal destination, which is good for team morale."
Lee said it easily, but Grunfeld could only give a dry laugh.
Only Lewis and Jackson have made a name for themselves with the Knicks.
Over the years, a large number of late-round Rookies have left, and the team's atmosphere group will continue to shrink this year.
Grunfeld and the management tried their best to trade these players for some draft picks, but other teams didn't buy it because the atmosphere group's stats were too inflated.
The overwhelming regular season dominance meant the Knicks often clocked out after three quarters.
Although the bench unit had impressive stats, they had very few opportunities in the playoffs.
Their limited playing time was mostly garbage time, making the Knicks a graveyard for late-round Rookies, who often couldn't even get their next contract after leaving the team.
Seeing the fat man's expression beside him, Lee knew that he didn't quite agree with his viewpoint.
However, it's not easy for ordinary players to establish themselves, and Lee didn't think there was anything wrong with the Knicks.
If they couldn't be traded, that wasn't his job.
Grunfeld received a pile of resumes from agents.
Although late-round Rookies couldn't be traded for more draft picks, the Knicks were very popular in the free agent market:
"Lee, for the bench, which positions do you want to fill? We have a lot of candidates, and we also invited a group of players to the Summer League, but Coach Crawford doesn't think any of them are suitable for the team."
With one shooting guard missing from the bench, Lee didn't bother to think too much and casually replied:
"Just reduce some competitive pressure on Tayshaun Prince and add a shooting guard."
Matt Barnes was also part of the atmosphere group, but his performance in the Summer League was mediocre, and he didn't gain the trust of the coaching staff.
Grunfeld nodded secretly. Among the bench players, Amar'e Stoudemire became the main scorer.
This Rookie was deeply favored by Mike D'Antoni and would definitely get a lot of playing time in the new season.
Lee continued to chat with the staff about training equipment, quietly learning how to operate a team.
General Manager Grunfeld thought for a moment, but couldn't recall which shooting guards were among that pile of resumes:
"It seems I'll have to talk to agents again and invite a few players for a tryout!"
The Knicks had already divided the pie, and there were no more spots even on the bench.
Any new players would undoubtedly be defensive role players, as Amar'e Stoudemire was a high-draft pick, and Kurt Thomas's playing time would be affected during the regular season.
Completely different from the Knicks' situation, after joining the Cavaliers, Jeff Van Gundy finally felt the long-lost respect.
Upon arriving in this city, he had only one feeling:
"Awesome!"
The Cavaliers' training center had always partnered with medical institutions.
Although the facilities were a bit old, they were still absolutely sufficient.
General Manager Jim Paxson was a Portland Trail Blazers legend, having been an All-Star and selected to the All-NBA Second Team.
In 1999, Paxson was promoted to General Manager of the team.
With poor records in recent years, he finally welcomed the The Chosen One.
This General Manager was afraid of being replaced, so he had been "sucking up" to the Bald Young Coach during this period.
In his opinion, the Champion Coach with four consecutive championships was destined to stay with the Cavaliers forever.
Paxson didn't want to conflict with such a super famous coach, and Jeff Van Gundy had been experiencing the feeling of absolute authority during this time!
On July 28, the Cavaliers also announced a trade, signing the Bald Young Coach's beloved player, Charlie Ward.
Charlie Ward, who had been notified early, arrived at the Cavaliers' training center and felt as if he had been in another world when he saw Jeff Van Gundy.
With red eyes, Charlie Ward tried to control his emotions.
When he saw Jeff Van Gundy waving kindly at him, he finally couldn't hold back:
"Coach! Thank you, you saved my career. I will play for you my entire life!"
General Manager Paxson and the Cavaliers' staff were stunned, and a thought involuntarily emerged in their minds:
"He truly is a Champion Coach, so beloved by his players!"
Charlie Ward looked much more down-and-out compared to his time in New York.
Without team restrictions, he no longer wore formal attire.
Dressed in hip-hop style, with an oversized T-shirt, a faded gold chain, and a somewhat weathered face.
Over the past few years, Charlie Ward had drifted among several teams, never gaining trust, often being cut after signing a 10-day short contract.
Whenever he recalled his experience with the Knicks, Charlie Ward felt heartbroken.
Behind the scenes, he often slandered Clay Lee as a stat padder.
Many stories in the Los Angeles Times came from him, but the Knicks were winning big, and Lee's stats were off the charts, so no one cared about the negative rumors.
Looking at his beloved player crying softly in front of him, Jeff Van Gundy seemed to recall his experience with the Knicks.
Hearing the emotional confession, he couldn't help but pat his shoulder and comfort him:
"Charlie, I know your abilities. When you join the team, you must play well and train hard. I hope you can become the most diligent player on the team."
"You need to inspire others with your effort. I believe you can do it!"
"It's different from the past. In Cleveland, Paxson and I get along very well. As long as you can show your abilities, the Cavaliers will be your best stage."
Charlie Ward immediately drank the chicken soup and excitedly promised the Bald Young Coach:
"I will never let down the Coach's trust! This is great, I can finally return to the court."
After saying this, Charlie Ward started crying again.
Paxson, who witnessed this scene, felt that the Bald Young Coach's chicken soup skills were profound, moving players to tears with just a few words.
The Cavaliers' staff were unaware of the Knicks' internal gossip.
Everyone only knew that the two knew each other and had worked together, but no one expected Charlie Ward to be so emotional.
Everyone looked at the Bald Young Coach differently.
Compared to the previous Head Coach Paul Silas, the Champion Coach was indeed extraordinary!
Jeff Van Gundy noticed the respectful gazes around him and felt a bit smug for a moment.
As long as he greeted the General Manager, the other party would sign his preferred player without hesitation.
There was no need to strategize against the General Manager, nor to consult with the core players on the team.
Jeff Van Gundy personally experienced the taste of power and finally understood why Pat Riley chose the Heat.
Taking this opportunity, Paxson also wanted to ask the Head Coach about his plans.
After LeBron James joined the team, fans had high expectations:
"Jeff, should we strive for the playoffs this season? If we want to achieve this goal, in what directions should we focus on strengthening?"
Jeff Van Gundy thought about the Cavaliers' roster, combined with his observations of LeBron James, and was unsure for a moment.
After a moment of thought, he whispered:
"I suggest the team continue to tank. We still need more talent, and there's no need to waste draft picks for a playoff spot."
"Now we must realize one thing: no matter how the Cavaliers strengthen this season, the team cannot break out of the Eastern Conference."
"LeBron James is just a high school Rookie, and he still needs to adapt to the NBA in his Rookie season."
"We should continue to get draft picks instead of barely making the playoffs only to be eliminated in the first round."
Paxson heard this plan and immediately nodded repeatedly.
Tanking was indeed a good idea.
After confirming the core, the roster could be cleaned up, and with a few more high-draft picks, the Cavaliers could complete their rebuild in less than two years!
Jeff Van Gundy felt extremely comfortable when he saw the other party agree to his suggestion, almost doing a tactical lean back on the spot:
"That's what you call a Champion Coach!"
By the end of July, a big fish appeared in the free agency market again: the Clippers confirmed they would not re-sign Lamar Odom, who became a free agent.
The Knicks were very interested, but Lamar Odom demanded a starting position.
The two sides did not engage in further talks because Lamar Odom's condition was destined to be unattainable.
The Lakers, however, made a new move, re-signing Horace Grant!
This signing made the New York Media burst into laughter.
The next day, several column articles recycled old material:
"Los Angeles Lakers: League of Losers!"
The two teams' building philosophies were poles apart.
The Knicks had no veterans.
All their players were in their prime.
The Lakers signed three old men in one go, and the team's vitality plummeted.
On the 29th, Andre Miller also rejected the Knicks' invitation.
This assist king had no interest in being a backup for Clay Lee.
Ultimately, Andre Miller chose to join the Denver Nuggets and team up with the Rookie Carmelo Anthony.
Taking advantage of the remaining time this month, Lee also watched the invited players' tryouts with General Manager Grunfeld.
The players who came to the Tarrytown Training Center were a bit bewildered.
They thought it would be a scrimmage, but instead, Lee performed a series of basic drills and had them follow along.
Footwork drills for warm-up, sliding Defense with resistance bands for warm-up, then resistance band pull-up jumpers, switching to a heavier training ball for sliding, simulating game-like dribble drives and dunks, and after continuous shuttle runs, five-spot three-pointers.
He didn't miss a single shot, and his speed was incredibly fast.
Most importantly, Lee seemed effortless, as if this was just a normal warm-up.
The Knicks' trainers were already used to it.
This training combination had already been scaled down, and having Lee demonstrate it was mainly to reduce complaints from the invited players.
After greeting them, Lee went with the trainers to try out the new training equipment.
Michael Malone, the newly joined Assistant Coach, also worked as a scout.
He marveled at Lee's performance, then clapped his hands and shouted to everyone:
"Alright! Lads, just like Clay Lee, complete these sets of drills!"
"..."
Everyone exchanged glances, forcing a smile. Are you picking lottery picks here?!
On July 30, the Knicks announced another trade, signing free agent Raja Bell.
As an undrafted player, he first served as an atmosphere guy for the 76ers, and last season he made a name for himself with the Dallas Mavericks. In this tryout, only Raja Bell's performance was acceptable.
The Rookie Raja Bell's eyes also turned red after receiving the team's notification: $2.1 million over two years.
At the Tarrytown Training Center, Raja Bell signed his name on the contract, fighting back tears.
General Manager Grunfeld nodded; this one made it onto the team based on his ability.
Following the team staff to tour the Madison Square Garden, Raja Bell calmed his emotions.
Looking at the conference championship banners and championship banners hanging around the arena, he couldn't help but sigh softly:
"Is this what a championship team is like?"
.....
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