warrior godfather

Chapter 225 When the transaction is in progress

Bang—swipe!

In the Oracle Center, a training match was in progress. Clay passed two screens in a row through persistent running before barely getting rid of Tony Allen's defense. After receiving a pass from Curry, he did not dare to stop for a moment. He made a quick shot and hit a three-pointer before Tony Allen pounced.

On the sidelines, Zhang Yu and the coaching staff watched the game on the field and talked to each other in low voices.

Zhang Yu said softly:
"It seems that they have been running in very well. In just one month, the tactics are running so smoothly. I hope to play these tactics in the game."

Silas laughed:
"Ronan, this isn't a problem at all. How many defenders as tough as Tony are there in the league? Clay can score under his defense, let alone others."

Ron Adams agrees:
"Yes, Tony's defense is top-notch. He was wasted in the Celtics. He could only get more than ten minutes of playing time per game. In fact, his defense against Kobe in the finals was very good, but Rivers It’s really incomprehensible not to give him time, if Tony bites Kobe all over the court, the Celtics really don’t necessarily lose the championship, Ray Allen paid too many fouls on Kobe.”

Zhang Yu heard what Ron Adams meant, and said:

"Tony really deserves more playing time. Look at the game. If the game works well, he will compete with Klay for the starting position."

"I still think Clay is more worthy of starting. He needs a lot of games to accumulate experience. Although his defense is immature, his shooting ability is not possessed by Tony," Silas retorted.

"No, no, defense wins the championship. Tony has rich experience in the playoffs and even the finals. This is a very valuable asset that can help the team win." Ron Adams shook his head and said.

"Really, as a defender, Tony doesn't have any offensive ability with the ball, and he doesn't have any shooting ability. As long as he stands on the court, he will hurt the offense. Moreover, Drummond will also start. His shooting is relatively average. On Tyson, are we going to put three non-space points? How do we attack like this?" Silas stared at Ron Adams and asked.

After several years of being an assistant coach of the Warriors, Silas has a very persistent pursuit of space, and is more inclined to attack, focusing on the player's shooting ability.

Ron Adams was not angry either, and looked at Zhang Yu with a smile:

"This needs to be decided by our head coach."

Compared with Silas, Ron Adams is more defensive. Clay's shooting is second only to Curry in the team, but his defense is still immature, below the league average. Ron Adams thinks that Tony Allen Is a more suitable starting candidate.

Silas and Ron Adams had discussed this issue many times before, but they both insisted on their own views, and it was difficult to reach a consensus. In the end, it was up to Zhang Yu to make a decision.

Zhang Yu smiled slightly:
"Basketball doesn't lie. There are still a few days before the preseason game. Let's see how they perform in the game."

Ron Adams and Silas looked at each other, and suddenly they both laughed.

"Well, I'm fine with that." Silas shrugged.

"This is really a happy trouble..." Ron Adams said with emotion.

At this moment, Larry Riley came over, stopped in front of Zhang Yu, and whispered something.

After Zhang Yu heard this, surprise flashed across his face, and he exchanged a few words with Larry Riley. After he left, he smiled at the two of them:

"I think we have one more thing to worry about."

……

boom!
Turning the time back to yesterday, the Nets, which had just moved into the Putian Shou Center Arena, were also conducting a training game.

Yi Jianlian tried his best to lean back, but he only pushed Favors back a step back. He tried again, but with little effect. Instead, he tried to shake Favors away with a feint, but Favors did not jump at all. , Yi Jianlian had no choice but to take a fadeaway jumper, and the basketball missed the basket under serious interference.

Bang!

The rebound bounced out, and it was Favors again. He stuck Yi Jianlian firmly behind him, then flew up, protected the rebound, and turned around and passed it to Jordan Farmar who was about to come down. Fortunately, Team A retreated in time. Let the B team, which is dominated by substitutes, achieve a fast break.

Jordan Farmar tried to break through, but failed to find an opportunity. Instead of hitting hard, he lobbed it to Favors who was stuck in the low post and Yi Jianlian wanted the ball.

boom!
Xinke Tanhua took the ball, slapped the ball hard on the ground, sat back hard, and made a dull and powerful sound, Yi Jianlian was hit by him and took a big step back.

boom!
Favors slammed hard again, Yi Jianlian couldn't resist, and still took a big step back. Favors turned around sensitively, kicked his feet hard on the ground, flew up, held the basketball tightly with both hands, and threw it heavily. Hit the hoop!
Bang!

The same sound, but different endings. Facing Favors' disdainful gaze, Yi Jianlian rubbed his faintly aching chest, with a wry smile on the corner of his mouth.

Last summer, he would never be crushed all the way to the basket by Favors, but this summer, according to Zhang Yu's suggestion, he lost weight and improved mobility, and his strength also declined as a result. hit successfully.

What makes Yi Jianlian feel the most bitter is that during the whole process of Favors' back-up, no player from Team A came to help defend. With a sense of gloating, only Lopez, who was pinned down by the B team center on the weak side, came to comfort him:
"Yi, it doesn't matter. You have your advantage. I will pass the ball for you after I attract a pincer in the low position. You make a bold shot."

Yi Jianlian nodded gratefully, but Lopez's ordinary greeting among teammates sounded like fairy music to his ears.

Team A attacked, Lopez received the pass in the low post, and opened his stance to play singles. Unlike Favors' singles against Yi Jianlian just now, as the number one star of the Nets, Team B resolutely double-teamed him. After pinching, Lopez passed the ball to Yi Jianlian who was ambushing in the left corner of the bottom corner.

At this time, Favors was pinching Lopez under the basket. He turned around and saw that it was Yi Jianlian's ball.

After Yi Jian connected the ball, he didn't care about the mocking expression on Favors' face, his eyes became extremely focused, he glanced slightly at the frame, and raised his hand to throw a three-pointer.

Favors quickly turned around and returned to the penalty area, trying to get stuck in Lopez's position for a rebound, but saw the basketball bounce into the frame and stayed where he was.

Yi Jianlian exhaled, clenched his fists in front of his chest, turned around to retreat, but quietly looked at the new head coach "Little General" Avery Johnson on the sidelines.

The coach should have seen my shooting ability, right?
"Good job, Yi!" Lopez caught up from behind and clapped hands with Yi Jianlian.

The corner of Yi Jianlian's mouth moved slightly, revealing a somewhat stiff smile, and said in a low voice:

"Thank you."

He was very happy, but he didn't know how to express it.

Later, I must make two more three-pointers, so that the coach can see my progress in the summer, and also share some offensive pressure with Daluo...

Yi Jianlian was thinking about the nickname he gave Lopez in his heart, and was thinking silently.

He heard this from a reporter when he returned to China. He thought it was much more fluent than Brooke's, so he used it immediately.

"Brook's low post attack is very dangerous...but look at Yi, he can't stop Derek, he's as soft as a doughnut!"

On the sidelines, Avery Johnson, whom Yi Jianlian had talked about many times in his heart, not only did not praise Yi Jianlian's three-pointer, but complained after seeing Yi Jianlian retreated back and was successfully backed by Favors again.

"He didn't seem to be so soft last season..." Billy King, the new general manager of the Nets, stood beside Johnson. He looked at Yi Jianlian on the court and said with some doubts.

Johnson said coldly:

"Of course, last season he weighed 250 pounds, but over the summer, he weighed 238 pounds, and he lost 12 pounds (5.5 kilograms)!"

"Losing weight? Why does he want to lose weight?" Billy King wondered.

Johnson spread his hands:

"I also want to know, which bastard made him lose weight, or Yi himself wanted to lose weight... But these are not important now, the important thing is that Yi's weight loss will make him an inside defense Weaknesses reduce his ability to punish the opponent's insiders, and misplaced offense will be the tactical foundation of the team in the new season. His contribution to the team now is only that slow-motion three-pointer!"

Billy King touched his chin and glanced at Johnson:
"You're not happy with him?"

"Of course!" Johnson nodded without hesitation, "With Derek here, we don't need Yi. Derek can perfectly replace his role. The twin tower combination formed by him and Brook will be the future of the Nets. My tactics Needs a tougher interior, not a half-baked big like Yi."

Billy King nodded slowly:
"Okay, Avery, your request will be granted."

brush!
During the conversation between the two, Yi Jianlian received a pass from Lopez again and made an open three-pointer, showing a long-lost smile.

After seeing this scene, Billy King paused, but after seeing Johnson's dissatisfied expression and his low-pitched complaint, "How does this guy know how to shoot from the outside, just like that German...", he finally Make up your mind and move forward.

Compared with the wishes of the head coach, Yi Jianlian seems so insignificant.

……

"Yi? Ronan, I don't know much about him. Does he have any characteristics?"

In the conference room, Silas looked at Zhang Yu suspiciously.

At this time, the training game in the Warriors has ended, the players have gone home, the coaching staff stayed for a meeting, and Larry Riley also participated.

Zhang Yu nodded to Jonathan, who turned on the projection equipment, and he said to everyone:

"Here is the video of the World Championships in early September, we can take a look at his performance together."

"Why don't you watch his tapes from last season?" Bruce asked puzzled.

"As you all know, Yi is my compatriot. I have given him some suggestions before. He should have made changes this summer. The video of last season was not convincing." Zhang Yu explained patiently.

"Oh..." Several people glanced at each other, and saw such expressions on each other's faces.

Zhang Yu smiled and said:

"I know what you are thinking, but I will not just give him a contract just because he is my compatriot. If he cannot meet my requirements, the deal will have to fall through."

During the training match, Larry Riley brought him the news that the Nets had put Yi Jianlian on the shelves. Zhang Yu had told him to pay attention to Yi Jianlian's situation, so he notified Zhang Yu of the news immediately.

In Zhang Yu's previous life, Yi Jianlian was traded to the Wizards by the Nets at the end of June, but after Zhang Yu's reminder, Yi Jianlian made a lot of progress last season, and the management thought he still had potential to be tapped, so he kept him.

But after Avery Johnson took office as the head coach, he didn't like Yi Jianlian's opinion and decided to trade him out. Yi Jianlian's inability to prevent Favors' performance in the training game played a catalytic role.

This is inseparable from Johnson's anger.

"Little General" won the honor of the best head coach in the Mavericks, but his achievements are largely based on the system left by the old Nelson. He was eliminated by the Warriors Black Eight, and the following year did not make any progress in the playoffs, and was swept out by the Mavericks.

And Johnson has a strong desire to control the team, even superstars must fully obey his arrangements.

It is a pity that he is not Zhang Yu, and Nowitzki will not obey his discipline, which caused conflicts between the two. Nowitzki, who has always been quiet, even publicly complained about Johnson's management of the locker room in front of the media.

After Johnson left the Mavericks, he had always held a grudge against Nowitzki. Later, when he saw Yi Jianlian, whose style of play was similar to Nowitzki's, he blamed him and wanted to kick him out.

I can't cure Dirk Nowitzki, can't I cure you?
Of course, this is not pure venting. Compared with Yi Jianlian's performance last season, his salary seems too high, which is completely a premium contract.

Just thinking this way, Johnson selectively ignored Yi Jianlian's improvement in three-point shooting, mobility and athletic ability in the summer.

The Warriors coaching staff will not make such a mistake. After watching the video of Yi Jianlian's game at the World Championships, Silas smiled with interest:

"Ronan, it seems that he did follow your advice. His three-point shot is very good, the effect of switching to the outside is also very good, and his cutting awareness is also good. My only doubt now is that he can play in the NBA. Can you maintain this performance under the intensity?"

Larry Riley said:

"I don't think it's a problem. Yi only has one year left on his contract, and it's still a rookie contract. Obviously, his technical characteristics are very suitable for us. If he doesn't play this year, we can also clear the cap space. , it’s not a loss anyway—we’re going to plan for a contract extension in two years’ time.”

The last two sentences, Larry Riley said to Zhang Yu.

Everyone else nodded, Zhang Yu glanced around, and said slowly:

"In this case, then contact the Nets, Larry, and pay more attention to the draft picks."

"Leave it to me, boss." Larry Riley said calmly and confidently.

　Thanks Yu Qingfeng, book friend 201809
　　
　
(End of this chapter)