Chapter 16 Team Action
The day after the draft, the headline of the Dallas Sports Journal was: Old Nelson, the dumbest pig in the NBA!

The entire article criticized Nelson Sr. and belittled Zheng Yang who was implicated. Obviously, yesterday's transaction angered the Dallas media and fans.

They don't understand why they should send away Nick, the best scorer on the bench, and add a first-round pick just to get that yellow guy who just graduated from high school?

Can he play ball?

Facing the media's criticism, Nelson said to the media, "You are just a bunch of lousy basketball spectators who know nothing about basketball and are just complaining."

This outrageous behavior angered the fans and the media, and everyone was asking the Mavericks management to fire Nelson.

Of course, this is just their angry words. If they really fire Nelson, who will lead them to win the championship?

Of course, the team management was also unhappy about the deal that Nelson Sr. strongly requested.

Team owner Mark Cuban even complained directly in front of the media.

"I don't know why he did this, you know, we have always respected his opinion, and I believe he will lead us to the championship.

But I really don’t understand why he must be after that high school student. What’s so special about him?

It's not just me, we all don't understand his thinking.

I hope that high school student can really give us a surprise!"

……

Zheng Yang did not take the malice of the Dallas media to heart. He could fully understand their thoughts. After all, the Knicks performed very well last season, but now he was going to be sent away and give up a first-round pick just for a high school player.

They are not a bad team like the Clippers. They have reached the Western Conference Finals this year. Their goal is to win the championship. They don't have time to wait for a rookie to make mistakes and grow.

So when faced with the media's questions, Zheng Yang did not choose to respond, but continued to train with peace of mind.

Since he was selected by the Mavericks, we have to talk about the contract. Although the team owner Cuban doesn't like Zheng, he didn't make things difficult for him on the contract issue.

Four years, $1256 million.

This is the most suitable contract that Zheng Yang can get at this draft position.

After signing the contract, Zheng Yang also met the team's head coach, the old man who insisted on selecting him - Old Nelson.

"Hey young man, welcome to our team!"

Old Nelson spoke in a loud voice and gave him a warm hug.

"Hey Coach! Good to see you."

"Have you seen any news from the media recently? Don't pay attention to them. They don't understand football. They don't know your strength."

"I know, don't worry coach, I know my strength better than anyone else."

"Haha, I like your confidence! Come on! Keep it up."

After the two chatted for a while, old Nelson left. Zheng Yang originally planned to meet with other team members to build good relationships in advance.

But they were all staying at home, so they had to give up.

On the way back, agent Eric Fleischer talked to him about some endorsements.

At present, those sneaker brands are waiting and watching, and have not extended an olive branch to Zheng Yang, but other small brands have sent invitations.

In response to this, Zheng Yang said that as long as it does not interfere with training and competitions, he can accept it.

After all, endorsements are also a major source of income for NBA stars. Some stars earn more from endorsements than from playing basketball, so there is naturally no need for him to be treated specially.

After returning to Akron, Zheng Yang began to discuss moving with his aunt. They would be staying in Dallas for a long time.

Of course my aunt had no objection. She has been contacting local friends to say goodbye these days. She has lived here for many years and has many friends and has received help from many people.

If I leave now, I don’t know when I will come back next time.

Zheng Yang was also busy saying goodbye. Although he had only lived there for less than a year, he had a good relationship with his classmates on the basketball team during his senior year. Because he had to try out for the draft, he rarely met with everyone after the game.

When he met Jaylen Will, he excitedly told him that he had received a full scholarship to the university. He was very grateful to Zheng Yang. If Zheng Yang had not brought the team to such a high level this year, he might not have attracted so much attention.

Not to mention getting a full scholarship.

In response to Jaylen Will's thanks, Zheng Yang just smiled and waved his hands. Basketball is a sport for five people. If they didn't play hard, Zheng Yang alone would not be able to win the final championship.

Originally, Jaylen Will wanted to invite Zheng Yang to the party, but Zheng Yang was really not interested in those girls, so he refused.

When he arrived at coach Joe Weems’ house, he hugged him excitedly, looking very excited.

Joe Weems told me that after winning the state championship, he received a recruitment letter from a university, which hoped that he could coach their university team.

Joe Wims was initially tempted, but in the end he chose to give up.

“I’ve been coaching at Jacks High School for many years and I’m very happy to win this championship, but I don’t want to leave yet.

I know there may not be another talent like you, but it doesn't matter, I am willing to spend all my coaching time here."

Joe Wims’ words made Zheng Yang feel emotional. Everyone is pursuing his or her own basketball dream, but everyone’s definition of basketball dream is different.

But it doesn’t matter, as long as we all share the same love for basketball.

The two talked about the scene when Zheng Yang came to the school team selection a year ago.

Joe Weems said with a smile.

"You suddenly stood up and interrupted me, and I was thinking, 'This young man is dead, doesn't he know whose territory this is?'

But when I saw you beating Jaylen Will until he was almost crying, I immediately changed my mind, 'This kid is really good. Does he have a girl he likes at school? Does he need my help?' Hahaha.

I knew then that this season would be completely different from last season, but I really didn't expect that you would lead this team to the championship position.

My son, it is my honor to coach you during this year of high school.

Now that I see you enter the NBA, I am very happy and proud of you.

I have nothing more to teach you, but, child, I hope you will always remember one thing you once said.

Everything is possible!"

Joe Weems patted his shoulder with tears in his eyes. This most serious man in Jax High School was actually the most emotional.

When the team won the state championship, he cried. When he saw Zheng Yang was selected in the draft, he also cried. Now that he is about to part with his students, he cries again...

Zheng Yang pursed his lips and nodded seriously.

"Coach Joe Weems, I'll remember this."

After a tight hug, Zheng Yang left. In the days to come, one of them will stay at Jacks High School and continue to coach new players, while the other will play in the NBA and pursue new glory!

Or maybe they won't see each other again for a long time, or maybe their relationship will be much more distant when they meet again, but no matter what, the days of winning the championship will always linger on the court of Jacks High School.

The excitement, pride and passion we once had will never fade away!

……

After packing up, Zheng Yang and his aunt Zhang Lin came to a single-family house in Dallas.

This is their new address. Although it is not a luxury villa, the environment is much better than the slums full of sewage and garbage, and the security situation is even better.

After putting his things in place, Zheng Yang went to buy a Hummer for fifty thousand dollars. Although he also wanted to buy a more expensive and better luxury car, his rookie contract could not afford such a lavish spending.

Let’s talk about luxury cars and mansions later.

After buying the car, Zheng Yang rented a stadium and a gym nearby, and then hired a trainer to prepare for training during the summer vacation.

There are still two or three months before the start of the new season, and he does not intend to waste this time.

This summer he needs to hone his body and improve his confrontation skills so that he can adapt to the rhythm of the NBA more quickly after the new season starts.

In this era when the hand-check rule has not yet been abolished, outside players must be durable enough. If they will be reimbursed for the season after a casual confrontation, they should wait a few more years before playing in the NBA.

……

For two and a half months, Zheng Yang left Dallas only when he played in the summer league, and spent the rest of his time in the gym and the stadium.

At this moment, he is completely different from who he was two and a half months ago.

The first difference can be seen from his body shape. He didn't gain much weight during this period, but because he went to the gym frequently, his body became much stronger.

When the clothes are lifted, the eight abdominal muscles are neatly displayed, and the various muscle lines are very clear, making people drool.

Secondly, his breakthrough and shooting have improved, and his face-to-the-basket technique and post-up technique have been honed to perfection.

Of course, there is one last point, which is his defense.

During this period, he has been practicing the flexibility of his footwork in order to improve his defensive ability. He has good physical talent and his defensive ability is not bad. Once he gains more practical experience, he will definitely become a defensive stalwart.

Of course, he still has a lot of skills to improve, such as ball control, inside skills, passing ability...

It’s a pity that it’s already mid-September and the team’s training camp for the new season is about to begin, and he has to go meet his new teammates!

Let’s first talk about what happened in the league during this offseason. Of course, the focus is on the Western Conference teams, after all, they are more popular and stronger.

The first thing we have to mention is Kobe's Eagle County incident. In late June and early July, Kobe had a relationship with a waitress. He thought he relied on his charm, but was then sued by the other party.

The situation then escalated and no one knew what would happen next.

Currently, Kobe is exhausted by the media and the courts, and the major brands he signed with are seeking to terminate their contracts. It can be said that this is a low point in his career and even in his life.

Kobe and O'Neal had already had a rift last season. Kobe didn't like O'Neal's cheerful attitude, and O'Neal didn't like this little brother who wanted to compete with him for the position of boss.

The relationship between the two would completely fall apart later when he said "Shaq did it too", and coupled with the loss in the finals, Shaq chose to go east to join the Heat.

Of course, putting aside these off-court factors, during the offseason the Lakers signed two Hall of Fame players, Karl Malone and "The Glove" Payton, at minimum salaries to form a luxurious "F4", and their goal is still to win the championship.

The Timberwolves also made significant moves, recruiting strong teammates for Garnett, the "alien" Cassell and the "madman" Sprewell, forming a "three-headed monster" combination.

They are eyeing the new season eagerly.

The Mavericks also have their own reinforcement plan. They traded away the team's backup center LaFrentz and acquired three-time All-Star Antoine Walker, who is at his peak.

Together with Nowitzki, Nash and Finley in the team, they formed the star-studded "Four-Star Mavericks".

Unlike the "Lakers F4", these four All-Stars are at the peak of their careers, while two of the Lakers are on the verge of retirement. They come here just to join forces to win a championship.

If the normal historical trajectory had been followed, the Knicks used to trade for Zheng Yang would have been sent to the Warriors in exchange for another All-Star member, Antawn Jamison, forming an even more terrifying "Five-Star Mavericks."

These three teams, plus the defending champion Spurs and the peak Kings who ranked in the top two in the Western Conference in the regular season for two consecutive years, there are five championship contenders in the Western Conference.

Everyone is curious about who will win the championship next year.

Of course, although the three reinforced teams are strong on paper, they all have many problems.

There is no need to say much about the Lakers. Malone and Payton are both in the last years of their careers, and Malone still has injury risks, so the help he can provide is limited. Kobe is caught up in off-court turmoil and there is still a rift between him and O'Neal, so it is hard to say how far the team can go.

The Timberwolves' "alien" and "madman" are both capable. One has won two championships, and the other has played in the finals and has rich playoff experience. However, both of them are thorns, and it is difficult to ensure the team's locker room atmosphere in the new season.

The Mavericks' problems seem to be the smallest. After all, they have four All-Stars, all of whom are in their prime and have no injuries. Logically, they can make it to the finals with their eyes closed.

But as I said, basketball is never a sport where 1+1 is necessarily greater than 2, and the chemistry between players is very important.

Once the chemistry is not good, the problem will be much bigger than that of the Lakers and the Timberwolves.

The 18 Cavaliers had Love, who averaged 26.1 points, 12.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists and was a member of the second team, Isaiah Thomas, who averaged 28.9 points and 5.9 assists and was a member of the second team, Wade, who averaged 18.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists, Rose, who averaged 18 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists, Rodney Hood, who averaged 16.8 points, Jordan Clarkson, who averaged 14.5 points, and George Hill, who averaged 16.9 points...

Are you dazzled by what you see?
These data are the data they recorded in the year before joining the Cavaliers, and then this year they all joined the Cavaliers!

Everyone thought that the league had come to an end, but who would have thought that the Cavaliers would fall apart in just half a season.

Injuries are one of the reasons, but the most important one is the chemistry. The newly added stars have not been able to integrate into the Cavaliers' tactical system.

Naturally, the final result can only be failure.

When it comes to team chemistry, I, Westbrook, have the most say.

Once the star player of the Thunder, he was highly worshipped by fans in Oklahoma City, where the God of Basketball was not Jordan.

Later, he went to the Rockets for the championship, and then was traded to the Wizards. Although he did not win many honors or the championship, he at least got a big contract and was called the "Triple-Double King" by people.

But what about after coming to the Lakers?

He is a player who plays with the ball in his hands, and when he is paired with a player like James who plays with the ball in his hands, there is no chemistry at all.

What's even more terrifying is that you actually let Westbrook run to open space and then finish with his zombie jump shot from the three-point line.

To be honest, it's good enough that he smashed the timer. If it were someone else, they would have smashed your head.

In the end, a "triple-double king" became a cancer to the team.

The 40 million contract is gone and has become a basic salary!
In just two years, he has become a completely different person!
Therefore, the Mavericks' problem is the most serious. If the team has no chemistry, then its strength will be reduced to one tenth of what it was.

Of course, it won’t be long before we see how these teams will perform in the new season!

(End of this chapter)