“I heard that Tony and the Spurs' contract renewal negotiations have run into problems.”

In Tang Tian's manor, Dell Demps looked worried.

Kevin Durant signed with the Lakers, and made the decision after Kemba Walker and Jimmy Butler had both confirmed joining new teams. The Pelicans were completely screwed.

But what's done is done, and he could only choose to continue making the final adjustments to the team's lineup.

After signing Jeff Green, the Pelicans only needed to find a veteran point guard.

The Parker he was talking about now.

Parker was not young, and his performance last season was not good, but after all, he was an FMVP (Finals Most Valuable Player), even a lean camel is bigger than a horse.

Moreover, he and Tang Tian were former teammates.

"Tony can still play, and his arrival will also be a good mentor for Alexander."

Tang Tian agreed with Demps' choice.

He knew that Parker went to the Hornets for a year in history this season, and there was still a lot of fuel in his tank.

With Tang Tian's approval, Demps quickly contacted Parker.

In less than two days, the two sides reached a two-year, $12 million contract, with the second year being a player option.

After Walker and Butler left, the Pelicans had a lot of space in the new season, and they would not be stingy in terms of signing.

After this signing was reached, Parker, who had spent the first 17 years of his career with the Spurs, transferred to the Pelicans in his 18th year.

According to some subsequent news, the person who made all this happen was Popovich.

The old man hoped that Parker could play the role of a mentor in the late stage of his career, with his playing time further compressed, and the contract he signed was also the kind of minimum salary.

But Parker didn't want to do that.

This choice is not surprising.

It just so happened that Popovich also gave the Pelicans an assist in disguise.

After signing Parker, the Pelicans' 15-man roster was full.

Point guard: Brogdon, Alexander, Parker

Shooting guard: Tang Tian, Ding Yanyuhang, Alfonzo Trier

Small forward: Crowder, Kuzma, Jeff Green

Power forward: Davis, Siakam

Center: Dedmon, Harrell, Mitchell Robinson

On the guard line, rookie Alexander is expected to get a lot of playing time.

Considering that Ding Yanyuhang and Trier are not very strong, Parker is also very likely to enter the regular rotation.

On the forward line, as previously analyzed by fans, Green and Davis will be the starters, and Siakam will become the team's sixth man in the new season.

If the team plays a big four small lineup, he will be the starting power forward.

Crowder, Kuzma, and Jeff Green will compete for another rotation spot.

In the inside, Harrell will get more playing time than last season.

Although this lineup is not as strong as last season, it is still watchable.

And interestingly, Parker, Green, Tang Tian, plus Diaw who just retired, the Pelicans are the New Orleans Spurs.

While the Pelicans and other teams were making small repairs, the Lakers' trade finally had results.

The Lakers did not find a third-party team to help them complete the Oladipo trade.

Strong teams don't want the Lakers to continue to become stronger, while weak teams can't meet the Thunder's asking price of a first-round pick plus a strong player.

The Lakers and Thunder's trade eventually broke up.

In the end, the Lakers could only start Plan Z and reach a trade with the Pacers.

Ball plus a $5.5 million trade exception in exchange for Middleton and a 2019 second-round pick.

Middleton averaged 22+5+5 for the Pacers last season, but he signed a five-year, $70 million contract with the Bucks in 2015, and his new season contract is only $13 million.

This is really good value for money.

But as fans knew before, Middleton's contract has a player option next season, and this contract is actually only for one year.

From the perspective of chips, the Lakers are definitely at a loss in this deal.

But the problem is that they have no choice.

Moreover, Middleton can shoot and hold the ball. If he can stay next year, the Lakers will definitely make a lot of money.

After the Middleton trade was settled, the Lakers' other signings proceeded one after another.

Re-signed Pope for 1 year and 10 million;

Re-signed Brook Lopez for 2 years and 10 million;

Signed Stephenson for 1 year and 5 million;

Re-signed Frye for 1 year with a minimum salary;

Signed McGee for 1 year with a minimum salary;

Signed Reggie Bullock for 1 year with a minimum salary;

Signed Caruso for 1 year with a minimum salary;

The Lakers' lineup for the new season.

Starting lineup: Simmons + Middleton + Durant + James + Lopez.

Bench: Caruso, Bullock, Stephenson, Pope, Hart, Frye, McGee, Zubac.

This lineup definitely has the strength to compete with the Spurs and Pelicans.

However, some fans on social media questioned the compatibility of Simmons and James.

In James' many years of playing career, his teammates basically have to have the ability to shoot from the outside.

This question was also thrown in front of the parties involved, Simmons and James.

The two people's answers were also very interesting.

"You only have one way to get the answer."

Simmons' answer was very sideways, but the meaning was also easy to understand, that is, the answer will not be known until the regular season starts.

But such an answer is the same as no answer.

In comparison, James' answer has more reference value.

"I can space the floor, me, Kevin, Brooke, Chris all can, so that won't be a problem, and man, I'm going to help him work on his shot, I have experience in that."

Simmons is known as James II. Although his strength is not as strong as young James, his style of play is very similar.

So James will feel very kind to Simmons, like seeing a younger version of himself.

And as he said, his shooting also went from nothing to something, and he has a lot of experience in this area.

James' answer also gave Lakers fans a lot of confidence.

The Lakers not only have the present, but also have the future.

With successful conception and the lineup finalized, the free market is almost over, and Tang Tian started his new offseason's hard training brothers camp in New Orleans.

Walker and Butler have recently settled their housing problems in their new cities and have also come one after another.

And this year Zhou Qi and Ding Yanyuhang also came.

Zhou Qi was what Tang Tian had promised him before, and Ding Yanyuhang was familiar with the road. After signing a formal contract with the Pelicans, he had to come.

On the first day of the training camp, everyone was very enthusiastic about training.

The new season is a battle for supremacy, not only for fans, but also for hard-training brothers.

Butler's Clippers have a chance to make the playoffs or even the top half of the Western Conference.

Not to mention Walker, Ainge just traded Whiteside from the Cavaliers.

Plus Tatum, the Celtics are very competitive in the East in the new season.

The same is true for Thompson. The Warriors were screwed by Durant, and the five-star lineup became three stars plus an unknown one. Many people are bearish on the Warriors.

He will definitely help the Warriors to prove themselves in the new season.

The same situation also happened to Irving. The Bucks will unify the East in the new season, and he must show a better performance.

"Vince wants to come to our team."

On this day, just after training ended, Demps came to the training hall and brought Tang Tian a new message.