Chapter 174 A Super Team Rises in the West!

On June 29th, the 2012 NBA Draft took place at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Earlier that year, after losing to the Mavericks in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, the New Orleans Hornets once again demonstrated why the NBA is called "the land where miracles happen."

Because in the lottery drawing held earlier, they had only a 1.7% chance of winning the top pick, but they were extremely "lucky (rigged)" to win the lottery.

As everyone knows, the Hornets, who had not yet changed their name to Pelicans at this time, were under the league's trusteeship...

So, even if the Cleveland Cavaliers owner's stupid son had good luck, this year he had to give way to the league.

Otherwise...

How could the league explain to Tom Benson, the owner of the NFL's Saints, who had just spent nearly $400 million to take over the Hornets?

As everyone knows.

The reason why the Hornets waited so long for a buyer was because the league wanted to leave the NBA's fire burning in New Orleans, which had been hit by Hurricane Katrina.

Therefore, this year, as long as the Hornets didn't make the playoffs, they had a high probability of winning the top pick.

Of course, in Su Feng's memory, because of Chris Paul's departure, the Hornets quickly fell from being a playoff regular to the bottom of the Western Conference, so the league giving the Hornets the top pick at that time could be said to be a natural thing.

As for this life...

The owners of the other twenty-nine teams in the league weren't fools.

How could they question the league for engaging in "behind-the-scenes operations" because of the NBA's so "fair, open, and just" draft lottery?

As the saying goes, one prospers, all prosper.

When interests align, these shrewd businessmen are far more united than you imagine.

The league successfully finding a buyer for the Hornets was undoubtedly a good thing for the future development of the NBA.

Therefore, what's wrong with giving a top pick to the small boss who just joined?

Try to think about it.

Putting aside objective factors.

What if no one is willing to take over NBA teams in the future? Wouldn't these investments in the NBA be completely baffling?

Therefore, after this year's draft lottery results came out, even the always opportunistic news media selectively closed their "righteous" eyes.

What behind-the-scenes operations?

Were there any behind-the-scenes operations in this year's draft lottery?

We didn't see any!

New York, at the draft site.

Because Benson, who had just invested in the NBA, was a newbie.

Plus, before investing in the NBA, his friends had just recommended him to read a book called "A History of the Cavaliers."

So, in order to avoid being laughed at by his peers in the future, under Benson's instructions, the Hornets management chose the number one favorite in the 2012 NBA Draft in a way that could be said to be completely unoriginal and lacking creativity.

The "Empty Stats Leader" at this time:

Anthony Davis.

Davis, who listed his height as "208" centimeters, like Kevin Durant in his early years, deliberately underreported his height by one or two centimeters because he didn't like inside battles.

Of course, in Su Feng's previous life, another theory was that Davis "grew taller" after entering the NBA.

Because Davis, who was still thinking about becoming Su and Kobe's successor in high school, grew by 17 centimeters in his senior year.

So, it's not a problem that he grew taller again after entering the league, as his development was relatively late.

But no matter what, with Davis' current build, he definitely couldn't become Su and Kobe's successor.

Because with that build...

If he could escape being pulled into inside battles,

That could only mean that the NBA's scouts and coaches were blind.

Anyway, these days, the NBA is also trending towards fighting and retreating.

Therefore, from the moment Davis joined the league, it was destined that he could only take the path of being an interior defensive stopper.

Putting aside "AD's" future for now.

At the draft site, after the Hornets used the top pick to select Davis, because they had always followed the predictions of draft websites in previous years, resulting in selecting a bunch of duds every year...

So, the Rockets, who planned to show some creativity and imagination this year, unhesitatingly and resolutely amused Su Feng in front of the TV with the second pick they had drawn again.

Meyers Leonard.

If you aren't a veteran fan with some experience, you definitely wouldn't know this guy.

Although in the future, after the NBA's salary cap increased greatly, this Leonard successfully earned a lucrative contract in Portland, worth several Pippens, with his outside shooting and nearly 40% three-point shooting percentage for his career.

But based on his career average of less than 6 points and 4 rebounds...

Su Feng completely didn't understand why the Rockets would use their valuable second pick to select him.

Could it be because Leonard, who is 213 centimeters tall, also played guard in high school, and later, because he grew taller, someone gave him the nickname "Illinois Bird" after he entered college?

It has to be said.

The title of "Bird's Successor" is indeed "harmful."

Because ever since Larry Bird retired, NBA teams have been trying to find the "next Bird" like crazy.

And if you say that it would be fine if they really couldn't find one.

After a long time, most of these scouts and general managers would give up.

But what's unfortunate is that...

The Mavericks, who just won the championship this year, also have a white interior shooter in their lineup who was compared to Bird in his early years.

So...

After working out Leonard, the Rockets management immediately realized.

Holy crap!

This T...

With the seventh pick in the first round, the Clippers selected Damian Lillard, the "True God" in the eyes of "Curry haters."

Su Feng, who knew that Clippers owner Donald Sterling's days were numbered after the lockout last year, felt that there would be a good show to watch.

Because as soon as Sterling "gets shot eight times in the back," the Clippers, with Lillard and Blake Griffin, were only a matter of time away from setting sail.

And next, there wasn't much to talk about in the first round of the 2012 draft.

Andre Drummond, nicknamed "The Big Penguin," was selected by the Pistons.

And Jeremy Lamb, who participated in the draft under the banner of "T-Mac's Successor," was selected by the Suns.

As for Doc Rivers' precious son, Austin Rivers...

Is there a problem with Rivers selecting his son to play father-son basketball?

With the twenty-first pick in the first round of the 2012 draft, the Los Angeles Lakers selected Khris Middleton.

And with the second pick in the second round, they traded up for Jae Crowder.

Before the draft, Su Feng had seriously considered whether the Lakers should select Draymond Green, nicknamed "Nutcracker."

But after looking around at the Lakers' roster...

Su Feng ultimately gave up on this idea.

Because with him playing power forward...

Where would the Lakers have the extra possessions to give to Green to run the offense?

So, the idea was to give the ball to Green, and then Kobe and Gasol would just stand there and watch?

As for defense...

With the current Lakers' personnel reserves on the wings...

Just asking.

Why use the "egg kick" when things can be settled with "iron blood" and "elbows"?

Su Feng, who had crawled and rolled his way from the 90s to today, didn't have any moral hangups.

It's just that...

Green and this Lakers team really didn't fit together.

Moreover, after recruiting Chauncey Billups, plus Robert Sacre, where would the Lakers have any extra spots on their fifteen-man roster?

However, what Su Feng never expected was that...

The Warriors, who were originally going to select Green in this year's draft, didn't select Green either!

In order to clear up the remaining salary cap space, Jerry West chose to completely clear the obstacles for his next operations in the summer by including this year's Warriors' draft picks in the trade.

As the saying goes, times have changed.

With LeBron James as his Ferrari, West didn't even look at a tractor at this moment.

Admittedly, the "Green defenders" would definitely say a bunch of things about how Green's tactical position couldn't be replaced when they heard Green being "bashed" like this.

But here's the question...

If you were the general manager, would you choose James plus Curry plus Klay plus Yao Ming plus Jimmy Butler, or would you choose Green plus Curry plus Klay?

West knew that after Yao Ming arrived, the Warriors had to immediately start their championship chase.

So the Warriors also didn't have time to develop Green.

As a result...

In Su Feng's view, the new Clippers front office simply didn't plan to give Elgin Baylor, who had already left the position of Clippers general manager, a way out.

Because after selecting Lillard in the first round, they selected Green in the second round.

Okay...

If they also get C.J. McCollum for the Clippers in the future, wouldn't that be the "Broke Splash Brothers" plus Green?

So, the idea was that the "Warriors' lineage" was really in Los Angeles?

In addition, the final rankings of the "Four Little Swans" from China, who had previously received Su Feng's attention, were also similar to the draft website's predictions.

Li Shuo was selected by the Hawks in the second round with the twentieth pick.

Because they had lost in the Finals for two consecutive years, Atlanta's fans had asked the team's management to bring back a Chinese rookie to the team at the draft.

And for the demands made by the fans...

The Hawks' management naturally didn't dare to ignore them.

Because from the 97/98 season to the present, only NBA teams with Chinese players had been able to win championships...

So, for a country that could turn even "cults" into "legitimate businesses"...

How could you expect them not to be superstitious about these laws?

And besides Li Shuo, Wei Xiao was selected by the Trail Blazers with their twenty-fourth pick in the first round.

Originally, after failing again this year, the Trail Blazers were on the verge of disbanding.

But the Mavericks' championship made the Trail Blazers' fans feel...

Since Dallas had endured for so many years, why couldn't they wait a little longer?

It's just that...

After failing to win a championship for many years in a row, plus the Celtics team that defeated them in the Finals that year also had a Chinese player (Yue Tiandi) on their roster...

Therefore, there were also many Trail Blazers fans who blamed the team for not being able to win a championship because there weren't any Chinese players on the team.

Anyone with common sense knows that.

The US is a country that likes to pass the buck from top to bottom.

So, the Trail Blazers' management, who immediately woke up, stood firmly on the side of these fans who held this kind of "wrong theory," as if they had found a life-saving straw.

But you know what...

After watching Wei Xiao's college tapes, Su Feng really felt that the Trail Blazers were quite suitable for him.

On the one hand, no matter how much Kevin Garnett's reputation had fallen, his defensive skills and experience were still there.

And on the other hand, with the Trail Blazers' overall aging roster, a model freak like Wei Xiao would definitely be able to get stable playing time.

In the NBA, stable playing time for a rookie is equivalent to a future meal ticket.

So, during the Chinese men's basketball team's training camp this year, Su Feng planned to knock some sense into this young man to prevent him from going astray in the future.

As for Huang Ji and An Xin, they unfortunately became undrafted free agents.

After the draft, the unscrupulous domestic editors all launched a mocking campaign against the NBA teams, believing that they had painfully lost a "Magician" from the East.

But honestly speaking.

Ji Shen, whose talent was even worse than Yue Tiandi's, was indeed more suitable for playing in the CBA.

In Su Feng's previous life, many fans had been led into a misconception by marketing accounts.

That is, as long as you can play in the NBA, even if you're watching the water dispenser in the NBA, it must mean that this person is awesome.

And those who can't play in the NBA are all "trash."

But in fact, many players who were eliminated by the NBA have put on great performances against the US men's basketball team in international competitions.

Take Yi Jianlian in Su Feng's memory as an example.

Didn't the data that Alian put up at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics prove that the 70+ overall rating that 2K gave him later wasn't just given randomly?

But in the NBA...

Even if Alian had this 70+ overall rating, because he was used to being the core player in the CBA for many years, this led to his attribute distribution being destined to be different from those role players.

And simply put...

In the NBA, a 70+ overall core player and a 70+ overall role player are two completely different concepts for a team.

In this life, Alian's overall rating in the latest generation of 2K games is only 76.

But because Alian's growth trajectory has changed greatly, making his style more suitable for the NBA...

Therefore, at the moment...

If you tell the Jazz that you want to trade for Yi Jianlian.

Then, not kidding, you might really have to use Dwight Howard to ask for his price. (Howard: Meow meow meow?)

In short, Huang Ji and An Xin's playing style and style destined them to have a hard time getting the favor of NBA teams.

But in this era where a "Chinese passport" is more valuable than a "British passport" in the Premier League...

After the draft, many teams sent summer league invitations to Huang Ji and An Xin.

On July 1st, after meeting with Coach Zhang Bin's Chinese men's basketball training team in Las Vegas, Su Feng learned that because Huang Ji and An Xin would represent the Heat and the Warriors in the summer league respectively, they would return to the team with Wei Xiao and Li Shuo after the summer league.

And on the 1st...

Compared to the NBA's free agency market...

China's social networks once again felt what it meant to be shaken to their foundations!

The news that Su Feng, who had announced his retirement from the national team after the Beijing Olympics, would once again play for the Chinese men's basketball team at the 2012 London Olympics instantly blew up the entire Chinese internet.

Weibo, Tieba, Hupu, and major news websites were almost paralyzed in an instant.

And even QQ groups had trouble sending messages on this day! (Note 2)

The US men's basketball coaching staff, who were also training in Las Vegas, held five meetings in just three hours.

Because he had successfully led the US men's basketball team to regain their glory in Turkey in 2010, David Stern announced on the spot after the World Championship that he would resign as the US men's basketball head coach.

And after Stern left office, USA Basketball hired Doc Rivers to coach the team.

Because USA Basketball believed that Rivers' coaching philosophy was in line with Stern's, plus the success of the 2010 World Championship, USA Basketball believed that in order to rebuild the glory of American basketball, they didn't necessarily have to rely on the biggest stars in the NBA, so USA Basketball agreed with Rivers' idea of the US men's basketball team giving young players more opportunities during the interview.

However...

With the news that Su Feng would once again wear the Chinese men's basketball jersey this summer...

For a time, if he couldn't find a reason...

Rivers really wanted to resign as the US men's basketball head coach.

And USA Basketball could only ask the NBA for help at this time.

Because the face that American basketball had finally regained in Turkey would be lost in the territory of the "Great Britain"...

USA Basketball could guess what the picture would be like at that time, just by picking at their toes.

"We need NBA stars to play for the country!

We need to prove to the world again in London that we are still the number one basketball power in the world!

For American basketball and the NBA, the London Olympics is not just an Olympics, but also a great opportunity for us to prove ourselves!" On the 1st, USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said in an interview.

However, for USA Basketball's call...

The NBA stars unanimously chose to refuse.

Because after just leading his team to the Finals, Dwyane Wade withdrew from the US team, citing the need to recover his body.

And Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin, and Chris Bosh were either injured or needed to discuss contracts.

Finally, after the NBA official had to "explicitly" encourage the stars to serve the country in public on multiple occasions...

Rivers finally had a little bit of confidence in facing Su Feng head-on before the London Olympics.

Oakland, the Akron brothers accepted the call of the US men's basketball team after careful consideration.

And considering Klay Thompson's efficiency with Curry and James on the court at the same time last season, Rivers also called Klay Thompson into the US team.

Seattle, in addition to LaMarcus Aldridge, who needed to recuperate, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden all accepted the call of the US men's basketball team.

In addition, after getting the promise of Tyson Chandler, who had just won the championship with the Mavericks, Rivers finally found an interior player besides the top pick Anthony Davis who was willing to be beaten by Yao Ming on the international stage.

As for Kobe...

After missing the 2008 Olympics due to injury, Kobe, who only wanted to win a few more championships with Su Feng before retiring in this life, didn't have much interest in the international stage.

On the one hand.

Kobe's body really needed to be recuperated.

And on the other hand.

After recuperating, Kobe also wanted to take the time to cultivate.

Therefore, compared to competing with Su Feng on the international stage...

Kobe was obviously more concerned about his food problem after Su Feng went to the Olympics...

"Wait, aren't you not playing in the Olympics? Why are you following me to Las Vegas?" That day, before preparing to go to Las Vegas to meet with the Chinese men's basketball training team, Su Feng asked with a confused look.

"Can't I go and train the young people in your country?" Kobe asked back righteously.

"It's not that you can't.

But, why do I feel like you want to follow me to London?" Looking at Kobe, Su Feng asked.

Kobe nodded and said without hiding it: "That's what I think."

And after a pause, Kobe continued: "I haven't seen Little Kobe for many years.

It just so happens that you're going to London to play in your Olympics this summer, and I'm going to the UK to see my Little Kobe."

Su Feng: "..."

Good guy!

So, you were waiting for me here?

But indeed, the last time Su Feng and Britney went to the UK to visit Su Hao, Su Hao really missed his Uncle Kobe.

Therefore, since Kobe was so righteous...

Then Su Feng had no choice but to let him be a sparring partner for the Chinese men's basketball players.

…

And in Las Vegas, on the day of the joint training, in addition to discussing with Coach Zhang Bin which rookies the Chinese men's basketball team should take to London to train...

On this day, Su Feng also learned an amazing piece of news from his Yao buddy.

"Feng, Feng, do you know where my next stop will be after leaving Philly?" Looking at Su Feng with a happy face, Yao smiled.

Hearing this, Su Feng spread his hands and said: "Yao, why are you starting to like to keep people in suspense too?"

Yao said happily: "Isn't that all learned from you?"

Su Feng: "..."

Looking at Yao, who now says "I learned it all from Su Feng" to everyone, Su Feng said helplessly: "Then I'll reluctantly guess...

The Celtics?

Impossible.

Unless you take a minimum salary like Chris Webber, they simply don't have the salary cap space to take you.

The Trail Blazers?

Also impossible.

Uh...

Hmm, let me think...

Yao, why do I think that the only team in the market that can make you so happy is the Warriors?"

Patting Su Feng's shoulder, Yao said with a surprised look: "Feng, how do you know I'm going to the Warriors?"

Su Feng: "..."

Wait!

Are you really going to the Warriors?

So, you only know how to beat me in this life?

"Oh my Westbrook!"

Yao Ming, LeBron James, Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry.

What kind of god-like lineup is this!

At this moment, looking up at Yao, Su Feng only felt that a mouthful of old blood was about to spurt out of his chest.

"Oh Feng, you know my career plans.

If I ever feel like I'm going to decline significantly in the future, then I'll definitely choose to retire directly.

So, besides the Warriors' young players making me feel hopeful, the main reason I chose to join the Warriors this time is because the Warriors management told me that they've already taken care of Tyson Chandler.

After all...

I'm getting old now, and I need a reliable backup." After sighing, Yao continued to say to Su Feng.

And now...

If Su Feng hadn't been pulled to play against Jordan as soon as he debuted in this life...

Then he might have really been unable to catch his breath and been pissed to death by Yao in front of him.

Tyson Chandler?

Wait!

The Lakers asked him about it before!

Didn't he say that he only wanted money?

How did the Warriors have the salary cap space to sign Chandler after eating Yao Ming?

Has the NBA's salary cap already increased greatly?

Uh...

As the saying goes, this is one thing, that is another.

Because he was beaten too badly by Su Feng's team in this life...

Therefore, it made Chandler not want to join Su Feng's team after finally winning against Su Feng once.

And originally, Chandler really wanted more money.

But after the Warriors took care of Yao Ming, Chandler, who had seen the Warriors' lineup, felt that...

If it was this Warriors team, then he could definitely take a mid-level exception.

Because on the one hand, Chandler felt that he was still in his prime and was confident that he could get a multi-year contract in a year or two.

And as for the other hand...

Recalling the past experiences of being beaten by Su Feng's team.

How could "The Champ" refuse the invitation to beat Su Feng together?

No way!

Beating Su Feng, isn't that more comfortable than making money?

Beat!

He just had to beat Su Thief to death!

Only by beating him to the ground could he relieve the hatred in "The Champ's" heart, who had nightmares every summer!

Just like how Su Feng could settle Chauncey Billups in three sentences before.

Since Su Feng has many friends in this league.

Similarly, he also has many rivals in this league.

Jerry West's team-building ideas for this summer were already clear.

That is, in addition to bringing in Yao Ming.

The rest of the Warriors' positions.

Were basically left to those "avengers" who wanted revenge.

And as for worrying about being labeled as "banding together" for beating Su Feng?

Haha...

Not kidding.

As long as you can beat Su Feng.

Then even if you're "banding together," there are plenty of people in the NBA who support you.

Because Su Feng...

Is the man who stands at the pinnacle of the NBA.

What's embarrassing about banding together to beat him?

July 1st.

This year's NBA free agency market was destined to be lively.

Because not long after the Heat and the Lakers reached a trade agreement on Rajon Rondo, and Chauncey Billups announced that he was joining the Lakers...

Oakland, a series of earthquakes shook the entire North America! Big Yao landed in the Bay Area!

Tyson Chandler followed closely behind!

Ray Allen, who had officially announced his comeback, immediately crossed his horse and raised his knife!

Terry, who had just won the 11/12 season with Chandler and Dirk Nowitzki, came for the minimum salary!

Is Al Harrington still able to eat?

Brooklyn, Russian "fellow" "righteous release" of Andrei Kirilenko, AK47 returned to the West!

"You see, there's never been just us who want to defeat Su Feng in this league."

That day, standing on the Golden Gate Bridge with Jeff Van Gundy, Jerry West's gentle smile made Van Gundy feel terrified.

Because in just 24 hours...

Under the NBA rules.

Jerry West had already handed the most outstanding and excellent team in NBA history into his hands!

They were not only young.

And they also had a bunch of highly combative players in their prime, as well as a group of experienced veterans!

New York.

This was the first time since Su Feng entered the league...

That David Stern was hesitating...

Whether to be a little "more lenient" to him with the referees next season.

Because until this Warriors team was assembled.

Stern realized that...

How much did people really want to beat him in a fair and square match in this era dominated by Su Feng.

Unlike when Charles Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler tried to team up to challenge Michael Jordan.

Because Su Feng, this Boss, not only had high damage, but his health bar was unfathomable.

Therefore...

When these old rivals made the same decision in the same year on the same day.

Their thoughts were very simple.

That is...

Beat Su Feng.

You have to pay him the highest respect of this era!

…

ps: Phew! I finally finished revising this chapter! When preparing to start writing this book, building the Raptors' lineup before and this Warriors' lineup were undoubtedly the moments I felt the most enjoyable.

Because just thinking about how to make such a team born reasonably made me unable to stop!