NOVPUBChapter 881: Chapter 541 Basketball Problem_2 Chapter 881: Chapter 541 Basketball Problem_2 DeAndre Jordan’s agent would have definitely clarified such matters with him, so they can be said to be fighting for themselves, not for the future of the team.
Compared to DeAndre Jordan, Moro does not possess such high talent, and because of his singular sharpshooter role, he had been benched by Tyronn Lue in the Western Conference Finals due to his shooting errors before the lockout. However, as a sharpshooter who had proven himself in a championship team, he was still highly sought after in the market.
The reasons for the diligence of the other two were purer.
Beverley had just arrived, and he needed to make a good impression on the coaching staff.
Alonzo Gee was somewhat special. He was the “ace in the hole” in the Empire battles, aggressive both defensively and offensively, far beyond what a rookie usually is.
His desperate style of playing made Gee the darling of Seattle.
He was not a city totem like Yu Fei, nor a naturally noble top pick like Durant. He was a grounded minor character, born humble but who worked hard and eventually proved himself on the big stage.
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Gee’s popularity had skyrocketed after 2010, and since then, he had mostly stayed in Seattle, even representing the team at various events during vacations.
Effort and struggle had become his image, and to maintain this image, he needed to be present.
Yu Fei greeted them and then started his intensive training.
During this period, Yu Fei could feel the difference between his usual training and the NBA-standard intensive training.
He rarely felt like his physical strength was insufficient.
This was the physical degradation brought on by a long absence of systematic intensive training.
Not just Yu Fei, all players who hadn’t had systematic training or games to play for over a year due to the lockout had this issue.
Luckily, this problem could be improved before the season started, but it depended on the players’ effort.
Being the Greatest of All Time, Yu Fei was highly motivated. 𝓃𝓸𝓋𝓅𝓊𝒷.𝓬𝓸𝓂
He wanted to regain his form before the new season and then tackle the four-peat with his best posture.
From that day on, Yu Fei felt like he was back to 12 years ago.
That was when his second life had just begun.
To fulfill his potential, 17-year-old Yu Fei would train three times a day in Kent.
Now, 29-year-old Yu Fei was doing the same.
His training intensity left Alonzo Gee, who prided himself on his hard work, dumbstruck.
“So, it makes sense that Frye could surpass MJ at 28,” Gee said, “It also makes sense he could switch his bed partners between Elizabeth Olsen and Scarlett Johansson.”
During a break, Yu Fei reminded him, “Most of the gossip about Scarlett and me are rumors.”
A few days later, the SuperSonics officially regrouped.
Kevin Durant felt a sense of long absence.
It had been over a year… to be exact, 467 days since the last season ended, and he had come back to the team’s training facility.
One good thing about the lockout was that it put everything in the industry on pause.
Suddenly, Durant no longer had to think about the future or Nike’s arrangements; he could just be a carefree 23-year-old.
He could surf the internet, openly express his desire to drink Scarlett Johansson’s foot-washing water on Twitter, and then, when the mood struck, score 66 points in a wild game at Rucker Park.
The world loved him the way he was.
Simple, focused, with a clear gaze, wherever he went, he was only accompanied by a basketball and a backpack.
If Alonzo Gee was the most down-to-earth Supersonics player, then Durant was the most down-to-earth superstar.
While others were squabbling over the lockout and other issues, Durant was finding ways to play wild games.
Playing wild games kept him in shape.
So, after the last season was confirmed canceled, Durant participated in the Drew League.
This was a minor league that Yu Fei would never join.
Yet, Durant found joy there, maintained his form, and continued to increase his popularity.
This was a rare thing during the lockout.
Looking back now, the lockout period felt like a dream. When dreaming, one does not know when it will end, but once awake, everyone knows it was just a dream, and it’s over when it’s over.
He had to return to reality and show the world his progress.
Tyronn Lue came out from the coach’s office, his belly a size larger than before the lockout.
Outside the office, he met George Karl.
Karl had recovered from throat cancer, and the treatment was very successful.
However, he had not returned to the head coach position.
The Supersonics had decided to continue with Lue leading the way.
Not long ago, the Supersonics and Lue signed a 5-year, 20 million US Dollar contract.
This removed Lue’s concerns about his own future and dashed Karl’s hopes of a comeback.
The Supersonics were willing to offer Karl a high-paying but powerless executive position.
It sounded good in name, Vice President of Basketball Operations, but the President was Clay Bennett, Presti was also a Vice President and at the same time the General Manager.
Presti was both an outstanding GM and very young, whereas Karl was old and often ill, without any experience in executive management. He had clashes with the General Manager during his time with the Bucks and now found himself in an awkward position with the Supersonics due to his illness and stepping down from his role.
Lue could be considered his protégé.
But if you asked Lue whether he would relinquish his current job to Karl,
He would refuse a hundred times.
Being a coach is a high-risk job in the NBA, and starting one’s career with a strong team is like an extra layer of insurance.
