Basketball's No. 1 Anti-Fan

Chapter 210 2013 NBA Trade Deadline

James was angry, he was really angry.

Durant is so stupid that you can't even tell he is cooperating. Durant could have scored like crazy and defeated the Western team to get the MVP!

But unfortunately, Durant is not the second Durant at this time. Or whether he will become the second Durant after James' peak three giants fail is another matter. His thinking is obviously not on the same channel as James'.

However, what made James more uncomfortable than Durant was the situation on the court at that time.

If he were still in the Heat now, he would have absolute control of the ball on the court against the three Heat players in the Eastern Conference.

But now he is in the West, on the Western team. Except for him, the remaining four people are all on Hansen's side. He can't get the ball!
James, who lost the ball, is like the West who lost Jerusalem. He is still there, but just there.

This period was probably the most uncomfortable time for James since he entered the NBA. As the noble chosen son of God, he actually ran back and forth on the court!
Is there still law? Is there still law?!
What's more, this kid Joerger is really unfair. He watched James running back and forth on the court and insisted that he play the whole quarter.

But then again, giving you playing time is the respect you deserve as Nike's top star, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Finally, Han Sen couldn't stand it anymore and passed the ball to James a few more times on the court.

Of course, it was the same ball in the opening game, and also the same ball that James passed to him when he was on the Cavaliers.

James didn't want to catch the ball, but if he didn't catch it he would have no ball possession and he needed the data, so his body was very honest.

Two years later, they were on the same team again, but with their roles swapped.

When the second quarter started, James, who finally sat down to rest, looked at Hansen, who was replaced by Joerger to avoid the peak travel time, and he finally couldn't help but swear.

Or maybe, he, the chosen one, has finally experienced what it feels like to be suppressed and targeted.

In the end, the Western team defeated the Eastern team 143 to 135 relying on its overall strength.

Hansen played for 33 minutes, made 25 of 15 shots, scored a game-high 38 points, and won the first All-Star Game MVP trophy of his career.

James played for 27 minutes and only scored 13 points on 5 of 15 shots.

Durant on the opposite side scored 23 points with 12 of 30 shots.

When Hansen began to give his acceptance speech, James was no longer there. Durant clenched his fists and prayed silently for Hansen, praying that Hansen could lead the Grizzlies to the finals.

After the All-Star Game, the 2013 NBA trade deadline is approaching.

At this time, trade rumors were flying around the league.

Especially in the Western Conference, teams with hopes of making the playoffs are scrambling to strengthen their teams, while teams with no hope of making the playoffs are also rushing to stockpile draft picks.

The Grizzlies are also relatively active in the trading market at this time.

Hansen scored 61 points to defeat the Heat in the Christmas game, but lost to the Heat in the second match before the All-Star Game.

In this case, reinforcement is something that management must consider.

Of course, the same goes for the Heat, they are also actively seeking trades to improve the team's organizational capabilities.

They have many similarities. Both are top teams in their divisions and both have clean pockets.

However, the Grizzlies have better luck than the Heat.

Because of rumors, Mavericks guard Carter wants management to trade him to the Grizzlies.

The Mavericks signed OJ Mayo, who was abandoned by the Cavaliers, from the free market last summer.

The two parties signed a two-year contract, the kind with a player option for the second year.

Mayo only regarded the Mavericks as a stepping stone for his career, and the Mavericks did not have high expectations for him.

Unexpectedly, Mayo played very well in the Mavericks. Not only did he average 15.8 points per game as a starter, he also shot a career-high 40.7% from three-point range.

As a result, Carter's playing time was greatly reduced and he was not happy in Dallas.

And unlike in "history", Carter had previously been to the finals with the Magic and had experienced that stage.

It's like the Garden of Eden. Once you've experienced it, you want it all the more.

Carter is 36 years old this year. As a veteran pursuing a championship, the Mavericks are also actively promoting it.

Finally, on the trade deadline, the Mavericks successfully reached a deal with the Grizzlies. They sent Carter and got Jordan Crawford and Grant Hill from the Grizzlies.

Last summer, Terry left Dallas for Boston, and the Mavericks' backcourt bench firepower declined significantly. Crawford is a good reinforcement for them.

Hill is just a bonus because Carter's contract is 300 million a year, while Crawford is still on a rookie contract, which is less than 200 million.

The Grizzlies thanked the two players traded, including Hill, immediately after the trade.

Because the Grizzlies signed Hill not just to let him curry favor with the team. Hill is good at organization, and he and Crawford complement each other and can support the Grizzlies' backup backcourt.

However, Hill's injury is more serious than expected, and he has not played for the Grizzlies yet.

In addition, another player, Livingston, was in good physical condition and performed as expected, which made them finally decide to send Hill away.

And another good news for the Grizzlies is that the Heat did not make any substantial gains in the trading market.

As one team gained strength while the other lost, the gap in strength between the two teams narrowed a little.

Two days after the trade deadline, Carter was led to the Grizzlies locker room by Toews.

When he came in, he went straight to Jamison and the two of them had a passionate hug.

This pair of North Carolina twins played on the same team again since the NCAA.

They were young at that time, and when they were on the same team again, they already had gray hair and were about to retire.

After catching up with Jamison, Carter walked towards Hansen.

"Welcome, VC." Han Sen said enthusiastically.

Jamison had already discussed with him in advance about Carter's coming.

The reason is simple. Hansen's first $50 bet in the NCAA was given to Green, and his first in the NBA was given to Carter. They were not so happy when they were confronting each other on the court.

But after listening to it, Han Sen said, "That's not a big deal?"

When Jamison first joined the Cavaliers, it can be said that Carter described him as a "young man with great potential."

Carter repays evil with kindness, so how could he keep people at a distance?
Speaking of which, Carter's temper should be the mildest among the "four major shooting guards". If he had hit Bowen the first time he was tripped by Bowen, he would not have been tripped by Bowen three times in a row.

He was criticized for many years by fans and the media because he refused to give the All-Star starting player to Jordan, but to be honest, why should he give up the starting player chosen by the fans?
What's more, Iverson and McGrady had both expressed their desire to give up, but Jordan had clearly refused.

In fact, it was because Carter had a mild temper.

Good people are often bullied, and good people are often pointed at guns. This is not uncommon in the NBA.

This kind of personality may not be a good thing on the court, but it makes people feel comfortable when communicating off the court.

After a brief exchange, Hansen already felt that Carter was a person worth associating with.

So he "bullied" Carter and asked him to train together.

Among the four great shooting guards, except Iverson, the other three are all masters of back-to-the-basket shooting. After all, at the beginning of the century, that was the shooting guard's job.

Carter did not refuse.

Because it was not a game day, the team only arranged training in the morning, and in the afternoon the two went to the training hall for additional training.

Speaking of which, although Carter, McGrady and Kobe are all masters of back-to-the-basket, they are different.

Kobe's arsenal is rich enough. His post-up play mainly relies on fake moves, and it is difficult for defenders to judge his finishing method.
McGrady's back-to-the-basket play is more elegant and agile, relying on his turning and stepping back speed, and the defenders can't keep up with his rhythm;
Carter's back-to-the-basket style is relatively steady. He will give you enough resistance before turning around, and his footsteps are also very solid.

During the training, Carter showed Hansen his best back-to-back technique, a small turnaround shot after a back-to-back shot. This was very inspiring to Hansen, because compared to the hook shot, the shot was not only more suitable for outside players, but also something he had already mastered.

After the practice, the two sat on the sidelines to rest.

"You may not believe it, but I think one day you will surpass him." It goes without saying who the "he" Carter is talking about.

And he wasn't just saying this as a compliment, because Han Sen's progress was so fast.

Surpass Jordan?
Han Sen hadn't thought about that aspect yet, but Carter's words gave him new ideas.

When he was still in Cleveland, he said that James was on par with Jordan in order to attract criticism for himself.

If he said now that he wanted to surpass Jordan, the effect would probably be similar.

After all, even though he has won a championship, there is still not much comparison between him and Jordan.

However, he is still training his post-up talent and is not in a hurry to gain black fan points, so he can keep them for future use.

"Speaking of which, you were considered the most likely person to succeed him back then." Han Sen sighed.

These words made Carter smile bitterly, and he couldn't help but sigh.

Who doesn’t recall the past?

He was the league's top player for two years and was at the peak of his popularity. If it weren't for Bowen, he would have had the opportunity to achieve the same historical status as Kobe.

"I don't know how many years I can play at my age, but it would be a good ending if I could win a championship before retiring." At the age of 36, most players have already faded out of the league.

Han Sen smiled. Hill was an unexpected evergreen, and Carter's words were even more evergreen than Hill.

Just as few people expected Hill to play until he was 40, no one would have thought that Carter would play until he was 43 before retiring.

“Speaking of championships, why didn’t you choose to go to Miami?”

The Heat are not only the team with the highest odds of winning the championship, but are also the strongest team.

In addition, the Heat team lacks substitutes. If Carter goes there, it would be like wearing spikes and using crutches, which would make the team even more stable.

"I never choose to give myself an invincibility cheat when I play games." Carter made a very vivid analogy.

This metaphor made Han Sen laugh.

However, Carter's words showed the heart of an old-school player beneath his gentle appearance.

Being a champion means money and fame, and many people flock to it.

But a gentleman loves money but he gets it in a proper way. If everyone only sees basketball as a business and has no bottom line in order to win the championship, then the NBA is doomed to slowly lose its luster.

After all, most fans like to watch the NBA, not to see who has more championships or who has better statistics, but the excitement of the games and the legendary stories.

"If you need further training later, feel free to call me." Before the two of them were about to get up and leave, Carter took the initiative to speak to Hansen.

"Do I have to pay you for your training?" Han Sen smiled and stood up.

"You've already paid."

Han Sen was stunned by what he said.

It wasn't until Carter made a gesture for 50 that he started laughing.

"Speaking of which, did Kobe ever ask you for $50?"

"Yes, he said you lost the bet to him."

"You really want to pass it? So you gave it to him?"

"How is that possible! I've never heard of gambling debts being transferred if we're not at the same table."

The two left the training hall while chatting and laughing.

……

Carter's first opponent after the trade was the Clippers. He was still adapting and only scored 4 points. But in the next game against his former team, the Raptors, he made 4 of 3 three-pointers and scored 13 points.

Is there any gas left in Carter's tank?
The answer is yes, and quite a few.

Although it is difficult for him to dunk like he did before his injury or even when he was young, his three-point shooting level is still quite good.

He has a three-point shooting percentage of over 40% for the Mavericks this season and averages around 11 points per game.

In fact, if it weren't for Carter's own wishes, the Mavericks would not have sent him to a direct competitor like the Grizzlies.

Moreover, when he and Jamison played together, the former North Carolina duo directly became the "Two Elders of Xuanming".

Time flies and it is March 3st, which is also a key time node in the second half of the season and the buyout deadline.

Like the Heat, they chose to cut center Dexter Pittman and then signed Grant Hill.

After Hill was traded to the Mavericks, he immediately reached a buyout agreement with the Mavericks due to roster quota issues.

The Heat lacked organization and had little to gain in the trading market, so signing Hill was not that surprising.

But in this way, if the two teams really meet in the finals, the game will be very interesting.

Especially if the Heat win the championship, even if Hill is a gentleman and won't bring up such things, Durant will probably have to talk about it.

The Grizzlies are also active in the buyout market. They sent out two players in the previous Carter trade and now have vacancies in the roster.

On that day, when Hansen was training with Carter, Wallace came to find him.

It's about the last spot on the team. The Grizzlies have their eyes on someone, but still have doubts.

The reason why it was like that was because that person was Delonte West.

The Grizzlies are now lacking a third point guard, and West is a former Grizzlies player who meets the management's signing criteria.

But West's current situation makes people hesitate. He was a starter for the Mavericks last season, but before the start of this season, he was suspended indefinitely by the Mavericks for "behavior that is not conducive to the team" and was subsequently cut.

The Dallas media did not follow up with the specific reason, but he is still a free agent, which shows that other teams are worried that he will become a locker room bomb.

Moreover, players signed after the buyout deadline cannot represent the team in the playoffs, which means that if they sign West, they will not be able to replace him.

Han Sen and West have a good relationship. Wallace came here not only to seek Han Sen's opinion, but also to find out some things from him.

Hansen doesn't have much contact with West now, and he doesn't know the specific reason why the latter was suspended by the Mavericks.

But unfortunately, there was a former Mavericks player standing next to them, so he had to make the call.

Carter really knows what the so-called "behavior that is not conducive to the team" means. To put it bluntly, from Carter's own experience, he knows that after the Mavericks signed Mayo, the competition within the team was too fierce. Not only did West lose his starting position, but his rotation position also became very far back during the preseason.

West was mentally unstable. He lost control of his emotions in the locker room and had a conflict with his teammates, which led to subsequent events.

"Delonte is not a bad guy." Carter gave his evaluation.

Although NBA players earn a lot of money, they also face a lot of pressure, and many of them suffer from mental illnesses.

It’s just that most people only affect themselves, while West now affects the team.

"If I'm just asking for my personal advice, and there's nothing wrong with the team's trial, I support signing him."

Whether he can help the team and whether it will have an impact on the locker room are things that the management considers.

From his personal point of view, he had no reason to object at this time.

(End of this chapter)