NBA: The best team doctor in history

Chapter 250: Salary cap increases, Nash and Howard team up with Kobe

"Oh? Another person selected by Dr. Jiang?" Knicks owner Dolan raised his eyebrows and said with disdain.

"It seems so. Are you so confident?"

“Hahahaha, I’ve had a lot of fun this year!”

An older rookie? Is that really possible?
Definitely not!

All management did not take the Trail Blazers' selection this year seriously. Although Butler seems to be the 26th pick in the first round, it is very likely that he will be treated the same as Stephenson last year, just a towel guy off the court.

You have to know that even though Stephenson scored 40 points easily in the Trail Blazers Development League last year, head coach McMillan did not let Stephenson enter the rotation. The Trail Blazers' bench depth is too strong.

So there is a high probability that Jimmy Butler was chosen to scratch the lottery ticket, and everyone was relieved.

I'm afraid the Trail Blazers will suddenly select another center or make a trade or something, but the Trail Blazers were very quiet at this year's draft, and they didn't make as big a move as Curry did that year, and that's what other teams want to see.

Because it seems that you have retained the championship-winning lineup, but in other words, your lineup is already clear and your strongest strength has been demonstrated in the finals, so it is easy to be studied.

Anyway, there will be so many people and so many tactics next season, it’s impossible for you to come up with anything fancy.

This is also the difficulty of the three-peat dynasty. All teams have to adjust and change based on the championship team. The defending champions also face many choices. Regardless of whether they retain the championship lineup or not, failing to reach the divisional finals next season will be considered a failure by everyone.

So it is actually very difficult for management to do their job. After all, no one can predict the future and they can only take one step at a time.

In Jiang Ming's opinion, Jimmy Butler is the best choice this year, so let's do it!

There's nothing wrong with supplementing the small forward position on the bench.

"This kid looks silly."

"He looks like a rough guy who can't play basketball." (See the picture above)
"Haha, I wanted to say that too."

"What is Doctor Jiang doing? Is he going to choose another spokesperson for the Ripper Liquor?"

“Don’t mention it, this kid is quite suitable. His initials are J—B. Hahahaha!”

"What you said is true, hahahaha!"

"Jimmy Butler, the new generation of Ripper spokesperson!"

"Next time he plays well, he'll praise Jimmy Butler for being really tough!"

"Hahahaha, we all want him to be the hardest!"

"Yes, his name must be hardened!"

"Look at the name, it's tough but okay!"

"I don't think it's too hard, just normal."

"If he's not ordinary, he's not the 26th pick. Didn't you see how excited he is? I heard he's an Oden fan."

"That's fine, I'm on my favorite team."

Jiang Ming and his team must have also seen Butler’s “record”.

Jimmy Butler had a season in high school where he averaged 19 points and 8 rebounds per game, which is really not that good. If he had the strength of a first-round pick, he would at least be able to kill the world in high school.

In 2007, Jimmy Butler entered Taylor Junior College, which is worth mentioning that this is a junior college.

In other words, his culture is not very good.

As a freshman, Butler averaged 18.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, leading the team in scoring and was named to the All-American College Team.

In his sophomore season, Jimmy Butler was finally no longer a junior college student and was admitted to Marquette University as an exception.

Of course, you can tell at a glance that this is the kind of person who is fooled by his basketball skills and culture.

As a substitute for the team, Butler averaged 5.6 points and 4 rebounds per game.

On March 2009, 3, in a game against Syracuse University, he got his first double-double in his college career, with 7 points and 12 rebounds, of which 14 rebounds were also the highest in his college career.

But this kind of data does not support him participating in the draft in his sophomore year. Facts have proved that his choice was correct. He was at the level of a rookie in 09.

In 09, Curry of the Trail Blazers, Harden of the Thunder, DeRozan of the Raptors, Jennings of the Bucks, and other first-round picks basically all made their mark, making it a truly great year for the draft.

If he had participated in the draft in 09, he wouldn't have made any splash at all.

In his junior season, Jimmy Butler became the team's starter, with his averages increasing to 14.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, and his three-point shooting percentage reached 50%.

On November 2009, 11, Butler made his first start for Marquette, scoring 13 points and 27 rebounds in a game against Louisiana Centennial College.

It was in this game that Butler caught the attention of McGowan, the Trail Blazers' head scout and rookie investigator.

Because the Trail Blazers have had a great record in recent years, scouts have to dig deep to find treasures.

In this game, Butler allowed the Trail Blazers scouts to see his toughness and versatility.

Can grab and rush!

This is actually the basic quality required for the playoffs. When it comes to the playoffs, it’s just one word: kill!

Players who can get inside and fight for rebounds are definitely prioritized on the Trail Blazers' side.

In the subsequent Big East civil war, Butler defeated the University of Connecticut and St. John's University in the final moments, helping Marquette University to an 11-7 record in the Big East civil war and enter the NCAA tournament for five consecutive years.

He was also named to the Big East All-NBA team.

In his senior season, Jimmy Butler's average points per game rose to 15.7 points, while also contributing 6.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

2011年3月2日同辛辛那提大学的比赛，巴特勒得到了大学生涯最高的30分，其中在罚球线上17罚15中。

In the NCAA tournament, Butler helped the team defeat Xavier University and Syracuse University to advance to the Sweet 16.

Of course.

In the end, he was eliminated in the round of 16. Otherwise, if he had led the team to further progress, Butler would have been picked more than 26th.

Then Jiang Ming of course also looked at his basic data.

22-year-old rookie.

Barefoot height 1 meters.
Weight 101 kg.

Standing reach 2 meters
But his wingspan is only a pitiful 2 meters, 02 centimeters less than Leonard who is of similar height. This is a natural disadvantage.

His static talent can be said to be the worst small forward in the first round.

The standing jump is 81cm, and the maximum running jump is 99cm, which is pretty good.

His running touch reaches 3 meters, which is enough to fly, and his jumping data ranks among the top 48 among the rookies of the same class.

The most amazing thing is that his body fat percentage is only 5.4%. To a sports medicine doctor like Jiang Ming, he can immediately tell that this is a very self-disciplined player.

That means we can be absolutely assured about Butler's attitude after he arrives in the NBA. He was able to maintain a body fat of around 5% every year in the college league, and he will only train better in the NBA.

He bench-pressed 84 kg 14 times, so his dynamics are actually top-notch, which is why so many teams want him in the late first round and the second round.

McGowan also collected other teams' opinions on him. The scouting reports of other teams wrote:
Advantages: Butler is an all-around player with good speed and good height for a small forward. He is good at cutting to the basket, not occupying the ball, and has outstanding stealing ability. He is also a confident shooter, averaging 6.5 free throws per game and a 78% free throw percentage, and is trustworthy.

In addition, his passing is quite efficient, which has a great impact on the offensive end, and he is very tough on defense.

Have a strong professional mission.

Compared to his peers, he doesn't have bad defense or poor offensive choices.

He has a positive attitude and personality, and if he can improve his perimeter skills, he could be a surprise player in this class.

Disadvantages: Butler's offensive means are relatively simple, his techniques are relatively crude, he does not have stable shooting ability, and he mostly scores by breaking through.

He needs to improve his ball-holding ability, and he has not shown his passing vision, so his abilities need to be developed. In addition, he has a strong personality and is prone to losing control of his emotions both on and off the court, which will be a hidden danger in the locker room.

"So, even though he is self-disciplined, it is difficult for others to control him?"

"It doesn't exist in our team. All Stephensons in our team are very well behaved."

"It's a minor problem, indeed."

Jiang Ming thought that if he had a bad attitude, he would just use acupuncture to prick the painful point and let him know how serious it was.

The Trail Blazers' scouting report is indeed full of advantages:
Jimmy Butler is an all-around forward who can be a good role player for an NBA team.

Has good athleticism and quickness, and has good enough strength and body control when breaking through.

He is very confident in shooting and has great lethality in mid-range shots. He is not selfish in playing and is able to assist his teammates in scoring. He is very active on both offense and defense and plays tough defense.

Larry Miller was also pleased with the selection:
"This kind of player can become a top-notch wing defender after training. It doesn't matter if he can attack or not. He will be a gift if he is trained."

"Yes, we are not short of offensive experts again."

"Let's go, shake his hand and take a photo with him."

The Trail Blazers got up. The second round had nothing to do with them anymore. They had completed their mission this time and could go back to New York to play for a few more days after get off work.

"Apart from his name, do you realize that he looks like Michael Jordan if he shaves his head?" McGowan joked.

"Fuck, now that you put it that way it really does sound like Jordan's illegitimate son!"

"Then Jordan's Bobcats didn't pick him, haha!"

When Butler saw Jiang Ming and other Trail Blazers big men appear in the backstage, he rushed over to hug them one by one:

"I'm your biggest fan! Thanks for choosing me!"

"Come on, work hard!" The three patted Butler on the shoulder. McGowan stayed to discuss the follow-up matters, but Butler kept his eyes on Jiang Ming and couldn't help but say:

"Am I also qualified to receive treatment from Dr. Jiang?"

Jiang Ming smiled and said:

"Sure, after you sign the contract you will be one of us, and I will of course give you treatment."

Butler was as excited as a silly boy and scratched his head quickly:

"That's great! But I rarely get injured, but my muscles often ache."

"Well, when you report to the Trail Blazers, you can go to the clinic tomorrow to try massage and cupping therapy. It's very comfortable."

"okay!"

After 3 days.

After the Trail Blazers management team ended a Taylor Swift concert in New York, the league also had the latest news!
The salary cap, which has not been raised for three years, has actually been raised!

Previously, the salary cap was 5867 million and the luxury tax line was 7174 million.

This year, the salary cap was adjusted to 6306 million and the luxury tax line was 7682 million.

And the middle class has become 530 million.

底薪：1年以内50万至少1年81万至少2年91万 10年以上144万

This makes it very easy for the Trail Blazers to operate.

Larry Miller had been worried that if he renewed Oden's contract with a maximum salary, plus Maggette's $1000 million salary in the last year of his contract, it would exceed the luxury tax.

Now the luxury tax has increased by more than 500 million, just right!
In this way, Oden can be renewed with the second maximum salary, and Maggette can also be retained with a contract. As for what to do next season, we will talk about it next season!

In other words, there is no problem in keeping the contract intact.

Therefore, while Jiang Ming was still in Portland and was discussing Chinatown and the entry of Anta Sports with the city government, the contract renewal with Oden was finalized early.

The two sides hit it off immediately.

4 million for 7600 years, a contract that increases year by year!

Butler was in a worse situation, as he got a three-year, $3 million rookie contract, with only $200 in the first year.

This way, the team's salary next season will be just below the luxury tax, saving the owner a lot of money.

《Oden renews contract, Trail Blazers maintain championship trident! 》

"The Great Emperor continues to fight for the Trail Blazers! Trail Blazers fans can rest assured!"

"The Emperor Expands His Territory! Four-Year Contract Renewal!"

Although the Trail Blazers did not make much of a splash in the draft, they were the first to make a move after the salary cap was raised.

Or a large contract extension.

This is a very normal thing for the Trail Blazers. They have no reason not to renew Oden's contract. He is the real core of the interior and the No. 1 center who was trained by them. How could he be poached by other teams?

But for other teams it is a kind of excitement.

The Lakers' reaction was the most intense.

Because I heard that Kobe's team forced the management to change. Kobe is only a few years away from his peak. With the Blazers' championship lineup unchanged, the Lakers have to strengthen, they must strengthen!!!

Fight in the last few years.

In fact, before the end of the finals, the Lakers management released the news that Bynum was put on the shelf and they wanted to find a strong inside player to match Kobe, who is strong on the outside!

Therefore, during the offseason, we have been secretly trying to contact Oden, but although Oden’s team is very interested, he himself has no desire to stay in Los Angeles at all. He still likes to play brother basketball!
The Lakers' plan to poach Oden also failed!
So right after Oden announced his contract extension, the Lakers came up with the most explosive deal!
4-way trade, involving 4 teams, multiple players, including 3 All-Stars!!!

Jiang Ming was so confused. If the Lakers hadn't made this deal as a demonstration, Jiang Ming really wouldn't have known that the NBA could trade like this?
He only knows that Howard joined the Lakers!

specifically is:
The Lakers sent Bynum, Ionga, McRoberts and two draft picks in exchange for Howard, Duhon and Clark;

The Magic sent Howard, Duhon, Richardson, and Clark, and received Afflalo, Harrington, Harkless, Vucevic, McRoberts, and 5 draft picks;
The 76ers sent Iguodala, Vucevic, Harkless, and a draft pick in exchange for Bynum and Richardson.
The Nuggets sent Afflalo, Harrington, and two draft picks to get Iguodala. 》

"Brilliant."

"Horrible big ball city, terrible Los Angeles!"

"Is this the appeal of Kobe?"

This is a deal that seems to be a win-win for all teams at this time, and it is a very impressive four-party deal.

The Lakers need to upgrade their center, and it is well known that they want to trade Bynum for Howard, and it is inevitable that the Magic will send Howard away to rebuild.

In addition, the 76ers want to upgrade their core. Although Iguodala is an All-Star substitute, he does not have the core temperament, while the Nuggets hope to get an All-Star.

The final outcome was that the Lakers got Howard as they wished, and the Magic got several draft picks, young players, and role players, which completely met their needs.

The 76ers traded their All-Star substitutes for their All-Star starters, and the Nuggets traded their role players for their All-Star substitutes.

And that’s not all. While the Trail Blazers were holding an emergency meeting to analyze the deal, the Lakers made another move.

Not only did they get the Eastern Conference All-Star starting center, they also got another Western Conference regular season MVP player!
《Breaking news! Stephen Nash joins the Lakers! 》

Lakers: Receive Nash, 2013 first-round pick, 2013 second-round pick, 2014 second-round pick, 2015 first-round pick

Jiang Ming's first thought when he saw this news on ESPN was:
Is Kupchak crazy? Is Kobe crazy?
This is a lineup he doesn't even dare to form in the game!
What crime did the Trail Blazers commit that they have to block us like this next season?

Butler is indeed a thorn in the side, and he tweeted first:

"I just arrived and it's already hell level difficulty?"

(End of this chapter)