Rekindling the dream of becoming a star

Chapter 374 The Prototype of the Galactic Battleship

In the summer of 2019, most attention was drawn to the Clippers' championship win.

However, the annual NBA draft still garnered tremendous attention, with countless media outlets viewing 2019 as the last of the three golden generations.

This is a widely accepted view; Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, and RJ Barrett were already famous back in 17.

Now, the NBA has finally welcomed them.

The three of them are hailed as super futures who could change the rules of the NBA, especially Zion Williamson, who is considered the next LeBron James.

The 17 generation, led by Chen Fang and Jayson Tatum, and the 18 generation, led by Luka Doncic and Trae Young, have made their talents shine as rookies, filling team managers and fans with anticipation for the 19 generation.

The draft results on the 21st were as expected.

The Pelicans used their number one pick to instantly select Zion Williamson, the Grizzlies chose Ja Morant, and the Knicks confidently selected RJ Barrett.

But what Chen Fang cared about was not this group of seemingly brilliant but slow-burning super futures who could never realize their potential. Under his management, Lawrence finally brought Michael Porter Jr. to the Clippers.

After thorough communication, Lou Williams accepted the trade and chose to return to the Hawks.

The Hawks also need a reliable guard to back Trae Young up and strengthen their backcourt.

With Brunson as a real threat and Rose's resurgence, Lou Williams' playing time was very inconsistent with the Clippers. After winning a championship ring, Lou Williams wanted to go to a team with more stable playing time.

Lawrence then revised the plan that had been in the works for a year.

On the 21st, the Hawks used the 10th pick to sign Michael Porter Jr., and then immediately traded him to the Clippers in exchange for Lou Williams and a 2022 Clippers first-round pick.

Because Porter Jr. has consistently stated publicly that he only wants the Clippers and refuses to participate in tryouts with any other team, coupled with Lawrence's use of the media to repeatedly throw out smokescreens about the difficulty in recovering from Michael Porter Jr.'s back injury before the draft, it is reasonable to say that Porter Jr.'s draft position will not be high. Major teams have great doubts about this talented small forward who has been out of action for a year and has hardly played any games.

They could have gotten Porter Jr. with a lower bid, but Chen Fang solved the problem with just one phone call.

"He deserves more and needs the team's respect," Chen Fangyi succinctly expressed his attitude, prompting Lawrence to immediately initiate the highest-level draft plan.

After acquiring Porter Jr., Chen Fang's only interest in this year's draft was Kevin Porter Jr., who was selected 30th overall. On the day of the championship win on the 23rd, he called him to the backstage of the celebration and simply told him: "Control your temper. You will be an All-Star caliber player. If anything happens, call me."

Whether he listens or not, whether he fights or not, Chen Fang doesn't care that much.

Whether fulfilling his duty as a senior can change Kevin's fate depends entirely on himself.

As for the news that Rui Hachimura, who was in a lowly position, was selected ninth overall by the Washington Wizards, Chen Fang didn't care at all.

Rui Hachimura brings more of a psychological advantage to the Japanese team than a competitive one; whether he's on the field or not, the Japanese team's performance doesn't change significantly.

Yuta Watanabe is still struggling with the Grizzlies, living on a two-way contract.

He won't be offered a standard NBA minimum salary contract until 21.

It's not that Watanabe isn't strong, but given his position and skill level, there are too many players like him. Besides, his talent and ability are what they are, so it's hard for him to stand out.

In 2014, Yuta Watanabe announced the end of his six-year NBA career. Looking back on those six years, all that remained was his perseverance and tenacity. In essence, he had not left any trace in the NBA. Like many fringe players, he regretfully apologized to his former resilient and strong-willed self: I have done my best and have no regrets!
Neither Rui Hachimura nor Yuta Watanabe achieved groundbreaking results for the Japanese men's basketball team due to their presence in the NBA, but their influence ignited Japan's ambitions in basketball.

From then on, capital continued to invest in Japanese players' overseas training.

Chen Fang didn't care much about his daily life, even in his previous life, because he had confidence in his country.

Especially now, Chen Fang is even more aware of the problems with Japan.

Race.

Japan's genetic makeup makes it difficult to produce outstanding individuals, and selecting basketball talent from such a small pool of applicants is already putting them at a disadvantage from the start.

Therefore, Japan has relaxed the requirements for height selection, which has led to the emergence of people like Yuki Kawamura.

As for why so many people used Yuki Kawamura's success to criticize Chinese basketball in his previous life, Chen Fang now believes that it's unnecessary.

The logic is simple: the base is different.

China has a huge population base and genetic advantages. There are a massive number of people over 190cm tall. How could we possibly put the cart before the horse and look for gems among short people?
Why is it that someone like Yuki Kawamura can be so outstanding, dominating many guards and even shining in the NBA?

It's actually quite simple, just two words: raising poisonous insects.

First of all, the reason why Yuki Kawamura is well-known to the public is that he must have exceptional talent and an unwavering competitive spirit. This ability, which is a combination of innate and acquired skills, was honed through a brutal selection process.

Yuki Kawamura distinguished himself among his peers at the same level, and then continued to climb in every category, eventually appearing before the world.

Does his success mean that Japan's defenders are stronger than China's?

This perception is incorrect. You should know that Yuki Kawamura also dominated in the NBA Summer League, so does that mean he can be considered better than American guards?

Ultimately, those who make such statements are simply suffering from an inferiority complex.

The production of Yuki Kawamura in Japan was a miracle born out of necessity, not a deliberate custom-made product.

In addition, height differences can make a big difference in offense and defense. It's not that being shorter is an advantage, but in many cases, it is difficult to defend against guards with a low center of gravity.

But no coach will favor you just because you are exceptionally strong on offense, because basketball is fundamentally about defense.

This is also why Yuki Kawamura has a hard time surviving in the NBA. With the NBA's tactical hierarchy, unless it's garbage time, they'll focus on this point and force the coach to substitute you.

So why was Yuki Kawamura able to shine on the Asian stage? Doesn't this expose that some head coaches are just half-baked and have no idea how to counter them?
Returning to the main point, Chen Fang had a conversation with head coach Rivers and Lawrence on the night they won the championship.

Regarding the reinforcement plans for next season.

Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, and Patrick Beverley are all available for trade. With proper communication, any trade, whether for draft picks or immediate contributions, is acceptable to Chen Fang.

The three of them are not of much help to the Clippers at this stage, and they are hindering the development of others. Parting ways amicably is a win-win decision for everyone.

Promote Brunson to the starting lineup and elevate the tactical status of Di Vincenzo and Bridges.

Next season, increase their playing time, and in the future, use their performance statistics to generate trade value.

Compared to the Rockets' former trio, the Knicks' future trio will eventually leave.

Although the league is a unified entity, trades between the Western and Eastern Conferences are rare; the principle followed is that trades occur between the two conferences. This poses no threat, as the probability of them meeting in the Finals is extremely low.

Whether Rose stays or leaves depends entirely on his own attitude. If he wants to leave, we'll see him off; if he wants to stay, we'll welcome him. His positive attitude will be a great help to the locker room.

The Clippers' core players don't need to be changed: Zubac, Jaren, Dillon, and Jrue Holiday. They should re-sign those who need to, and make the necessary commitments.

Currently, these four players form the core of the Clippers, a point on which Chen Fang agrees with the management's stance.

Sunwell and Richon have proven to be reliable rotation options and do not require adjustments.

Evans, on the other hand, was a marginal figure who was dispensable, and Chen Fang's attitude was to keep him on unless necessary.

With three players leaving and two joining, the Clippers have plenty of salary cap and personnel options, allowing them to make waves in the free agent market.

Currently, the Clippers need to add a reliable rotation player in the paint, and they also need a point guard with consistent potential.

Chen Fang was hesitant about the lineup; the issue was still about making choices.

Porter Jr.'s arrival has given the Clippers two tactical options for their lineup.

He can play both the 3 and 4 positions, and Porter Jr. could potentially elevate the Clippers' offense and defense to the next level. After several tryouts, the Clippers coaching staff is very satisfied.

The Clippers finally have a strong 3-and-D lineup, with Porter Jr. and Bridges becoming the Clippers' three-point barrage.

When they play together, the Clippers can have Chen Fang play point guard, Holiday play shooting guard, and Jaren Jr. play center.

This lineup can easily handle most challenges in the regular season and win games effortlessly.

Against playoff-caliber teams, the Clippers' starting lineup of Dillon, Porter Jr., Zubac, Jaren, and Chen Fang could make them the best starting duo in the league.

In positional warfare, they almost completely dominated the vast majority of teams in the league.

At the same time, Porter Jr. is also suitable for the rotation lineup. When Brunson, DiVincenzo, Bridges, Porter Jr., and Richon form a small-ball lineup, the pace of offense and defense will be the fastest in the league.

It can be said that as long as Porter Jr. stays healthy, he can revitalize the entire tactical system. No wonder Rivers seriously expressed to Chen Fang that he hopes to stay with the Clippers for a few more years, because it requires so little brainpower.

Chen Fang also expressed his enthusiasm to continue working with Rivers. After winning the championship, his vision and understanding have become even higher. In fact, given the current atmosphere of the Clippers, letting Rivers continue to guide Mazura's growth is the most correct choice.

But the Clippers still have problems, and the issues exposed in the playoffs are still very obvious.

That means without a player who can effectively counter the Clippers, the Clippers remain a single-core team.

The fate of the Clippers rests entirely on Chen Fang's shoulders. If anything happens to Chen Fang, the Clippers' strength will immediately drop a level, and there might not even be a chance to salvage the situation.

Because if it were any other superstar, this championship would have been impossible, only Chen Fang created a miracle.

Lawrence, representing the management and the boss, had a long talk with Chen Fang to discuss the possibility of finding a superstar to join the team. "This summer, there are really a lot of big fish," Lawrence told Chen Fang.

Yes, the summer of 19 was crazy.

Chen Fang's emergence and victory will only exacerbate this phenomenon.

It's impossible for Leonard and Paul George to form a super team with the Clippers, so where will they go?

The Thunder, who acquired Alexander a year earlier, will inevitably begin a rebuild this offseason, and Westbrook will naturally have to pack his bags and leave.

Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant had already secretly planned to go to the Nets, but at that time, apart from Chen Fang, almost no one in the league knew about it.

In addition to these superstars, there are also plenty of All-Star caliber players.

Kemba Walker, Al Horford, Tobias Harris, Khris Middleton, Jamal Murray, Kristaps Porzingis, and CJ McCollum are all in their contract extension years.

The upheavals of this offseason will create huge waves, and it is no exaggeration to say that people are filled with anxiety.

Chen Fang took five minutes to think about how to balance the relationships within the team before finally speaking.

"I choose Jimmy!"

"Jimmy Butler!"

"Trade him for me, and I'll take care of defending the title!"

Lawrence was greatly shocked. He had thought Chen Fang was looking at someone at the level of Paul George, but he hadn't expected that it was someone he hadn't even considered and had completely ignored, Jimmy Butler.

"He has a year left, and the 76ers might not let him go. Besides, his personality has always been a locker room ticking time bomb," Lawrence hesitantly reminded him.

"Without him, how could the 76ers possibly win a Game 7 against the Raptors?" Chen Fang's words were like a wake-up call, directly convincing Lawrence.

Nothing could be more convincing than this fact, and a stunned Lawrence exclaimed in utter admiration, "After you retire, you'll definitely be an outstanding general manager!"

"That's a long way off," Chen Fang said with a smile.

Once he made the decision, Chen Fang felt relieved.

His initial hesitation stemmed from the question of how to balance the interests of his brothers if they were to acquire another player with a consistent 30+ minutes of playing time.
But the thought of defending his title brought Chen Fang back to his senses.

The Clippers' championship win was entirely due to luck, and I can't guarantee I'll have a breakout game every day. This offseason has seen too many unpredictable changes, and information from my past life is no longer of much value.

Now we must work hard to strengthen our squad and defend our championship title.

"With Jimmy, our Clippers have the strength to face the league's reshuffling this summer!" Chen Fang told Lawrence seriously.

“Jaren Jr., Dillon, Zubac, Brunson, DiVincenzo, Bridges.” Then he read out the names one by one.

"I need you to talk to them one by one and tell them that no matter what happens in the future, they must make up for their weaknesses and strengthen their strengths next season."

"I'm busy this summer, so I'm counting on you from now on."

Lawrence laughed and waved his hand, "This is my job, I know what I have to do."

"Don't we need to strengthen our inside game? Even if we take Jimmy, our salary cap is still more than enough," Lawrence couldn't help but ask as he was about to leave.

“No need. Zubac and Jaren need more playing time to train!” Chen Fang shook his head, but then hesitated for a moment.

Sharp-eyed Lawrence immediately waited, but he did not receive any words from Chen Fang.

"Let's leave it at that for now," Chen Fang said.

"Okay, remember to have your injury checked next week!" Lawrence instructed, then turned and took his leave.

Chen Fang was thinking about the possibility of Griffin's return.

This season, Griffin did well for the Grizzlies, but still couldn't help them qualify for the playoffs. The reason for this is that Griffin's body is too fragile.

I remember it very clearly from my past life. In the 2019-20 season, Griffin only played 18 games due to a left knee injury.

His physical condition declined even faster than his skills, which is the greatest tragedy for a professional athlete.

Chen Fang really hopes Griffin can come back and win a championship ring, but given Griffin's current situation, this idea will have to wait.

That's all we can do for now," Chen Fang sighed.

Chen Fang then put aside his regret and began to think about how the team would change if Butler had come.

First of all, Butler is a player that Chen Fang likes very much. His playing style is recognized, and it is no exaggeration to say that he is the toughest man in the league.

Take this series against the Raptors as an example. He averaged 22 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game, with a field goal percentage of 44.3%, a three-point percentage of 26.5%, and a free throw percentage of 87.8%.

This data represents a very strong performance.

Game 2: Butler scored 30 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists in 43 minutes, going head-to-head with Leonard in the final quarter and leading his team to tie the series on the road.

Game 7: With 4.2 seconds left, Butler made a fast break layup to tie the game, but Leonard then hit a buzzer-beating game-winner from the baseline, and the 76ers were eliminated 92-95.

Throughout the series, Butler was the 76ers' only reliable ball-handler on the perimeter, playing in all 7 games and averaging 37.7 minutes, with a team-high plus-minus of +23.

Despite being repeatedly attacked by the Raptors' frontcourt (Leonard, Siakam, Green, Anunoby), he maintained a stable output and defensive intensity.

It could be said that Butler carried Embiid forward; if anyone else had been slightly more successful, the Raptors might not have won their first championship, but the 76ers.

If Butler comes to the Clippers, Chen Fang will be ecstatic.

Chen Fang, Holiday, and Butler can form a formidable perimeter trio, and together with Zubac and Jaren in the paint, they can create a super starting lineup that excels on both offense and defense.

Dillon, Bridges, Brunson, Porter Jr., Richon, and DiVincenzo form a formidable rotation lineup.

The Clippers' core rotation of 11 players will give them enough bench depth to easily cope with the long regular season and the tough playoffs.

Next season, the Clippers' playing style will shift from half-court offense to a more balanced offensive and defensive approach, forming a super team that is even more formidable than the Warriors, integrating both high offense and high defense.

At this moment, Butler is negotiating a contract extension with the 76ers. In fact, the 76ers were robbed by the Heat, which led to the existence of the "Butler Law" in the previous life.

Whoever defeats Butler wins the championship.

19年猛龙、20年湖人、21年雄鹿、23年掘金、24年凯尔特人。

Butler is practically the gatekeeper of the championship; whoever can handle him wins the championship.

Moreover, Butler is a very pure player; he goes wherever he is respected and whoever offers him a big contract.

Whether he wins the championship or not, you can't see his obsession with it. As a player who has always been underestimated, Butler likes to prove people wrong with his performance.

As for Butler's personality and temperament, that was something Chen Fang wasn't worried about.

It's strange that Butler always has disagreements with his employers; it's partly due to Butler's own issues. But Chen Fang has a feeling that he won't clash with Butler.

For example, last year when he was still with the Timberwolves, in order to motivate Wiggins and Towns, he led a few fringe players and managed to beat them in a scrim. Then, he faced the media and criticized the two for being too soft.

This move was truly amazing, and it really shows what kind of person Butler is.

Many team management teams keep their distance from him, but teams that crave championships and victories are willing to pay a huge price to sign Butler and take a gamble.

Butler's desire for victory and his desire for money are equal; the belief that expensive equals good applies to him.

Chen Fang wasn't worried that Butler's arrival at the Clippers would disrupt the locker room atmosphere. Butler was tough, and Chen Fang himself was even tougher. Besides, Butler wasn't brainless. If he wanted wins and money, the Clippers were the perfect team for him.

This season, Chen Fang is not worried about any major trades happening outside. If Butler comes, he'll take care of the defending champions.

Next, he will focus his attention on the national team.

The conversation with Yao was just the first step. He first needed to use the Summer League to make Li Nan understand his own tactical shortcomings, and then through a series of means, make the operation of the entire national team match his.

Chen Fang was not joking about the vow he made at the Olympics.

My will is the will of the national team.

Who stays and who goes is up to me.

He's definitely going to be a ball hog!

He can implement it now, without having to wait until the 20 Olympics.

On July 1st, the national team will land in Los Angeles, and my own plans can begin.

(End of this chapter)