NBA: A collection of super busts

Chapter 101 The Deal is Made, Ye Feng's New Settlement!

Ye Feng and Haslem, who were acquired by the Grizzlies in a high-profile draft, were both packaged up and sent to New Jersey!

Accompanying them to New Jersey was Antonio Davis, who had also arrived in Memphis with Ye Feng on draft day.

Memphis acquired Kenyon Martin, the number one overall pick in the 00 draft, a first-round pick in the following year's draft, and veteran Dikembe Mutombo.

The core of this trade is that Martin is in the final year of his contract, and the Nets do not want to offer him a maximum contract extension. The team and Martin had already broken up in the summer, and both sides had almost made it clear that they would not continue to work together after the season.

Therefore, the Nets chose to cut their losses in time and traded Martin, who averaged 16 points and 9 rebounds per game this season, in exchange for Ye Feng, who plays the same position as Martin, has a similar playing style, but is younger and has a longer rookie contract.

Considering Martin has already played for four years, his ceiling is basically set. With a bit of luck, he might make the All-Star team once, making him a high-quality starting forward.

Ye Feng, at 19, still has unlimited potential, so the Nets added an extra first-round draft pick to balance the trade.

On the other hand, Mutombo has two years and $28 million left on his contract, while Davis has three years and $39 million left. What they have in common is that they are no longer able to play well and have passed their prime.

It's essentially a swap of bad contracts, but Mutombo's contract is shorter and has a smaller total value.

To reiterate: West is extremely professional.

Even though he was unhappy, he still managed to strengthen the team, save his boss money, and satisfy Ye Feng all at the same time through this deal.

In order to achieve all three points, especially the last one, he rejected some offers that offered higher rewards but could not immediately propel Ye Feng to the championship.

For example, pistons.

Eager to find a power forward to pair with Ben Wallace, Dumars offered multiple first-round draft picks and Mehmet Okur.

Logically speaking, Okur, a stretch big man, is the type of player that James likes best and gets along with best; he's at least a better fit for him than Martin.

But West rejected the deal.

One reason Ye Feng didn't want to go to the Pistons was that he didn't want to go. Another important reason was: why should he make James happy?

I'm here to lie down and relax, why should I serve you?

In short, no matter how you look at it, West has definitely done everything he could for Ye Feng.

After all, New Jersey was one of the strongest teams among all those who offered him a price. They won the Eastern Conference championship twice in a row last year and the year before, and last year they were even just one step away from the final victory.

At the same time, this team has Kidd, one of the league's top playmakers. With him on the team, Ye Feng can easily get a full meal just by eating easy baskets.

Not to mention that West also brought in Martin, whose position overlaps with Ye Feng's, and the Nets' top scorer. If Ye Feng goes there, he can become a starter or even a core offensive weapon.

As for how well they ultimately perform and whether they can win the championship with the Nets, that's up to Ye Feng himself. Anyway, West has already done his best.

Thanks, see you next time!

After the message was sent, West quickly received a text message from Ye Feng, which was simple and direct, very much in Ye Feng's style.

West simply replied with "Good luck," then put down his phone, and then he felt a wave of boredom.

For him, the season is over.

There was nothing more for him to do after that.

Well, except for my old friend Brown's farewell press conference.

We need to find another temporary head coach to lead the team.

Apart from that, there really wasn't anything that could bother him.

Inside Wanauk International Airport in New Jersey, dozens of reporters were gathered, waiting for something and whispering among themselves.

Suddenly someone shouted, "Ye is here!" The reporters immediately rushed towards a tall Asian man wearing large sunglasses.

"Why exactly were you traded by the Grizzlies? Rumors are circulating that you and LeBron had a confrontation over a woman, is that true?"

"I heard that LeBron confessed his feelings to you and hoped to become your couple, which is why you had a disagreement, is that right?"

While the reporters were bombarding them with questions, they didn't notice that, far from the crowd, a bald man wearing sunglasses was swaying his head and smugly leading three burly men away from the airport.

The four of them traveled without any obstacles until they got into a black minivan in the parking lot. Only then did the bald man in the front take off his baseball cap and glasses, and look at the two people behind him with a smile.

Welcome to New York! The best city in the world!

"According to the rules, the president and head coach should come to pick you up, but if they come, we'll be delayed for at least an hour just at the airport, so let's see them tomorrow. Today is our time as players."

Fans who frequently watch football will immediately recognize this guy.

Jason Kidd, the Brooklyn Nets' star player and arguably the best playmaker in the league today, the most likely point guard to win Defensive Player of the Year since Gary Payton!

This guy led the Nets to the NBA Finals for the past two years, reaching his peak both individually and as a team.

"You've come to the right place in New York. The fun here is something that wretched place like Memphis could never even dream of!"

"Isn't it New Jersey?" Haslem, who was traded with Ye Feng, asked dumbfoundedly, "How did it become New York?"

"I don't like you, little brother," Kidd snapped. "How can you not even know the most basic geography?"

"We're less than 30 kilometers from the heart of Manhattan. If you're a good driver, it only takes 5 minutes! We drink the same river water as New Yorkers."

"So, this is New York, of course!"

Antonio Davis, who clearly had a good relationship with Kidd, patted Haslem with a smile and said, "He's the boss here, so just listen to him. Even if he says this place is Mars, you just need to nod."

"Speaking of Mars," Kidd chuckled, "let's go to Mars tonight and have some fun! I guarantee it'll be a welcome feast you've never seen before!"

"To experience the charm of New York, you have to start with its nightlife. Let's not even talk about that bastard Antonio; he probably has more lovers in New York than hair on his body. But you two kids, have you never been to New York before? What's your first impression of the place?"

"I thought we'd talk about tactical systems, my role in the team, and my goals," Ye Feng said. "I thought I'd only be able to truly appreciate your strategic vision and tactical skills on the training field."

"But I didn't expect to feel it as soon as I got off the plane. Just because of that, I'm confident that we'll have a very pleasant working relationship, absolutely!"

"Of course!" Kidd was clearly pleased with Ye Feng's praise for arranging a body double and escaping unscathed, and said even more proudly, "In New York, my buddies who want to interview me have to get my permission."

"I don't want my brother, who has flown for several hours, to experience New Yorkers' venom and shamelessness before he even feels their warmth."

As he spoke, Kidd started the car: "I'll have my people deliver your luggage to the hotel. Everything's arranged. Now let's go eat first, and then go have some fun on 'Mars'!"

"As for the tactical system and ball control that you're interested in, we'll be able to get a feel for it soon."

"Let's get through tonight first, and we'll talk about the rest later!"

As Kidd spoke, he stepped on the gas and sped off, turning a minivan into a sports car with a roar.

Shortly after the car left the parking lot, Ye Feng witnessed the prosperity of New York.

There's a traffic jam.

Ten minutes later, the airport terminal building was still clearly visible not far behind them. Ye Feng couldn't help but ask, "Five minutes from here to Manhattan?"

"When there's no traffic!" Kidd chuckled. "It's not dark yet, no need to rush. By the time we get there, it'll be the busiest, most exciting, and most chaotic time!"

As Kidd spoke, he turned on the car stereo and started swaying to the rhythm. He was like someone with ADHD, as if he couldn't stop for a moment.

Compared to him, Williams could be considered a shy and introverted young man.

This guy is completely different from the mastermind on the court who can strategize and always see through the opponent's tactics.

That road that Kidd claimed would only take five minutes ended up taking them over two hours. When Kidd finally slammed the car door shut, he cursed, "Next time I'm definitely buying a damn helicopter!"

Then came dinner, changing clothes and showering at the hotel. Kidd waited for his three new teammates in the hotel lobby.

Once everything was settled, the guy stepped on the gas and took them to Mars, the place he had mentioned.

It was a very luxurious and lively nightclub; you could hear the huge sound waves coming from inside from a great distance.

"Isn't Ye too young?" Haslem became honest again: "Won't coming to a place like this cause him trouble?"

"That's the dirtiest thing I've ever heard in my life," Kidd spat. "With me in New York, on my turf, you're worried he'll get into trouble? What's the difference between that and worrying the president's affair in the White House will be discovered?"

Ye Feng wiped his sweat: "Now that you say that, I don't dare to go anymore..."

"6

Ye Feng remarked that Kidd really knows how to use analogies; Clinton's scandal only happened a few years ago...

"Don't worry." Kidd opened the car door and swaggered out. "I've got your back!"

The group followed Kidd all the way to the door of a private room. Kidd pushed open the door and went in first, then turned back to the newlyweds, spreading his arms wide like a charlatan: "Come on, step into a new world!"

As Ye Feng walked through the gate, even though he was a well-traveled millionaire, he was still taken aback by the sight before him.

Haslem exclaimed, "So many girls!"

Ye Feng's exclamation was even more direct: So many balls!

He didn't even bring a golf bag or a golf kit; he just stood there dangling in front of a few people.

Memphis doesn't have this kind of topless outfit.

"Welcome, newbie!" After a few people came in, another bald man who had been rolling around in the ball, head down, studying the texture, taste, and mouthfeel of the two balls in front of him, stood up: "Have fun! Jason will pay the bill."

"I'm Richard," the team's starting small forward Richard Jefferson said with a smile. "That's Corey, Louis,..."

Aaron, and... damn it, where's Rodney? Rodney?

On the floor, a guy who seemed to be playing a human pyramid peeked out from among a group of girls: "Hey Richard, what's up? Our super rookie's here? Let him have his fun! Tell him it's all Jason's tonight."

"This is us." Kidd shrugged. "Most of the team members are here, except for Alonzo, who's back to his old ways. He's in a bad mood and doesn't want to or feel comfortable being in a place like this. And Jason, that guy's pretty weird; he never participates in any of our activities."

"If he weren't so bad, I'd suspect we had a Kobe on our team."

Ye Feng did indeed meet his new teammates in a dark and chaotic place, but judging from the mental state of the Nets players, he felt it was a good place.

A great place that suits me!

"What a pity," Haslem sighed, looking at the dazzling array of goods. "If only our Jason could come; he would definitely love a place like this."

"Don't worry about him," Davis reassured his younger brother. "He went to Miami, where the whole beach is deserted."

"But there are also a lot of old ladies and burly men there that are a pain to look at." Haslem, a Florida native, knows the area very well: "Nothing beats the purity here! I love New Jersey, New Jersey basketball is so fucking pure!"

"New York!" Kidd's hearing was amazing; he could hear Haslem's words amidst the noise and quickly pointed out his grammatical error: "We're in New York! We're the New York team."

"Can you say the Clippers don't belong in Los Angeles?"

"But the Clippers and Lakers share a court, so can we play at Madison Square Garden?"

"Why go to that lousy place?" Kidd scoffed. "The Continental Air Center is great too, and more importantly, East Rutherford never has traffic jams! You have no idea how envious those Knicks bastards are of us. Every day after a game, it takes them at least an hour just to get out of Madison."

Ye Feng asked, "Jason, I heard the boss is planning to build a new stadium, right across the river in Brooklyn?"

"That's a huge project!" Kidd chuckled. "It will definitely be the most beautiful stadium in the world. At that time, we will be a real New York team, we will be real New Yorkers."

"So now we..." Haslem couldn't help but want to ask more, but Ye Feng pressed his head down and shoved it onto a huge thing next to him, as big as a basketball: "Go eat your ball."

"You're way more likable than your little brother! I like smart people," Kidd added. "We could definitely make a perfect team!"

"Jason, I have a small question." Ye Feng looked at Kidd and voiced the question that had been on his mind: "Aren't you and Kenyon brothers?"

"Of course! We're best buddies, we hang out together every day, I even know his favorite position." Kidd shrugged and said, "You're asking why I welcome you guys so much but don't miss him, right?"

"Because that's business. You have to get used to it, you have to adapt. That's just how the NBA is, we have to look forward. And the team's original roster really had reached its limit."

"Maybe we can sweep everything in the East, but whether it's the Spurs, the Lakers, or the Timberwolves who have just emerged this year, we are no match for them, and we cannot beat them in the series."

"Bringing you in is our ultimate gamble for the championship! Of course, the team also wants to save money."

"But no matter what, when Kenyon comes to New Jersey next time, or when we go to Memphis, I will give him all the respect he deserves."

"But that's all for later. Tonight, we only have one task."

"Have a blast, kids!"

Amid cheers, the private room erupted into a frenzy of celebration.

The next morning, Ye Feng and the other two arrived at the training facility at 8 a.m. on the team's shuttle bus. Just as Kidd had said, the place was indeed completely free of traffic jams. In fact, there were hardly any people around the training facility.

Even though the Nets have had a pretty good record over the past two years, reaching the Finals in both years, they haven't been able to attract much attention or fans. A simple statistic shows just how much they lag behind the Knicks.

The Knicks are on the verge of being lottery picks for the third year in a row, but this season their average ticket price is as high as $70, ranking first in the league, and they also have the third-highest average attendance in the league.

And the Nets? With better results and bigger stars, their average ticket price is a paltry $23, ranking 22nd in the league, while their attendance rate ranks only 16th, making them a standard mid-tier team.

They're like the Clippers; no matter what they achieve, they're always the undervalued team, like they're born to a stepmother.

When the three arrived at the arena, no Nets players had arrived yet. The three of them took the initiative to ask to arrive two hours early to familiarize themselves with the environment and warm up. The team also prepared a small press conference for them to introduce their new players to the media and meet the fans.

As soon as the three entered the stadium, two middle-aged men came to greet them.

One is a Black man, the current head coach of the Nets, and a former All-Star guard, Byron Scott. It was he who successfully led the Nets to the NBA Finals twice, ushering in the two most glorious years in the team's history.

Another white player was Rod Thorne, the third overall pick in the 1963 NBA draft and president of basketball operations for the Brooklyn Nets.

Two years ago, he defied public opinion and selected Martin, trading Marbury for Kidd. This trade was not favored by anyone when it came to player selection, but it later led the Nets to the peak of their franchise history.

The two men approached with smiles on their faces. Thorne was the first to extend his hand and shake Ye Feng's hand firmly, saying, "We paid a huge price to get you. I believe you won't let me down."

"Absolutely not!" Ye Feng said, "I felt last night that I would definitely be a good fit here!"

"That bastard Jason," Thorne chuckled, "that guy always treats newcomers to the best of everything, making everyone fall in love with the place instantly."

“I knew you were a good fit for this place long before you did.” Scott was slightly more serious than Thorne, his smile more like part of the job: “From the moment Jerry said that if you wanted to get him, you had to bring your little brother Udonis along.”

"I knew you were someone I could rely on!"

"And you, Udonis," Thorne added. "Ye will definitely take you with him, because you're good enough. You have a chance here! Alonzo might retire again, and Deacon and Kenyon have both left, if all goes well."

"Byron wants you to be the team's primary backup center!"

"I can do it!" Haslem immediately stood up straight, expressing his determination with excitement and enthusiasm.

"Antonio, an old friend," Thorne continued. "They all think you're a bad contract, just a bonus. But I believe you can definitely contribute to the team and show your ability on the field."

"Give it your all." Davis had seen this kind of situation many times before. He knew it was just empty talk, something to listen to but not to take to heart.

Next, the two men led the three men on a tour of the team's facilities and greeted the staff. The only slightly awkward thing was that the Nets don't even have a trophy room right now; their highest honor in team history is just an Eastern Conference championship.

Then, the group went to a conference room where dozens of reporters were already waiting. Ye Feng and his team showed off their new jerseys, with Ye Feng still wearing his number 10.

During the ensuing Q&A session, the Nets clearly put in the effort and spent money, sending their own reporters who asked only the most basic and commonplace questions.

He didn't mention a single question, such as why he left the Grizzlies, his relationship with James, or whether they actually fought.

The overall atmosphere was incredibly harmonious and joyful.

Finally, when the entire press conference had become so quiet and boring, a reporter asked a somewhat interesting question.

Alright guys, that's all for today~ Normal updates tomorrow. If nothing unexpected happens, we'll have one chapter at midnight and one at noon from now on. Unless something unexpected happens...