The first punch that shocked the basketball world

Chapter 14 Signing the Contract

The restaurant was filled with the aroma of noodle soup in the early morning.

Lin Fei slung his bag over his shoulder and said goodbye to his aunt and uncle.

"Aunt, Uncle, I'm going to work."

Lin Xiuqin poked her head out of the kitchen and stuffed two tea eggs into his hand.

"First day at work, be diligent and don't slack off."

"understood."

Zhu Yuliang sat on a rattan chair by the door, waved his hand, and didn't ask any further questions.

Lin Fei went out with the tea eggs in his pocket, and only took out his phone when he got to the bus stop to dial Sophia's number.

The phone was answered after two rings.

"Hey, Lin?" Sophia's voice was tinged with laughter.

"I'm going to the Toyota Center to sign a contract today," Lin Fei said. "I just wanted to let you know."

"marvelous!"

The sound of typing came from Sofia's end: "Now we're really colleagues. Don't stand me up for the interview you promised."

Lin Fei chuckled.

"I'll never forget the interview, but I have a suggestion."

"you say."

"I'm not famous right now, so nobody will read what I post," Lin Fei said, leaning against a bus stop sign. "I'll post it after I play a couple of games in the Development League. It'll have a much better effect then."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone, followed by even louder laughter.

"Young people are so clever," Sofia said. "Okay, we'll do it your way. I'll wait for your reply."

Just as I hung up the phone, the bus pulled into the station.

Lin Fei put in his coin, boarded the bus, and found a window seat.

The street scene outside the window recedes into the distance.

I took the same train two days ago, feeling the pressure of the trial training.

Today, my status is completely different.

Feeling relaxed.

...

Terry was standing behind the reception desk at the entrance of the Toyota Center.

It was the young white man who registered Lin Fei that day.

When he saw Lin Fei come in, his eyes lit up and he stood up abruptly.

"Hey! Lin!"

He waved from a distance: "Congratulations! You've officially signed the contract!"

Lin Fei walked over and smiled.

"You already know."

“Of course.” Terry walked around the reception desk, bumped fists with him, and said, “The moment you walked in, I knew you were someone special. Someone Ryan West recommended, how could they be anything less than exceptional?”

That's very flattering.

Lin Fei didn't point it out.

The other party's attitude that day was merely polite, far from being enthusiastic.

The idea that people should strive for higher goals is an age-old truth.

Signing a development alliance agreement isn't a huge achievement, but for ordinary staff at the venue, it's a potential stepping stone into a career.

"Oh, by the way," Lin Fei said casually, "How about we have lunch together?"

Terry's face lit up with a smile.

"That's definitely on me!" he boasted, patting his chest. "To celebrate your official joining the team!"

He turned to the young woman working part-time next to him and said a few words, then pulled Lin Fei to stand to the side.

"Where do you live?" Terry asked.

"Alhambra, my aunt's house."

"That's a good idea!"

Terry slapped his thigh: "No need to rent a place, the housing allowance goes straight into my pocket. This is a big bonus."

Lin Fei raised an eyebrow.

"Is there a housing subsidy?"

"Yes, I have."

Terry counted on his fingers: "A monthly housing allowance of 1,200, a daily meal allowance of 60 for away games, a winning bonus of 150 per game, and 500 each for the monthly best defender and best rookie."

He lowered his voice.

"This money is extra and not included in your annual salary. Many newcomers don't know this and miss out on it. If you're frugal in your spending, you can save quite a bit over the course of a year."

Lin Fei silently wrote it down.

An annual salary of 45,000 yuan doesn't amount to much after taxes.

These subsidies add up to a considerable amount of income.

"And another thing," Terry leaned in, "you've met Coach Harris too. He's cold on the outside but warm on the inside, and he hates players who try to be clever or play recklessly on the court. Just play like you did in the tryouts, focus on defense, talk less and do more, and you can't go wrong."

"COO Tom Carter doesn't come around often. He mainly manages the budget and contracts, so we don't need to pay him much attention."

He went on and on, describing the temperaments of the coaching assistants and the preferences of the team's veteran players.

Lin Fei listened very attentively.

These seemingly useless bits of information can actually save you a lot of trouble once you're actually in the team.

As expected, even small people have their own ways of doing things.

Luckily, I casually invited them to dinner earlier.

This meal was worth it.

After chatting for more than ten minutes, Terry glanced at the time.

"That's about it. I'll take you upstairs. The signing office is on the third floor."

He led Lin Fei inside, and along the way, staff members greeted Lin Fei warmly.

Terry stopped at the office door.

"Go inside, Helen is waiting for you."

He patted Lin Fei's arm: "I'll wait for you downstairs. Let's go have lunch."

Thanks.

Lin Fei pushed open the door.

The office was small. A middle-aged woman wearing black-rimmed glasses sat behind a desk, holding a folder in her hand.

"Lin Fei?"

She adjusted her glasses. "Sit down. I'm Helen, in charge of player contracts."

There were three contracts on the table.

Lin Fei pulled up a chair, sat down, and slowly flipped through the contract.

The terms are similar to what Sofia said.

One-year contract, no job security, annual salary of $45,000 USD, paid weekly.

The team has the right to release players at any time without paying a penalty.

There are no traps.

He picked up the pen and signed his name.

Three copies.

The team keeps one copy, they take one copy, and the remaining copy is handed over to the G League Players Association.

If a wage dispute ever arises, the labor union will intervene to resolve it.

"Oh, right."

Helen put down her pen and looked at him: "Have you considered signing an agent?"

Lin Fei shook his head.

"Not at the moment."

"normal."

Helen wasn't surprised: "Most new players are recruited after playing a few games. Our team has partnered agencies, which are all legitimate. If you want to recruit someone later, you can contact me."

She handed me a slip of paper with a phone number written on it.

"Going through the team's channels at least avoids dealing with shady agents who scam you. The commission is also reasonable."

Lin Fei took the note and stuffed it into his pocket.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." Helen smiled. "Welcome to the Defenders."

After signing the contract, Helen asked a staff member to show Lin Fei around the area.

Go to the home team's locker room first.

The day of the trial, we used the away team's locker room, which was a mess.

The home team's locker room was noticeably cleaner, with a row of lockers laid out, each printed with a player's name.

The purple and gold color scheme is in line with the Lakers' style.

Next are the weight room, physiotherapy room, and video room.

After a quick tour, we finally entered the equipment room.

"Pick a number."

The equipment manager, carrying a pile of jerseys, said, "Register me, and I'll get you your equipment."

Lin Fei thought for a moment.

"Do you have number 34?"

He wore size 34 in college.

The administrator glanced at the registration form and shook his head.

"There's someone at number 34."

Lin Fei didn't dwell on it.

"What about number 9?"

The administrator glanced at it.

Number 9 is empty.

"Number 9."

I chose number 9 for two reasons.

Firstly, he admires Tony Allen's defense; that guy wore number 9 for the Grizzlies and is his idol.

Secondly... there was also a Chinese legend in Lakers history who wore number 9.

Although it's a somewhat sarcastic reference to a famous figure, there's still some connection between them.

The administrator nodded and took out two sets of jerseys from the cabinet.

One home team is white, purple, and gold; the other away team is purple and gold.

It has the number 9 printed on the back, but the name hasn't been embroidered yet.

"Wear this for now, I'll embroider your name on it tomorrow."

Lin Fei took off his coat and tried it on.

The size is a little tight, but it doesn't affect movement.

That's the downside of development alliances.

The jerseys are all mass-produced and ready-made, not custom-made.

You have to return it when you leave the team.

"The jersey deposit is two hundred dollars," the administrator said expressionlessly.

Lin Fei's lips twitched.

Meat hurts.

I just signed the contract, haven't received a single penny, but I've already paid out 200.

He gritted his teeth, took out cash, and handed it over.

I also received two pairs of training shoes.

It's just an ordinary team-made product, not worth much, but its advantage is that it's free.

Lin Fei stuffed his jersey and shoes into his bag and followed the staff out.

As I walked into the corridor, a middle-aged man came towards me.

He had a buzz cut, wore sportswear, and was holding a tactics notebook.

It's Raymond Hall, the team's assistant coach.

He was on the sidelines on the day of the trial.

"Forest."

Hall stopped and nodded to him: "Finished signing?"

"Just signed, Coach Hall."

Hall sat down on the bench next to him and gestured for Lin Fei to sit down as well.

"The team will have a brief media briefing at 9 a.m. the day after tomorrow, followed by a formal practice session. Don't be late."

"The contract is for one year with no guarantee. I tell every newcomer this. If you play well, you stay; if you don't, you leave. That's the rule in the Development League."

Lin Fei nodded.

"I see."

Hall smiled.

"Don't be nervous. At the last coaching staff meeting, your decision to stay or leave was unanimously approved. Play well, and don't embarrass us old guys."

Lin Fei was stunned for a moment.

Passed unanimously?

He knew he had done well, but he didn't expect it to be a unanimous vote.

"I will." He nodded earnestly.

Hall looked him over and then suddenly laughed.

"By the way, are you quite familiar with Sofia Green?"

His tone was slightly playful.

Lin Fei knew he would ask this question.

That day, Sophia gave him a ride, and Hall happened to see them.

"Just a friend," Lin Fei explained. "She gave me a ride because she was going the same way."

Hall raised an eyebrow, giving him an "I understand" look.

"Okay, I get it, young people will be like that."

He patted Lin Fei on the shoulder, got up, and left.

Lin Fei sat there, sighing helplessly.

Why does everyone think in that direction?

He's obsessed with playing basketball and making it to the NBA right now.

I'm too busy with romantic relationships to even think about them.

Before leaving, Lin Fei called out to Hall.

"Coach Hall, may I ask you something?" he said, "Who is the strongest player in the team's current starting lineup? I'd like to find out in advance."

Hall stopped in his tracks.

"Darius Morris," he said, "a proper NBA contract, now being sent down to train."

Lin Fei nodded.

Darius Morris, he remembered him.

He was selected by the Lakers in the second round with the 41st pick in 2011. He is a 1.93-meter tall point guard.

In his rookie season, he averaged 2 points and 1 assist per game, and this season he has been traveling back and forth between the NBA and the G League.

He's a fringe player in the NBA, but in the G League, he's a scoring machine.

Lin Fei remembered that this guy later played for the Guangdong team in the CBA.

He later passed away in 2024 from a heart attack caused by drug and alcohol abuse.

When the body was discovered, it was already decomposed and emitting a foul stench.

"How strong is he?" Lin Fei asked casually.

"His offense is decent, he has a shot, but his playmaking is so-so," Hall said. "He'd be a bit lacking for rotation in the NBA, but he'd be more than enough here."

After saying that, he waved his hand and left.

Lin Fei stood there, pondering for a moment.

With his current physical gifts and defensive abilities, he should be able to make things very difficult for Morris if he were to face him.

Of course, you'll only know once you've played against them.

He was looking forward to practicing together.

When I went downstairs, Terry was already waiting in the lobby.

The two walked out of the stadium and turned into a burger shop next door.

We ordered food and chatted while we ate.

Terry kept talking, rambling on and on about team gossip.

Lin Fei was scrolling through his phone.

Suddenly, a notification popped up.

The Lakers signed Andrew Goodlock to a 10-day contract to strengthen their backcourt.