No.1 in basketball scoring
Chapter 552 - 238. I read a lot, I won’t deceive you! _2

Chapter 552: 238. I read a lot, I won’t deceive you! _2

Thank goodness the Bulls gave Chandler away to the Hornets for free, or else things would have been even more difficult.

The head coach of the Chicago Bulls, Scott Skiles, was a very capable coach, ranking second in the Coach of the Year standings in the 04-05 season, losing to the bombshell D’Antoni.

Zhang Yang had heard of this unlucky coach who fell under the "24th’s butcher knife" in his past life.

In ’03, Skiles took over the Bulls, which had been rotten for 4 years since Jordan’s retirement, with a trend towards becoming the next Warriors—tanking year after year, securing high draft picks year after year, picking talented players, only to trade them away after two years when their rookie contracts were about to expire... Elton Brand, for instance, was gifted by the Bulls, and at that time, Skiles was seen as the Bulls management’s next scapegoat coach since, in the previous years, several coaches had been replaced, each one ending with the sack due to poor results.

But after Skiles took over the Bulls, he turned the team around within a year, and in his second year, in the 04-05 season, he led them into the playoffs, and after two years of first-round experiences, in the 06-07 season, he led the Bulls to a 50-win level strength, sweeping the defending champions Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs. With strong coaching abilities and talented players, the future of the Bulls was highly regarded by countless people up to this point.

That is until a player wearing the number 24 jersey came out saying he wanted to go to the Bulls, and the Bulls’ management lost their minds and publicly stated they wanted an N-for-1 trade, leading to the player deciding not to go after all, causing the collective mentality of the Bulls players to explode and the team to collapse on the spot.

In the 07-08 season, with an unchanged core lineup and reinforcements during the off-season, the Bulls started with a 9-17 record before the season was well underway, leading to Skiles being fired on Christmas Eve, ultimately following the footsteps of his predecessors and taking the fall for Bulls management.

Yao Ming escaped from the abyss of misery, and Zhang Yang was happy about it; although a strong enemy like that in the East was a headache, he was also excited—there was finally a second formidable opponent in the East!

As for Yi Jianlian, initially, Zhang Yang felt he might have accidentally screwed over "Lian Mei," but from another perspective, going to the Rockets post-’Houston incident’ might not be such a bad thing for her...

However, with such a start in the free agent market this summer, Zhang Yang felt it was very unfavorable for their Hornets.

All they had was entirely free agent Gerald Wallace, who was dead set on leaving, which gave them very little bargaining power on the trade market.

When they signed and traded Gerald Wallace away, although they were not as bad as the Knight getting only a first-round pick when they sign-and-traded James to the Miami Heat, it was impossible to expect a lot in return. Wallace would certainly also consider the strength of a new team.

Just like Kobe, who drooled over the Bulls’ roster, but he surely thought of a one-for-one swap for Ben Gordon or Ben Gordon plus Luol Deng. However, when the other side wanted a 6-for-1 trade, Kobe simply refused to go.

Given Gerald Wallace’s character, the trade of Yao Ming to the Rockets with only those returns could give him some inspiration.

Zhang Yang knew that it would be very difficult for a team after winning the championship and that they’d face many unexpected problems. But why did their problems have to be so odd?

...

Zhang Yang wanted to take a day off today, to enjoy all the true or false juicy news revealed by the media after Yao Ming’s trade, check out other teams’ trade rumors, and have Felton investigate what Gerald Wallace was thinking after seeing the trade of Yao Ming... But by noon, Yi Jianlian called him, saying he had arrived in Charlotte!

Zhang Yang drove to the airport and picked up Yi Jianlian at a café.

After ordering the food, Zhang Yang asked, "Weren’t you playing in the Orlando Summer League? Even if you were traded, wouldn’t the Bulls still have you play out this Summer League?"

Yi Jianlian was silent for a while and then said, "I’ve withdrawn from the Bulls’ summer league team. I’m not in a good mood, I wanted to talk to someone. I don’t have friends in America, didn’t know who else to talk to, so I thought of you."

Zhang Yang thought for a moment and felt it was better to be direct. He asked, "Aren’t you closer to Yao? Why didn’t you go to him? Do you feel that you were betrayed by Yao?"

Yi Jianlian shook his head: "He’s still in China. After being selected by the Bulls, I joined him for the basketball center’s commercial events. He told me he had requested a trade, and it wasn’t the Bulls but the Lakers he wanted to go to, and the Lakers also really wanted him, offering Bynum and Odom as chips. He was so excited, telling me he was going to partner with Kobe."

Zhang Yang: "The Rockets wouldn’t want Bynum or Odom; they just want you."

Yi Jianlian: "Yes, the Bulls told Arn yesterday afternoon about trading me to the Rockets, and that’s what he told me too... Damn it, why didn’t I enter the draft last year, then I wouldn’t have been traded to the Rockets."

Zhang Yang: "As long as Yao Ming wants out, the Rockets will definitely see you as their top target, no matter which year you enter the NBA."

Yi Jianlian: "Why don’t they trade you?"

Zhang Yang’s mouth twitched as he said, "You really don’t mince words, do you? Jordan won’t trade me, I’m more valuable for business than Yao Ming."

Yi Jianlian knew he had said the wrong thing again, but he couldn’t control his mouth... He grabbed at his hair and said, "I don’t want to go to the Rockets!"

Zhang Yang: "Look at it from a different angle, it’s actually a good place."

Yi Jianlian: "It’s terrible there, Yao Ming left! Their owner is a vampire, only exploiting Yao Ming. Wouldn’t it be the same for me?"

Zhang Yang: "No, it’s not the same, you are not him. And precisely because Yao Ming has left, that place will be good for you. Their management and coaching staff will treat you like a precious child, fearing you’ll also leave. They want money, and you want the chance to be cultivated as a priority. Just show them that you’re indifferent, coldhearted, and only care about your own interests, and they will have more patience to develop you slowly than any other team."

Yi Jianlian: "..."

He really had never thought about it from that angle, but it made a lot of sense to him!

Indeed, if he went to the Chicago Bulls, he’d have to compete with Tyrus Thomas, after all, Thomas was last year’s fourth pick. As a rookie, he was underused, and as a sophomore, he could possibly be given more attention again. It’s not like the lottery is only for one year.

This summer league, Tyrus Thomas had more opportunities than his sister had, and having played in the NBA for a year, he performed better than Yi Jianlian under NBA rules and in NBA-sized arenas.

Yi Jianlian asked, "Yangyang, how should I act cold and heartless?"

Zhang Yang’s mouth twitched again.

There’s really no need for a sudden burst of enthusiasm!

Holding back discomfort, Zhang Yang said, "Just keep talking to others the way you do now."

Yi Jianlian: I think you’re insulting me!

Zhang Yang added, "Don’t explain anything to the Rockets’ management or the media. Anything you feel is against your interests, just refuse it. Become an egoist."

Yi Jianlian: "Is that really okay? Shouldn’t I become a player who is liked by his teammates, like you are?"

Zhang Yang: "Not every teammate likes me, there are always those who hate me, who are jealous of me. I prioritize my own interests in the team, not others’. Inevitably, this infringes on the interests of other players, but I don’t care about them. I’ve stayed abroad longer than you and have read more books. I wouldn’t lie to you."

Yi Jianlian nodded thoughtfully...

Zhang Yang casually mentioned, "Playing alongside McGrady and Gordon, it’d be best for you, Alian, to practice more pick-and-rolls, mid-to-long range shots, and driving to the basket. Your athleticism and shooting touch are very suitable for partnering with them. With your current physicality, playing one-on-one in the post is too disadvantageous for you."

Alian’s eyes lit up: "Do you think so too? I played in three summer league games, damn it, those white guys are as strong as beasts; I simply couldn’t hold my ground. Ahern also suggested I reduce my low-post plays and focus more on cutting and shooting from distance, but Liang Mu... the agent responsible for my endorsements in China, told me to practice more on low-post plays to become a dominant inside force like Yao Ming, saying that would make fans like me more."

Zhang Yang: "Don’t bother with him. Are you the boss, or is he? What right does he have to tell you what to do? I just told you to become an egoist. That fans will only like you if you play like Yao Ming is nonsense. If you play well, the fans will like you..."