One Guard

Chapter 355: The locker room problem

Genius remembers the address of this site in a second: (Apex Chinese), the fastest update! No advertisements! The joining of Vince Carter has made the Mavericks players more energetic on the training ground. Originally, Carter was a very professional player. No matter which team he joined, he would do his best to complete his job well. Although it was only the first day of joining the Mavericks, Carter was already very serious on the training ground. During confrontational training, Carter even had a confrontation with Yiyang.

Seeing Carter's smirk, everyone knew that this veteran dunk would not let Yiyang down. However, Yiyang's speed is beyond the reach of the already aged Carter. I saw that Yiyang used an emergency stop and quick start to change direction, easily broke through Carter, and then made an emergency stop jumper from the mid-range position and made a hit.

After Yiyang scored, Carter whistled and then applauded. "It's a beautiful shot. The stability of your torso when you shoot seems to be stronger than last season."

Carter is worthy of being an old Jianghu. After watching it for a long time, he can see Yiyang's improvement in shooting this summer. "But if I were as young as you, I would have chosen to dunk that ball, hahahahaha!"

This scene on the field made Carlisle feel that Cuban and Nelson Jr. did a pretty good job of Carter's signing. On his first day at the training ground, Carter was able to joke around with the people around him. In the past, Carter also had the experience of being teammates with Kidd, so it is not a problem for him to integrate into the team. Such a plug-and-play and experienced veteran will naturally be favored by every head coach.

Although Carter is no longer able to slam dunk like he was back then, fans often overlook Carter's other skill-accurate three-pointers!

With Carter joining in the new season, the Mavericks' firepower outside the three-point line will be more dispersed. In the past, Stevenson had almost no independent scoring ability on the offensive end. But now, Carter can help Yiyang share the scoring pressure on the back line.

Carter's signings, in Carlisle's view, can score full marks. I only hope that Cuban and the Mavericks' next level of player introduction will also be as good as Carter's...

On the training field, Yiyang and his teammates are sweating. In the general manager's office of the Mavericks, Cuban and Nelson Jr. are struggling to form the team's lineup for next season.

Although the winning team of Nowitzki, Yiyang, Kidd, Terry and Marion is still there, anyone who understands the reason knows that except for Yiyang, the performance of these old guys next season will be very difficult. Just as good as last season. After a player is over 30 years old, his status will begin to decline slowly. What's more, those old guys have already passed the hurdle of 30. The current stage is the period of the fastest decline in their careers.

With everyone's state destined to decline, the Mavericks also lost Tyson Chandler, the umbrella of the restricted area, and Stevenson, the perimeter defensive gate. The strength of the team has actually declined severely.

"There are no big fish in the free agent market this summer. We still have to sign a few cheap and easy-to-use players. Our real goal is next summer. Steve Nash, Dwight Howard... .If all goes well, we can also build a Big Three team. After all, it can already be counted as a giant.” Nelson Jr. is explaining to Cuban this summer’s signing policy, the Mavericks this year It is very difficult to defend the title. Instead of taking risks, it is better to cast our sights on the further future.

"The only thing I care about is the locker room. The new players must not have any influence on the team's locker room! The Mavericks are a united group. Whether we win the championship or not, we always stick together. Those who may affect the harmony of the locker room, don't do it!" Cuban waved his hand, the players are obedient enough, and this seems to be the only requirement for his signing plan this year.

The general manager of the team, Nelson Jr., smiled and nodded.

"Don't worry Mark, I won't let the team's good locker room atmosphere be destroyed."

※※※

During the period when the free agent market and the transfer market are urgently opened, there will be a lot of news about players swapping clubs every day.

Jeremy Lin, who has attracted the attention of Chinese fans, received another offer from the New York Knicks after being terminated by the Rockets. The Asian guard who played for the Mavericks briefly in the summer league couldn't restrain his excitement and called Yiyang, saying that he finally had the opportunity to compete with Yiyang in the NBA.

Tyson Chandler officially held a press conference in New York and showed reporters his Knicks jersey. The combination of Chandler + Anthony + Stoudemire was officially established, and people believe that this Knicks team will definitely be able to take it to the next level.

During this time, the Mavericks have not been idle. After successfully signing Carter, Cuban and Nelson Jr. used a trade exception worth 8.9 million and a protected 2012 first-round pick. The opponent is Lamar Odom, the "all-around fighter" from the Los Angeles Lakers.

As soon as the news came out, experts from all walks of life gave Cuban and Nelson Jr. an A+ score for their operations. Odom, who averaged 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3 assists per game last season, can definitely become a major firepower on the Mavericks' bench. After losing Chandler and Stevenson, the Mavericks' two signings seem to make the team stronger.

A few days ago, the Lakers and Hornets just broke the news that there would be a trade. The Lakers originally planned to send Gasol and Odom in exchange for Chris Paul, but since the Hornets are now managed by the league, this deal that is likely to bring the Lakers back to the top has been rejected by the other 29 players in the league. The owner of the team unanimously called a stop!

In this way, the Lakers are quite embarrassed. Odom missed the next day of practice after learning he was put on the shelf as a bargaining chip. This all-round fighter who was so determined to the Purple and Gold Corps, but ended up being used as a bargaining chip, directly approached Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak, expressing that he hoped to be traded and leave the team.

Odom believes that it is better to leave on his own initiative than to be thrown off as a burden by others. At least in this way, he walked with dignity.

Kupchak knew that he could not restore Odom's broken heart, so he had to deal with this "all-around fighter" at a low price. Therefore, Cuban and Nelson Jr. were able to obtain the right to use Odom at a very low price.

In the eyes of the outside world, Cuban's move is undoubtedly taking advantage of the fire. Some media even said that it is not impossible for the Mavericks to defend their title again. After all, they are equivalent to recruiting the best sixth man.

The day after the deal was concluded, Odom parachuted into Dallas. But unlike Carter, Odom doesn't seem to be very enthusiastic about the Mavericks' locker room. Facing Yiyang who stole his best sixth man trophy last season, Odom just nodded politely to him. Leaving the Lakers itself is not the ending Odom desires. How much more this guy can play after he comes to the Mavericks, no one knows. Perhaps the heart of this all-around fighter and his passion for basketball have rotted in Los Angeles.

On the training ground, Odom showed unsatisfactory state. In the confrontational training, facing Yiyang's breakthrough, Odom did not actively defend, but just watched Yiyang easily layup.

Although this is just training, Carlisle still asks everyone to take it seriously. But Odom obviously didn't respond to the call.

"That damned guy, if you don't want to play, don't waste our team's roster spot! Fuck, it's the Lakers who are unfair to him, not our Mavericks. Why are you running to Dallas to show your temper!?" During the training break, Te Li also complained next to Yiyang. Although on the surface they are harmonious, Yiyang seems to have smelled a bit of gunpowder.

The locker rooms at the American Airlines Center arena are starting to look different.

Two days later, Cuban and Nelson Jr. brought a new player to the team. Although he is a new player, this guy has actually been with the Mavericks longer than Yiyang. He is the athletic center that Cuban sent to the Nets in exchange for Yiyang last summer, Brandon Heywood.

Haywood signed a six-year contract worth 55 million with the Mavericks, but it turns out that Cuban is another "blind consumption". Brandon Haywood is indeed very capable, but his strength has definitely not reached the point where he has earned 55 million in 6 years.

Now the Nets, which urgently need stars to join, will naturally not let this contract occupy the team's salary space, so they used the amnesty clause to lay off Haywood a day ago.

Little Nelson acted according to the wind and immediately claimed Heywood at a price of 2 million a year. The garbage contract they gave Haywood at the beginning is still paid by the Nets. The Mavericks have once again obtained the right to use Heywood at an extremely low price.

As soon as the news came out, people didn't say how beautiful the Mavericks' operation was. Instead, they were all complaining about Billy King, the general manager of the Nets, and made another stupid decision. Help others to pay money, and in the end the players will not be used. I have to admit that even if the Russian owner of the Nets is really rich, he can't stand Billy King's toss.

The addition of Haywood filled the Mavericks' vacancy at the center position after Chandler left. Of course, Carlisle didn't expect Heywood to be able to achieve Chandler's level at all. As long as Heywood didn't make mistakes on the court, Carlisle would be satisfied. On the contrary, it was the French center Mahinmi who didn't play much last year, which gave Carlisle a little more expectation.

After Chandler leaves, Mahinmi will definitely get more performance opportunities. Carlisle only hopes that this seemingly potential French center can grow up quickly.

Time passed day by day, and the Mavericks' lineup gradually took shape. The Mavs' summer signings are largely over with the signing of athletic 4 Brandon White. On paper, this new lineup is still very competitive. But inside the Mavericks locker room, except for Carter and Haywood, other new players always seem to have a transparent gap with the old players who participated in winning the championship last season.

Odom doesn't like to communicate with the Mavericks players, and Braden White's character is a bit too introverted, not very talkative. Although Yiyang doesn't like to talk, he always loves to be with his teammates in everything he does. White is different. He never walks with anyone even when training and eating.

Although Carlisle responded to this problem to Cuban and Nelson Jr., the two believed that Odom and White would not cause too much damage to the team's locker room. At best, it is difficult to integrate. At the same time, they also informed Carlisle that the team's last signing this summer has been completed. New players will arrive at the stadium on time tomorrow morning to report and participate in training.

Although Cuban and Nelson Jr. have tried their best to select players with less strong personalities to join, and find ways to minimize the damage to the team's locker room atmosphere. But their approach does not necessarily create a good locker room atmosphere. A complex chemical reaction in the locker room is not something that Cuban and Nelson can avoid if they want to avoid destruction.

After hearing the new player's name, Carlisle shook his head helplessly. I hope this guy won't make the already problematic locker room more tense.

※※※

Seven days before the start of the new season, the Mavericks' regular tactics have basically been finalized. Except for Odom and White, the degree of integration of other players is very gratifying.

Today, Yiyang is still the first to come to the locker room. Now Yiyang not only shoots 300 three-pointers with Nowitzki every morning, but also goes to the weight room with Carter for a while. So, he got to the locker room earlier than usual.

After Yiyang entered the locker room, he tidied up the benches as usual, and only after the locker room was tidy, he sat down in front of his locker and began to change equipment.

Just as Yi Yang sat down, a man came out from the shower area of ​​the locker room. Yiyang was startled, and hurriedly looked up. Only then did he realize that a man full of tattoos had arrived in the locker room earlier than himself.

The man glanced at Yiyang, didn't say anything, didn't even say hello, just sat down on his own.

Afterwards, this guy started talking to himself, saying some words that Yi Yang couldn't understand. From time to time, it is accompanied by some exaggerated movements. It was as if there was no one else in the locker room except himself.

Nowitzki's appearance relieved Yiyang's tense nerves.

"Delonte, you're here!" It wasn't until Nowitzki took the initiative to greet the "nervous" man full of tattoos that the man's empty eyes finally became alive.

"Ah, Dirk, it's you. Hey, hello." The tattooed man greeted Yiyang with a smile, but Yiyang felt creepy in his heart. He had already been sitting in this locker room. But this tattooed man seemed to have never seen Yiyang before.

"What's wrong with that guy...? He, wouldn't he be the last player signed by our team!?" Taking advantage of the man named Delonti going to the bathroom, Yiyang hurriedly Go to Nowitzki and ask.

"Don't you know him? Delonte West, the shit about him..." Nowitzki paused. "It's too much. Rumor has it that he and James' mother had an affair! Yes, James' mother, you know, when this happened, James was his teammate! The only thing I can do now is simply What I'm telling you is that guy's mentally unstable."

After Dirk finished speaking, he pointed to his head with his finger.

"Spiritual, huh?" Yiyang nodded with a wry smile after listening.

From high school to college to now, Yiyang himself is finally no longer the most "problematic" person in the locker room.

Tap the screen to use advanced tools Tip: You can use left and right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.

You'll Also Like