I’m Really Playing Basketball

On the evening of June 20, 2003, Chen Xiao was at home in New York. Chen Xiao, who had just participated in the New Jersey Nets' championship celebration, was extremely tired.

Although Chen Xiao has now been traded to the Cavaliers.

Although there is a lot of news that the boss is now switching homes with O'Neal, the Nets' championship celebration has been going on in an orderly manner.

And this time the ceremony was extraordinarily huge. The entire championship celebration was said to have attracted millions of spectators. Many New Yorkers and Bostonians came to watch.

After all, for so many years, the championship trophy has not been seen around the New York metropolitan area for a long, long time.

Therefore, this championship celebration is actually not just a celebration for New Jersey, but a celebration for the entire East.

Even many fans in Cleveland came over and came over to thank the Nets veteran and welcome Chen Xiao back to Cleveland.

Why do you say you are welcoming Chen Xiao back?

Because Chen Xiao was originally selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the seventh pick.

Chen Xiao was sent to the Nets by the Cavaliers.

Cavaliers general manager Jim Paxson is the younger brother of Nets general manager Rod Thorn, a standard Bulls guy.

Rod Thorn is the leader of the NBA Bulls. When Rod Thorn gathers trading chips, he will first think of his junior teams.

The Cavaliers wanted to get Chen Xiao, and the Cavaliers had the chips Rod Thorn needed. Of course, the two sides hit it off.

The Cavaliers sent Big Z and Ricky Davis, as well as the rookie combination of Iverson and Kobe Bryant, Dajuan Wagner, who averaged 14 points per game last season, in exchange for Chen Xiao and members of the Bulls' Wolf King coach. Chandler and the Bulls' garbage contracts Eddie Robinson and Donyel Marshall.

Chen Xiao and Chandler are the main players, and the latter two junk contracts are balancing transactions.

The Bulls wanted Big Z, the Cavaliers wanted Chen Xiao, and the Nets wanted chips. The three Bulls teams used themselves as the main body to complete a wave of "internal big transactions" involving seven teams.

I have to say that the NBA is really deep. There are Bulls, Lakers, Larry Brown, and various other departments. If one day the Grizzlies general manager Jerry West takes the Grizzlies’ leading player, Gasol, I sent him to the Lakers for almost free, so don’t be surprised.

In this transaction that the Cavaliers participated in, before the finals started, the chips that the Cavaliers exchanged for Chen Xiao were actually at a huge loss.

Two star players who should be playing plus a combination of Iverson and Kobe who averaged 14 points per game, and Chen Xiao is replaced, which is a bit of a loss no matter how you look at it.

However, after the finals started, it was different, and the Cavaliers were simply making money.

Finals FMVP!

When has the Cavaliers ever had such a young player in history?

It’s like a dad fell from the sky!

That's why many excited Cavaliers fans rushed to New Jersey to shout 'God! ’.

Begging for a beating, since he came here for a beating, Nets fans will not be used to it.

That's a good beating.

The whole scene was in chaos.

However, what surprised the media and reporters on the scene was that not only did the beaten Cavaliers fans not call the police, but they went back laughing hahaha.

Because, after they were beaten by the gang, they received condolences from Chen Xiao and took a group photo with Chen Xiao.

A group of Cavaliers fans with bruised noses and swollen faces wearing Cavaliers No. 7 jerseys smiled and surrounded Chen Xiao's photo, which instantly became a hot spot on the Internet all over the world.

The No. 7 jersey of the Cavaliers has been retired, so why do Cavaliers fans wear Chen Xiao's name on it?

Because after this wave of transactions was exposed, the first star in the history of the Cavaliers to retire his jersey, Binger Smith, the owner of the Cavaliers' No. 7 jersey, excitedly expressed that if Chen Xiao is willing, he is willing to take off his jersey and give it to Chen Xiao. .

Of course, Chen Xiao must have refused.

He doesn’t have a soft spot for No. 7, he loves No. 11, but No. 11 is the number of former Cavaliers star Big Z. Big Z’s career in the Cavaliers also deserves the honor of having his jersey retired by the Cavaliers, so Chen Xiao I didn't intend to wear it either, how could such a thing be done? So disrespectful.

So Chen Xiao is going to wear the No. 24 jersey in the Cavaliers. This time, Chen Xiao is going to follow in the footsteps of the idol boss.

In short, a lot of things really happened in this championship celebration.

Although Chen Xiao is no longer a player of the Nets, and Boss Ji is about to leave, the Nets still give Chen Xiao and Boss Ji great respect.

Boss Ji has been called a god by Nets fans, while Chen Xiao is an angel.

And Chen Xiao's No. 7 jersey has been permanently sealed by the Nets, which means it is very obvious.

When Chen Xiao retired from the NBA that day, the Nets' No. 7 jersey would also be retired.

Although Chen Xiao's rookie season was indeed perfect, he only played for one team for one year and received the treatment of having his jersey retired by that team. This is really very, very enlightening.

I have to say that a professional league is a professional league, and professional teams are truly professional.

After all, there is no irreconcilable conflict between Chen Xiao and the Nets. Chen Xiao's departure and the Nets' trade for Chen Xiao are both normal operations. It is not that the Nets are dissatisfied with Chen Xiao, nor is it that the Nets are dissatisfied with Chen Xiao. , just to get better.

In short, with the cheers of fans across the city, the reluctance of Nets general manager Rod Thorn, and after completing the championship celebration, Chen Xiao has truly completed his entire season with the Nets.

At the same time, it can be regarded as the end of his Nets career.

Maybe, after this day, you will never wear a Nets jersey again, right?

Thinking about everything that happened with Boss Key and his Nets teammates this season, Chen Xiao really missed it.

"Chen, when do you plan to go to Cleveland?"

In Chen Xiao's home, Wade, Yao Ming, Luo Ge, Dina, Braxson, Bago, and Wang Zhizhi were all there.

"The season is finally over and I want to take a little rest and relax."

Chen Xiao lay on the sofa and said with a smile: "I'm so exhausted."

Seeing Chen Xiao's look of needing a beating, Wade snorted coldly.

"Xiao Chen, we still want to be as tired as you, but we don't have this chance."

Seeing Chen Xiao's stinking look now, Yao Ming was truly envious.

Especially looking at the gleaming Finals MVP trophy on the coffee table in front of Chen Xiao's sofa.

To be honest, the championship won by Chen Xiao and the Nets not only stimulated fans, media experts and NBA teams, but Chen Xiao's good friends were also very stimulated.

Yao Ming and Wade have been thinking about whether the Heat will have a chance to win the championship next season.

Especially Wade.

As soon as the finals ended, Heat general manager Pat Riley was forced to use the team's fourth pick to go to the Magic for Ron Howard.

It's a pity that the magic will not change.

This made Wade very angry.

What made Wade even more angry was that after the Magic rejected the trade for Ron Howard with the fourth pick, they backhandedly sent Ron Howard to the Spurs, in exchange for two players who had been traded throughout the league not long ago. International players Parker and Ginobili.

Is the Magic's general manager stupid? How can Parker and Ginobili compare to the Heat's No. 4 pick?

The Magic's general manager is not stupid, they are prepared.

After sending Ron Howard to the Spurs in a half-sale, half-gift deal, the Magic are now waiting for Duncan's arrival.

Duncan has already signed a contract with the Magic, and now he is just waiting for Duncan to get through with his wife's thoughts.

This will take time, but after such a long time, after the draft is over and the free market opens, Duncan should be able to convince his wife to come to Florida together.

However, the end of the Spurs and Duncan is still a secret. Now the whole world thinks that the Spurs exchanged the future star Ron Howard from the Magic in order to keep Duncan.

Therefore, Wade, who did not know the Magic's subsequent operations, and many experts in the league, were laughing at the Magic's operations.

In fact, this is the second time recently that the Magic have been mocked.

The Magic also looked silly when it came to the seven-party deal between Chen Xiao and Carter that the Magic participated in.

Sending Hill out in exchange for Gooden and a lot of space. You, a team that claims to compete for the championship, want a lot of players whose contracts have expired.

You can't be planning to rob Kidd, right?

Kidd doesn’t like you either?

As for robbing Duncan, many people have not thought about the Magic robbing Duncan at this time. Even if they robbing Duncan, they would send Duncan's good friend Grant Hill away.

In short, in order to prepare for Duncan and to make a difference in this year's free market, the Magic have been clearing space recently.

These teams that aspire to the championship, after the OK combination was broken up by Chen Xiao, are all gearing up and waiting to make a difference in the new season.

On June 21, 2003, Larry Brown, head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, landed in Detroit to the consternation of many people.

To be fair, although the Pistons had a very embarrassing performance in the playoffs this year. They were led 3-1 by the Magic in the first round. In the end, they relied on some abnormal means to advance. In the Eastern Conference Finals, against the nemesis Nets, the Pistons were even worse. Being swept out, especially in the last game, the Pistons' lack of fighting spirit at home aroused boos from all Pistons fans.

In short, both Pistons fans and management were dissatisfied with the Pistons' performance last season.

However, it cannot be denied that the Pistons reached the Eastern Conference Finals!

It cannot be denied that former Pistons head coach Carlisle did a very good job with the Pistons.

Such a nearly ripe fruit cultivated by Carlisle was picked away like this, which still caused a great sensation.

Dumars said at the press conference: "I am very happy to be able to hire one of the best head coaches in the league to be the team's head coach next season. There is no doubt about Larry Brown's coaching ability. I believe that under his leadership The lower piston can achieve satisfactory results."

According to gossip, Dumas's satisfactory result was the finals. He was very dissatisfied with Carlisle's failure to reach the finals.

Rick Carlisle immediately found a job after being fired by the Pistons.

On June 22, the third-place Pacers in the Eastern Conference, who were blacklisted by Sixth, invited Rick Carlisle to become the team's head coach, but Rick Carlisle rejected it.

On that day, Rick Carlisle accepted the invitation of the Cleveland Cavaliers to serve as the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

At the same time, the Cleveland Cavaliers invited Spurs assistant coach Mike Brown to serve as the team's first assistant coach.

"Rick, you won't regret this decision."

"thank you teacher."

Rick Carlisle looked at the old man in front of him and said gratefully.

This old man is Bill Fitch, the greatest head coach in the history of the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was also his mentor with the Celtics as a player. At the same time, when he retired, he served as his assistant coach with the Nets. .

Two invitations from the Cavaliers and Pacers were placed in front of him. There was no need to choose at all, of course it was the Pacers.

After all, the Pacers have taken shape.

but……

"Fruits cultivated by others are never as sweet as those cultivated by oneself."

He is willing to trust his teacher's judgment.

Of course Chen Xiao, who was in New York at this time, didn't know the inside story.

But he also noticed that the Cavaliers invited Carlisle to serve as the team's head coach.

Chen Xiao was quite impressed by the former head coach of the Pistons.

When he was having a crazy fight with the 76ers and the Pistons, and experts across the United States were controversial, it was he who said that he was willing to trade Hamilton and the Nets for him.

Chen Xiao is quite impressed and fond of this head coach.

Judging from the fact that he invited Hamilton to take more shots and play more in the playoffs, and was willing to trade Hamilton for him, the head coach probably doesn't like his style of play.

On June 23, 2003, Chen Xiao, who was resting in New York, welcomed a special group of guests at home.

Cavaliers owner Gund and Cavaliers general manager Jim Paxson made an appointment to come to New York to meet with Chen Xiao.

"Chen, don't blame us for coming unexpectedly. We are still very excited and can't wait to discuss the future of the team with you."

Gund, the Cavaliers boss, is an old man who looks very funny.

It has been 20 years since the Gund brothers bought the Cavaliers in 1983. As Cleveland natives, the Gund brothers really love the Cavaliers.

However, these years, the knights have been half-dead. No, most of them are dead and have never been alive.

Because Cleveland is extremely unpopular in the United States, the Cavaliers simply cannot be strong.

Naturally, no stars would be willing to join this team.

Therefore, when the Cavaliers won the No. 1 pick in this year's draft lottery, Gund's laugh, quite magical, and that smile are still circulating on the Internet in the United States.

That laughter was really hilarious and devilish. At that time, Chen Xiao wanted to go up and laugh wildly with this old man with his arms akimbo.

As the 1.5 boss of the Nets, to be fair, although Chen Xiao already knows that he will be the boss of the Cavaliers next season, he will have the same treatment as the boss of the Cavaliers in the Nets, but to be honest, Gund and Paxson Chen Xiaoman was surprised that he was so polite to him.

This is actually normal, the Cavaliers are too hungry for stars!

Last season, the Cavaliers were the team with the lowest attendance in the NBA, with an average of no more than 12,000 people per game. The attendance was disastrous.

Chen Xiao and James are the players they think can save the Cavaliers.

Especially Chen Xiao.

James has a huge reputation among local fans, but after all, he has not proven himself in the NBA, and Chen Xiao is undoubtedly a player who has proven himself.

Even if he doesn't play better with the Cavaliers next season than he does with the Nets this season, there is no doubt that he is an All-Star player!

It may make people feel a little sad to say it. In the entire history of the Cavaliers team, there has never been a player who averaged more than 25 points per game.

If Chen Xiao can average 25 points per game next season, he will be the first player in Cavaliers history.

This season, Chen Xiao averaged 27.2 points per game with the Nets.

What a Buddha this is to the knight!

No kidding, if Chen Xiao can average more than 25 points per game with the Cavaliers next season, his treatment with the Cavaliers will be higher than that of Keys this season with the Nets.

Because the Cavaliers currently have too low a status in the NBA, even in the face of a young All-Star like Chen Xiao, they have to support him. This really makes Chen Xiao feel flattered.

"Chen, we have a total of 3 first-round picks and one second-round pick in this year's draft. In addition to this year's No. 1 pick, which has been confirmed, the No. 18 pick from the 76ers last season, and the No. 18 pick from the 76ers last season. The No. 29 pick acquired from the Nets and our own No. 31 pick in the second round have not yet been selected. We are currently holding a training camp in Cleveland. If Chen, you have any suitable candidates, we will Your opinion prevails."

Well, talking about this, Chen Xiao still couldn't understand why the two big guys of the Cavaliers came to him.

It turned out that I wanted him to participate in the team's draft.

This made Chen Xiao a little excited.

Let me tell you, in the Nets, even Kevin has no right to interfere in the team's draft.

That's the prerogative of general manager Rod Thorn.

Boss Ji has player privileges, but he is absolutely not allowed to have management privileges.

In the NBA, most teams, even the biggest stars, do not have the privileges of a general manager or owner.

"Unexpectedly, the Cavaliers are actually willing to delegate the general manager's privileges to the players..."

After sending away the two Cavaliers bosses, not to mention Chen Xiao, even Chen Xiao's agents Fagan and Wade were shocked.

"In order to force Mr. Riley to select Ron with the fourth pick, I almost knelt down. The Cavaliers are actually willing to let you decide the team's draft selection..."

"We all know that the Cavaliers are the lowest team in the NBA, but is it necessary to be so humble?"

Facing Wade's envy, Chen Xiao smiled.

To be honest, Chen Xiao is very unfamiliar with the Cavaliers. Even if he likes to watch NBA games, he has basically never watched a Cavaliers game.

But this time when he met with the Cavaliers' owner and general manager, Chen Xiao had a good impression of the Cavaliers.

This team respects him, very, very much.

Humans are not machines. If others respect you so much, wouldn’t you be happy and still want to show off to others?

It's not sick.

The Cavaliers hope to consult him, the team leader, for his opinion in this year's draft. Of course, Chen Xiao is very happy to participate.

and!

What Chen Xiao likes most is inspecting rookies!

He has a pair of piercing eyes!

June 24, 2002, Cleveland Cavaliers training facility.

James and Anthony are still training at the Cavaliers' training facility, but Paul has left.

There is no need for James to leave, but Anthony doesn't know where to go, and he definitely won't go to Toronto.

Denver...he's not interested either.

Now it's like pretending to be a salty fish here, dreaming that the previous team will not select him, and he will fall into the hands of New York or the Clippers. If not, he will go to the Heat.

Of course, except for the two high-ranking rookies James and Anthony, most of the rookies in the Cavaliers training hall are middle-level rookies, and there are very few lottery picks.

Everyone knows that the Cavaliers' No. 1 pick belongs to James, and those lottery picks look down on the Cavaliers' No. 18 and No. 29 No. 31 picks.

If given the opportunity, who wouldn’t want to raise his draft pick?

Even if he participates in the Cavaliers' training camp, it's just to make an appearance.

Although the Cavaliers training camp does not currently have many high-level rookies, with James and Anthony being the most popular, the number of rookies in the entire training camp is definitely the largest.

After all, in addition to the No. 1 pick, the Cavaliers also have three good picks. For ordinary rookies, these three picks of the Cavaliers are very attractive.

"I heard Jim Paxson, the team's general manager, will be here later!"

"And the team's head coach Carlisle!"

"That is to say, today, the Cavaliers' training camp is finally coming to an end, and we are about to face the big test!"

Looking at the excited rookies in the Cavaliers training camp at this time, James and Anthony both had pity on their faces.

These people are all fighting for their own chance of survival.

Soon, a group of people came into the Cavaliers training camp. Among them were not only Cavaliers general manager Paxson, who they were familiar with, but also the team's head coach, the famous coach Carlisle. Excited player.

"Wonder boy!"

The Wonder Boy is actually here too!

Looking at this group of rookies, Chen Xiao was also quite curious.

After Chen Xiao scanned around, he found that there were many acquaintances of his here.

After all, he was also a player who only participated in the draft last year.

There are many of his opponents in the NCAA, which is normal.

These all-American geniuses and superior opponents are now being selected by him. I have to say that the opportunities in life are always so incredible.

Of course, in addition to the rookies he wants to select, there are also two good friends of his, James and Anthony, on the training ground.

After making eye contact with James and Anthony, Chen Xiao began this training inspection.

"My inspection project is very simple, that is, one-on-one. Each of you will have a chance to challenge me. I will recommend candidates to the Cavaliers based on your performance against me."

After Chen Xiao finished speaking with a smile, no one among the rookies reacted.

After a while, a player wearing No. 30 training uniform stood up.

"Let me do it."

Chen Xiao looked at this man and his eyes lit up. He was an old acquaintance.

two minutes later...

"Ding, congratulations on completing the one-on-one task issued by B-level player David West. You defeated B-level player David West. You will be rewarded with a scoring experience card (informal competition) and 30 basketball experience points."

Seeing Chen Xiao in a daze after defeating him, West was a little nervous.

"good."

Seeing the hearty smile on Chen Xiao's face, David West breathed a sigh of relief.

"Next."

Mike Brown quickly started calling the next one.

To be honest, as an assistant coach in the NBA for many years, Mike Brown has never seen such a rookie inspection method.

Neither physical fitness nor technical ability is examined, it is simply a one-on-one competition.

And even if it is a duel, it is still a special Chen-style duel. Only Chen Xiao is allowed to shoot them, and they are not allowed to shoot Chen Xiao. This...

"Isn't this shooting stakes? What abilities can be tested?"

Anthony on the side whispered to James.

After frowning for a while, James said calmly: "Chen is testing the players' obedience ability."

Obedience?

Those who follow me will prosper and those who go against me will perish?

Those who obey me will be knights, and those who are against me will not be worthy of becoming knights?

this……

Chen is not so dark, is he?

Looking at the hearty smile on Chen Xiao's face not far away, Anthony blinked.

"Ding, congratulations on completing the one-on-one task issued by B-level player Mo Williams. You defeated B-level player Mo Williams. You will be rewarded with 2 breakthrough experience cards (informal competition) and 30 basketball experience."

Another B-level player.

"good."

Mo Williams was also very excited when he heard what Chen Xiao said.

Just now, he stood motionless and let Chen Xiao shoot him. He was more like a wooden stake than a wooden stake, ensuring that the magical boy would not be able to find any fault at all.

He, Mo Williams, obeyed absolutely!

Paxson couldn't stand seeing the way Chen Xiao inspected the rookies at the training ground.

"Rick, are you okay?"

"it should be no problem?"

Rick Carlisle now wonders if Chen Xiao has some special hobbies.

For example, what achievements should I get?

Like, all the rookies in 2003 were shot by me?

Thinking of this, Rick Carlisle quickly shook his head.

Well, that shouldn't be the case, Wonder Boy doesn't look like that.

after an hour……

"Chen, do you know what's going on now?"

"My God's Eye is comparable to Jordan's God's Eye in the draft, don't worry."

"..."

Seeing Chen Xiao's confident look, Carlisle and Paxson looked at each other.

Seeing you like this, why are we even more worried?

On June 26, 2003, the 2003 NBA draft arrived as scheduled...

ps: Second update, please vote for me and subscribe! ! ! !

ps: Happy Lantern Festival everyone, I just finished eating glutinous rice balls, haha, it’s so sweet.