Pick Westbrook

Chapter 287 I don't know if it's suitable or not

7 month 4 day.

The Heat announced the signing of shade guru Sean Battier for three years and $3 million.

Battier could have obtained a mid-level contract in the free market, but for the sake of the championship and the recruitment of Wade and James in turn, he chose to join the Heat without hesitation.

After the deal was concluded, Wade also announced on his official account that the Heat will be James' team from next season.

One word has been discussed all over the world.

New Jersey, Freehold.

JR Smith walked aimlessly on the country road in his hometown.

He just noticed the news of Battier joining the Heat on his mobile phone, and also saw Wade's statement on his account.

He is indifferent to the Heat's trade and Wade's statement, and he only looks at his phone because he wants to.

The door to the trading market has been open for 4 full days, and the entire league has produced countless contracts, but JR Smith has only received one contract offer so far.

The two-year contract of the New York Knicks, with a total price of 560 million, is a player option for the second year, and he also has the right to jump out of the contract at that time.

This contract was given by the Knicks very reluctantly with the help of big brother Carmelo Anthony. In fact, no team is willing to take over him this summer.

After the end of last season, JR Smith chose to jump out of the last year's $240 million contract, and he also hopes to get a long-term fat contract this summer.

毕竟上赛季JR史密斯在掘金队场均25分钟的上场时间，可以砍下12分4篮板2助攻的数据，投篮命中率为42%，三分球命中率为39%。

Among backup guards in the entire league, JR Smith ranks third in [-]-pointers made in a single season and second in [-]-pointers made.

Such a result is worth a middle-class contract anyway, but now JR Smith is not sought after by the market, but is in a state of no one.

The reason is that he has messed up the Nuggets locker room in recent seasons.

After two glasses of wine, he poured champagne on a woman in the nightclub in Denver. After being resisted, JR Smith cursed [-] and then spat on the woman's face A puddle of saliva.

JR Smith was sued in court and missed the team's 5 games.

Because of speeding, he got into a car accident and his friend died. When he went to the police station for investigation, he found that JR Smith had 8 records of speeding and dangerous driving, so he was sentenced to 90 days in prison and his driver's license was suspended for two years.

JR Smith also missed the Nuggets' opener and the next 11 games.

And the boxing fight at Madison Square Garden, untying Marion's shoelaces, negative training
"Pooh!"

JR Smith took a sip, and still looked like he was going his own way and was not afraid of anything.

In his opinion, those fans who mocked him and the team management who looked down on him were nothing but a fart!

JR Smith also intends to accept the contract of the New York Knicks first, and then play an excellent performance next season, and then he can jump out of the player option to sign a big contract.

Then he can regain his carefree mood, come and go freely, let me enjoy the world!
Thinking of this, JR Smith took out his mobile phone and prepared to call his agent, and then stated his decision.

But at this moment JR Smith saw a man walking towards him with a smile on his face.

Li Lai stretched out his hand and said softly, "Li Lai, owner of the Hornets, shall we chat?"

JR Smith wiped his unwashed hands after going to the toilet on his clothes, and also stretched out his hand and said: "The most powerful player in the free market, JR Smith."

Hammond stared at the arrogant JR Smith with his eyes wide open.

As early as Li Lai expressed his desire to sign JR Smith, Hammond tried his best to persuade him that this player is really a super thorn, and he has always been fearless.

At this point, as the home team that selected JR Smith, the other senior leaders of the Hornets really have a deep understanding.

If Li Lai really recruits JR Smith, then it is impossible. The opponent will definitely bring great trouble to the Hornets, and there will be endless problems and conflicts in the locker room.

Hammond found a quiet coffee shop nearby.

After sitting down, Li Lai went straight to the topic and said, "JR, have you ever thought about playing for the Hornets?"

JR Smith shook his head repeatedly when he heard this sentence.

He still clearly remembers that the Hornets traded him less than two years after drafting him, and that trade also made JR Smith hate this team to the bone.

Didn't he anger the team's head coach Scott at the time because he missed training for no reason? Of course, JR Smith also greeted Scott's eighteenth generation ancestors in front of all his teammates.

It's just that the Hornets also hid him because of this incident, and then pushed him to the bench, and then returned to the starting lineup and pushed him to the bench.

In JR Smith's view, the Hornets have punished themselves and learned the lesson. They should never have traded themselves.

"If the Hornets have been able to train me well, maybe I'm an All-Star now."

"So, the Hornets ruined my entire career."

Li Lai couldn't help but smile, JR Smith's nonsense is logical.

Li Lai continued: "Before I came here, I already knew that there are not many teams that are interested in you in the free market this year."

"No, it should be said that there are basically none."

"The Knicks should choose to take over you, but it has to be with the help of Carmelo Anthony."

"It is conceivable that under such circumstances, the salary that the Knicks can give you should not be high."

"JR, you don't seem to have many opportunities to choose from."

JR Smith was a little embarrassed, and he still said unconvinced until this time: "Then I have a place to go, anyway, I will not go back to the Hornets."

"I won't return to death!"

Li Lai nodded, admiring JR Smith's arrogance and said, "Originally, I was thinking that you jumped out of the last year's contract of 240 million US dollars. It should be because you want to get a big contract in the trading market."

"But now the annual salary that the Knicks offer you should not exceed 300 million, so I came here with full sincerity, but you don't want it."

"Then JR, we can only say goodbye."

Seeing that Li Lai had got up and was about to leave, JR Smith frowned slightly and said, "That... how much salary do you plan to offer me?"

Li said: "I originally planned to give you a multi-year contract with a middle-level salary, but it seems that you still think that the Knicks with low salary are better."

"It's weird, I've never seen anyone like that in my life."

Hearing these words, JR Smith gritted his teeth. He looked at Li Lai and even wanted to tear Li Lai into pieces.

JR Smith calmed down and calculated carefully.

The mid-level clause is just a special case. It allows a team to give any player a contract equivalent to the average annual NBA salary if the salary exceeds the salary cap.

This average salary is calculated as follows: Divide the total salary of the league in the season by 375 (30 teams multiplied by an average of 12.5 players per team), and then multiply the value obtained by 108% to get the average salary of the players in the season .

There is also another simpler algorithm, which is to directly divide the team's salary cap in the season by 12.5 and multiply by 108%, which is also the average salary of players in the season.

Because of Rashad Lewis' big contract, the Hornets' current salary space should be extremely close to the salary cap.

So if they want to sign JR Smith with a high salary, it is inevitable to use the only middle class special contract.

The middle-class contract that Li Lai can offer JR Smith is about 540 million in annual salary.

This is about the same as the Knicks' salary for two years!
The point is, doesn't JR Smith just want to sign a middle-level contract in this year's free market.

Thinking of this, JR Smith felt a little sour. He looked at Li Lai and began to speak, but he was so proud that he couldn't say anything.

"correct!"

"I can accept this contract first, and when the money is in hand, I can continue to be like before, come and go freely, and let me live freely!"

Thinking of this, JR Smith looked at Li Lai and said, "Okay, I can accept your contract, and I am willing to return to the Hornets to play."

Li Lai had expected it a long time ago. At this moment, he looked at JR Smith with a smile on his face.

Hammond on the side also reluctantly took out the prepared contract.

JR Smith grabbed the contract and took a closer look.

3-year 1600 million contract!

But only 50% of them are fixed salaries, and the remaining 50% are all incentive clauses and penalty clauses.

"If the three-point shooting rate reaches 40% in a single season, you can get 10% of the full incentive clause. If you reach 38%, you can only get part of the 5% incentive clause. If the three-point shooting rate is lower than 38%, you will deduct 10% of the incentive clause. A full $54."

"There is also an appearance clause. If the appearance rate reaches 90%, that is, 73 games, you can get all 10% of the appearance clause. If the appearance rate reaches 85%, that is, 69 games, you can only get 5% of the appearance clause. , If the number of appearances in a single season is less than 69 games, another $54 will be deducted."

"There are also training provisions, defensive rewards, and playoff rewards"

JR Smith looked at Li Lai with a look of lovelessness and said, "This is the middle-class contract you mentioned!?"

Li Lai nodded and said, "Even with only 50% of the fixed assets, this contract is higher than what the Knicks offered you."

"So the choice is also yours, whether you choose to own the 50% of the fixed assets and then passively compete, or use your best to get the remaining 50%."

"You decide for yourself."

A moment later, JR Smith still chose to sign his name on the contract.

Because no matter whether Li Lai offers him this incentive contract or not, JR Smith intends to fight hard next season and strive for a contract with a mid-level salary.

And now this mid-level contract is in front of JR Smith, and he has no reason to refuse.

On the way back to New Orleans.

Hammond couldn't resist saying to Lee: "You've done too much for JR Smith."

Li Lai knew that Hammond saw the profound intention of his contract, and said, "Did you know that there is a person's name engraved on JR Smith's neck."

"There is also a reason why he has not chosen to become a father until now."

Hammond quickly remembered, and he also noticed that when he met JR Smith just now, there was indeed a striking name engraved on the neck of the other party.

—Andre.

Li Lai continued: "Before today, JR Smith was a jerk, and he did a lot of jerk things."

"But after this moment, I want him to be a good man and a good husband and father."

7 month 5 day.

The Hornets announced the signing of free agent JR Smith with a three-year, 3 million contract.

At the same time, it was announced that the players DJ Mbenga and Willie Green, whose original contracts expired, would be signed back with two one-year basic salary contracts of 1 million yuan.

The Hornets' actions in the free market are basically over, and the entire team already has an 11-man roster.

At this time, Hammond also completed the task that Li Lai had given him a long time ago, looking for free overseas players and undrafted players.

After screening the entire list, Li Lai also spotted a player who is very suitable for the current Hornets.

This player participated in the 2009 NBA Draft and was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 42nd overall pick in the second round, and was then traded to the Miami Heat by the Lakers.

Due to cap space reasons, the Heat kept the player in Europe until 2010 when they signed him to a two-year, $120 million contract.

但在代表热火队出战的2010年夏季联赛，这名球员场均只能得到5分4个篮板1助攻的数据，投篮命中率为34.8%。

So before the regular season started, he was directly waived and did not get most of the salary of this contract.

"Patrick Beverley, contact him and offer him a three-year, $3 million contract."

7 month 7 day.

The Hornets' roster for the new season is finally settled.

Point guards: Chris Paul, Patrick Beverley.

Shooting guard Kawhi Leonard, JR Smith, Willie Green.

Small forwards Vince Carter and Jimmy Butler.

Power forwards: Rashard Lewis, Lou Amundson.

Centers: DeAndre Jordan, Jason Smith, DJ Mbenga.

DeAndre Jordan's first-year salary of 1300 million, Chris Paul's salary of 1600 million this season, Rashard Lewis' 2100 million, plus JR Smith's 540 million contract, and Leonard's 200 million, Jimmy Butler's $100 million rookie contract
The Hornets' total salary this season is 6500 million, which exceeds the salary cap, but there is still a long way to go before the luxury tax trigger line.

Therefore, Li Lai is quite satisfied with the team's current salary situation, of course, except for Rashard Lewis' huge salary of 2100 million.

"It's just that in the 2012-13 season, Rashard Lewis still has a one-year contract of 2200 million yuan, which occupies too much space for the team."

"Of course, despite getting such a rubbish contract, the Hornets also got the Wizards' priceless first-round pick next season, which is still very cost-effective."

Li Lai did not find a solution to Rashad Lewis' contract at this time, so he had to put it on hold for now.

Fortunately, he is very experienced in using space-type big men, so even if Rashad Lewis is a player with high salary and low ability, Li Lai can also allow him to provide a lot of help to the Hornets.

At this time, there is another very important thing that Li Lai needs to deal with urgently.

After the door of the trading market opened, many eyes around the world have been on the Hornets, and they are all curious about the same thing.

That is who will be the head coach of the Hornets in the new season.

Is it Li Lai?
And Li Lai also gave the answer today. He held a press conference with Hammond and announced that he would become the new head coach of the Hornets in the new season. At the same time, he also sent invitations to the world.

"Anyone can send their resume to the New Orleans Hornets for a job as an assistant coach in the NBA."

This news quickly made headlines all over the United States, and at the same time spread widely to every corner of the world. Everyone was eager to join Li Lai's coaching staff.

Especially in the US.

Because of the small ball era and offensive tactics created by Li Lai, as well as the first three-pointer to win the championship, all those who want to work in the basketball coaching industry hope to get this opportunity.

What they valued was not only the position of the assistant coach, but also the ability to fully grow and train under Li Lai's hands.

For a time, crowds in New Orleans surged, and many people's resumes piled up in Hammond's office.

These resumes were also sorted out one by one by Hammond, and a reduced information list was made and handed over to Li Lai.

Stan Priscus, Edu Alfonso, Marouane Berman, Carol Coelho, Mirabelle Herring, Brad Stevens
"Brad Stevens?"

Li Lai was slightly surprised when he saw this name. In his previous life, he had a very deep understanding of Brad Stevens.

In high school, Stevens attended Zionesville Community High School, where he broke the school basketball record for total points, total assists, total steals and total three-pointers made.

Throughout his four-year high school career, Stevens was selected to the All-America Academic Merit Team and won the All-Academic Gold Medal.

Although Stevens has a great passion for basketball, he knows that with his basketball level, he can't get very far as a player.

So after graduating from college, Stevens took a job that had nothing to do with basketball and entered Eli Lilly.

Until an accidental opportunity in the summer of 2000, after learning that Butler University had vacated a position as a basketball operations coordinator, Stevens resolutely resigned from his job as the director of marketing operations at Eli Lilly.

Since then, Stevens has lived in a friend's basement, working as a basketball operations coordinator and working restaurant jobs to make ends meet.

But even the tiny coordinator job, Stevens is still very passionate about this job, spending at least 14 hours a day watching game film and studying tactics.

So soon, Stevens was appreciated by the head coach of Butler University.

If Li Lai recalls correctly, Stevens officially became an assistant coach at Butler University in 2001, and it only took him six years to outshine the head coach who helped him.

In 2007, Stevens officially served as the head coach of Butler University, with a coaching winning rate of 77.2%, and led Butler University to the NCAA Finals for two consecutive years in 2010 and 2011.

But in the end they lost to Duke University and the University of Connecticut, respectively, and finished runner-up.

"That is to say, the current Stevens is planning to give up his great reputation in the NCAA and come to the NBA with no foundation to continue his life."

Li Lai admired Stevens' talent and ability in coaching, and was extremely satisfied with the other party's positive attitude, so he planned to give the other party a chance for an interview.

Office of the Hornets general manager.

Brad Stevens was not restrained when he met Li Lai, and said: "Some people say that I am the youngest head coach who led his team to the NCAA semi-finals after Bob Knight in 1973, and it was also in 1940. The youngest head coach to lead his team to the NCAA Finals in [-]."

"But compared with your honors and achievements in the NBA, I am far behind, and you are younger than me."

Li Lai also smiled back and said, "I know you have made great achievements in the NCAA. In fact, the salary of an NCAA head coach is not lower than that of an NBA assistant coach."

"For example, the old coach K of Duke University, his salary reached 500 million."

"This salary is basically the same as the current salary of NBA coaches. At the same time, the head coach of the university pays more money and has less pressure. So I don't understand why you choose to come to the NBA."

Brad Stevens said without hesitation at this time: "There are not many capable coaches in the NCAA, so I was able to achieve a team winning percentage of 77.2% there."

"And NCAA players' understanding of tactics is also far behind that of NBA players."

"To put it bluntly, the college students in the NCAA are strictly just kids, and very few of them can have a super high basketball IQ during college."

"So I hope to come to the NBA to perfectly reflect my own tactics, and at the same time play against more powerful head coaches, I also really want to see and learn more tactics."

"Such as small ball tactics."

Brad Stevens maintained a sincere attitude during his speech, and Li Lai also liked this attitude very much. He also knew that the other party's last sentence was specifically for himself.

But Li Lai always felt inexplicably unable to understand Brad Stevens. He always felt that the other party not only wanted to come to the NBA to promote his own tactics, but also wanted to learn more tactics.

Brad Stevens gave Lee a sense of challenge, challenging basketball, challenging civilians, challenging assistant coaches, and challenging head coaches!
Li Lai even had a bad guess in his heart at this moment.

If Brad Stevens succeeds in challenging the position of head coach in the future, will he continue to challenge the general manager of the league, or even challenge the position of team owner?
"I'll be looking forward to what you can do to help me with my coaching staff, and of course I'm happy to give away what I have."

Li Lai held out his hand to Brad Stevens.

Although Brad Stevens gave Li Lai a lot of uncertainty, Li Lai still hoped to keep the other party.

Just like Tyronn Lue and Marshall in the past, Brad Stevens will provide Li Lai with a lot of help like the previous two.

7 month 8 day.

Li Lai received an ocean call from Yi Jianlian.

At this time, Yi Jianlian was also preparing for the 2011 Hanwu Asian Men's Basketball Championship.

This time the Chinese men's basketball game finally did not have Yao Ming's participation.

Because Yi Jianlian clearly knew that the serious burden that Dayao had borne in these years had already exceeded the load.

Therefore, Yi Jianlian made a request to the Basketball Association. If he wants him to represent the Chinese men's basketball team in the Asian Men's Basketball Championship, Yao Ming must rest!
This proposal was finally approved by the Basketball Association. They also knew that Yao Ming had suffered various injuries over the years, and he had selflessly dedicated everything to the Chinese men's basketball team.

Coupled with the upcoming Olympic Games, because of the rise and continued growth of Yi Jianlian, the Chinese men's basketball team also hopes to achieve breakthrough results in next year's Olympic Games.

Yao Ming must not be injured before the Olympics.

When Yi Jianlian had a detailed discussion with Li Lai, he deliberately avoided talking about the Bucks. As long as Li Lai didn't take the initiative to mention it, he would not take the initiative to talk about it.

And Li Lai also avoided the matter of the Bucks, but unexpectedly talked about the Chinese men's basketball team and the Asian men's basketball championship, including the future Olympic Games.

It took a long time before Yi Jianlian talked about the main purpose of his call.

"Coach, I heard that the Hornets are recruiting assistant coaches. I have a candidate here and I don't know if it is suitable or not."

(End of this chapter)