Pick Westbrook

Chapter 317 I Have Reasons He Can't Refuse
2 month 24 day.

All-Star voting is over.

The 2011-12 All-Star Weekend is about to begin.

Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic won the vote with 1600390 votes and served as the starting center for the Eastern Conference All-Stars.

The second most voted is Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose with 1514723 votes.

Because James joined the Heat and became a public enemy of the United States, he only ranked fourth in this year's All-Star voting, slightly lower than Kobe of the Lakers.

The East's All-Star lineup list is: Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Westbrook, Curry, Paul Pierce, Andre Iguodala, Deron Williams and Joe Johnson.

The Western Conference All-Star lineup list is: Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol, Kevin Love, Tony Parker, Nowitzki, Steve Nash and Yao Ming.

Because the Spurs currently have the No. [-] record in the Western Conference, Popovich once again coached the Western Conference All-Star team.

When the old man got the official notice, he repeatedly confirmed and said: "Are you sure I want to coach the Western All-Star team? There are no problems or mistakes?"

"Well, I've already booked the plane ticket and prepared the red wine. It seems that the vacation will be ruined again."

Those reporters have long been accustomed to the old man's humor, and then they specifically asked: "Neither Kevin Garnett nor Gasol of the Lakers succeeded in being selected for this All-Star Game, and the Lakers did not become the record player in the Western Conference this season. No. [-] team."

"Have they lost the strength to win the alliance?"

Popovich thought of the Lakers team, and didn't answer directly, but talked about his own Spurs.

"Our family's Duncan did not enter the All-Stars. This is the most unbearable thing for me. The whole world seems to have forgotten this 36-year-old veteran."

"Everyone is old, and this generation of players has not much time left for the audience."

It is worth mentioning that in the latest All-Star Rookie Challenge, several retired NBA stars took the lead in proposing reforms, and successfully passed the league management meeting.

Since 2012, the All-Star Rookie Challenge will be replaced by two retired NBA stars who select their respective players from outstanding young players to form a team to compete.

In this way, the first-year team and the second-year team will be mixed for confrontation, and the second-year team that often occurs in previous years will not reproduce the first-year team.

And this time the celebrities invited to the All-Star Rookie Challenge are Shaq O'Neal and Charles Barkley.

The Shaquille O'Neal team is: Blake Griffin, Jeremy Lin, Ricky Rubio, Markieff Morris, Greg Monroe, Landry Fields, Jimmy Butler, Kemba Walker , Leonard and Tristan Thompson.

The Charles Barkley team is: Kyrie Irving, DeMarcus Cousins, Gordon Hayward, Paul George, Derrick Williams, Aaron Brooks, John Wall, Tee Yago Splitter, Norris Cole and Evan Turner.

Office of the Hornets general manager.

Although it is the All-Star Weekend holiday, no team in the entire league has a game, and all players who did not participate in the All-Star Weekend can usher in a rest.

But for the Hornets' management and coaching staff, they are extremely busy at this time.

Peja Stojakovic found the current list of center players in the free market, and Li Lai took a fancy to one of them at a glance.

Peja followed Li Lai's gaze to see the player's name and said, "Greg Oden, the No. 2007 pick in the [-] NBA draft over Kevin Durant."

"Last summer, after fulfilling his rookie contract, Oden renewed his contract with the Trail Blazers for a one-year $890 million contract, and Oden did not play a game throughout the season."

“事实上从07年进入NBA后，奥登就仅仅只打了两个赛季08-09和09-10赛季，一共82场比赛。”

Hammond already had a premonition of what this bastard Li Lai was going to do again, so he reminded him in advance.

"On December 09, 12, in a game against the Rockets, Oden collided with Aaron Brooks with his knee and was lifted off the field."

"After this exit, Oden has not reappeared on the court until now."

"Originally, the Blazers' team doctor expected Oden to play this season, so they signed a one-year contract with the opponent during the off-season."

"After all, Oden's talent is there, and the Blazers don't want to miss out on Durant's No. [-] pick and get nothing at the end. It will become a joke in the league, so they keep the other party."

"It's just that the Trail Blazers made a wrong bet this time. Oden accepted the doctor's advice last month and will perform a third operation on his left wrist."

"This operation will allow Oden to recuperate for at least two months. Considering that the Trail Blazers' current record has missed the playoffs, they simply cut Greg Oden directly."

If Li Lai recalls correctly, Greg Oden has had his third left wrist surgery and fifth knee surgery thus far.

Li Lai knew the reason why Hammond persuaded him so much. In fact, Oden was already unpopular in the entire league.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been bought out by the Trail Blazers for a whole month without any team interested.

But Li Lai knew that Oden was indeed talented.

Strictly speaking, he is not even a parallel champion, because he has no chance to prove himself on the court.

最好的一个赛季便是在波特兰开拓者队的09-10赛季，奥登场均替补上场23分钟，可以拿到11分9篮板2盖帽的数据。

在当年11月24日开拓者队与公牛队的比赛，奥登打出了职业生涯以来最佳的表现24分15篮板2盖帽2抢断。

Li said: "Oden's talent is the top among the center players I have seen. I really want to know what kind of performance he can play if he is given a chance."

Hammond knew that this guy Li Lai must be messed up at this time, so he reminded again: "Portland has waited for five full seasons for Oden."

"Facts have proved that he is a parallel importer, and Oden will also become the worst champion in the history of the NBA. Taking him is nothing more than adding a sick number to the team."

"This is for him to come to the team to recuperate!"

Peja also agreed and said: "Oden's right knee underwent minimally invasive surgery, and then the left patella fracture led to season reimbursement, followed by wrist fracture, foot sprain, kneecap fragmentation, left patellar ligament tear, etc. Dozens of injuries, large and small."

"Although the left wrist injury this time is not particularly serious, he has not played for two full years."

"Considering that the center position is the most competitive position on the court, Oden is almost 100% unable to return to the court."

"It was a very wise decision for the Trail Blazers to let him go."

Li Lai thought of Yi Jianlian, who was also injured and almost missed the season when he led the Chinese team to play in the Men's Basketball World Cup.

"I can't trust the Blazers veterinarians," he told Hammond.

"Go and contact Phoenix, the attending doctor we found to treat Yi Jianlian's injuries, and we will continue to invite him to treat Greg Oden."

Hammond looked at Li Lai with a mournful expression on his face, and said again with certainty: "Are you really going to sign Greg Oden?"

Li Lai nodded and said: "That's right, as long as he can return to his normal playing level, even if he can't realize his talent, he will be a level higher than all the backup centers in the current Hornets."

"The Hornets have just undergone a rebuild. I have already arranged for our first-round pick next year, and I will not select the next center player."

"But our team's internal rotation players are too lacking in quality, and the addition of Oden is enough to fill our vacancy."

"Of course, even if we don't know what to do about his injury, there's still time to make up for it next offseason."

"So no matter how you look at it, this is a deal that won't lose money."

Seeing Li Lai's insistence, Hammond had nothing to say.

Who is Li Lai? Li Lai is now a hot businessman in the United States. The Kulai Express Company he founded has become a well-deserved leader in the United States, and was even selected by Forbes as the most likely to become the top 5 companies in the world within five years.

Giving a basic salary of around 100 million is nothing but a drop in the bucket for Li Lai.

Hammond then talked about the ticket sales of the Hornets. Because of the popularity of the city of lobs, the Hornets came from behind and struggled to catch up, ranking 19th in the league in terms of ticket sales.

If it wasn't for Li Lai not agreeing to Hammond's request to increase the ticket price, he even believed that this ranking is very promising to be around the 10th place among all teams in the league.

Li Lai said at this time: "I will deal with the matter of Oden. The matter of the ticket price is completely unnecessary. Let's put it aside until next season."

"What I proposed before is to find a stronger defensive expert for Leonard and Jimmy Butler to help them grow as soon as possible, which is the top priority now."

Du Feng remembered what Li said before he came, to train Leonard and Jimmy Butler's defense and train them to become the most terrifying defensive players in the league.

Even Paul is not qualified at this point, Du Feng looked at him curiously at this moment and said.

"Coach, who is that person?"

Stevens also cast a curious look, and he also wanted to know who is the person who can be worthy of the coach's evaluation.

Hammond glanced at Li Lai and said, "You don't want Jimmy Butler and Leonard to find a center player who is the best defensive DPOY to be a defensive coach."

"That's completely useless to the two of you."

Li Lai nodded and naturally knew this. He said directly, "It's Gary Payton."

Peja Stojakovic on the side couldn't help shaking his right cheek when he heard the name, remembering the stupid thing he had done with that local hooligan.

"Who dares to provoke Jordan in his rookie period, Mutombo is one, Iverson is one, and Peja is the most hairy one among them."

Stevens couldn't help laughing out loud at this moment.

"Payton, Peja, the coach is going to give the Hornets players a double-pipe combination."

Hammond talked about the most critical thing here.

"Why did Payton come to the Hornets to coach Jimmy Butler and Leonard?"

Li Lai smiled confidently at this moment: "I have a reason that he can't refuse."

Buffalo, New York.

Auden walked aimlessly on the street away from the house.

He was confirmed by his agent, and currently no team is interested in him.

Although he already knew that there would be such a result, when he got the final confirmation, Auden still couldn't help but feel infinitely sad in his heart.

"No team wants a cripple, no team wants a cripple five years in a row."

"Playoff teams don't want me because I can't help them."

"Teams that can't make the playoffs won't want me, because they are equivalent to adopting a cripple for free."

Auden smiled self-deprecatingly.

He knows that Durant has completed a contract extension with the Thunder, a five-year $5 million maximum salary contract.

Al Horford, who was single-handedly beaten by him in the same session, also won a five-year $5 million contract.

Yijianlian has already completed a 5-year contract extension of 7000 million in advance, and Mike Conley also has a 5-year contract with a total of 4500 million US dollars in bonuses.

Even Marc Gasol, who was the 48th overall pick in the second round that year, also received a maximum salary this summer.

Only Oden, no team is willing to give even a basic salary contract.

"Hey, are you a basketball player?"

A silver-haired old lady suddenly came over and said in front of Auden.

Oden came back to his senses and didn't hear the other party's question clearly at the first time, so he bent down and lowered his head and said very humbly: "What did you say?"

The old woman continued to ask, "I said, are you a basketball player?"

Auden smiled helplessly and said, "Yes, I used to be."

"Was it?"

The old woman smiled and said, "Then do you know that I can blow you up with one hand?"

Facing the old lady's trash talk, Auden laughed even more disappointed. He used to say the same thing all the time.

Auden continued to walk forward, shaking his head in frustration as he walked, and finally couldn't help his inner collapse, clutching his forehead and crying.

He sat down on a bench, thinking of all the things he had suffered in the past five years, and how he was invincible in high school and college.

Once he was honored as Alden the Great, but now he is a clown.

After a long time, Oden felt a light pat on his shoulder, and he raised his head to see a handsome young man exuding a power that made people feel good about him.

The sun hit the boy's face, and he said softly: "No matter how many times you do it again, you will be the number one pick over Durant."

(End of this chapter)