lakers championship

Chapter 296 Draft Conference (3)

In last year's draft, in order to get Tianyang, the Lakers let the 76ers blackmail the first round of 17 years; in order to get Ingram, let the Celtics blackmail the first round of 19 years and the second round of 18 years.

Half an hour ago, the Lakers sent Cousins ​​to the Suns in exchange for Russell and the first round of 19, and then sent Russell and Butarik to the Nets in exchange for Brook Lopez and the first round No. 27 pick.

Now, just one second round away from 18, Kupchak will let the Celtics spit out what they eat.

The phone was hung up again, Kupchak shook his head and smiled, not paying attention.

Tianyang and Wharton also turned their heads and continued to watch the draft.

In a blink of an eye, Xiao Hua had announced that it would be the 25th, Tianyang got up and left the office, and went straight to the draft site.

……

People came and went from Barclays Center, and the selected rookies were interviewed in various ways. Some just expressed their intention to contribute a car to the XX team, and then they were packaged and traded away.

Of course, more rookies are waiting anxiously, and there are only 6 spots left in the first round.

The appearance of Tianyang did not attract everyone's special attention. After all, all kinds of big names will be there on the draft night. If you bump into someone, it is either a current star, a past star, or a future star.

According to the information provided by the Lakers staff, Tianyang went straight to the lower stands in the southwest direction of the venue, and spotted Kuzma who was not invited into the 'Little Green Room' at a glance.

He was waiting anxiously with his neck stretched out, obviously worried about whether he would be selected.

Tianyang patted him on the shoulder from behind, "Why, you haven't been selected yet?"

Kuzma turned around when he heard the words, and when he found Tianyang, he immediately stared, "Are you here to laugh at me?"

Tianyang waved his hand, "You're mistaken, I think you should be the fifth pick, these managers are blind."

Kuzma was taken aback immediately, "Are you so optimistic about me?"

In various predictions before the draft, Kuzma’s ranking has always been at the end of the first round or the second round. The scouts’ evaluation of his advantages and disadvantages are: advantages, height and arm length, relatively stable shooting, comprehensive skills And the athletic ability is good, the standard rotation small forward, or the space power forward; the disadvantage, the outside shooting ability is low, the shooting ability after the dribble is low, and the defense is very average.

As a striker, it is understandable that his outside shooting and dribbling shooting are relatively poor, but his defense is generally a bit old-fashioned, especially the defense he showed in the Tianyang training camp, which can be called a disaster.

Tianyang nodded, "Of course! But these managers don't know what you are good at, it's difficult!"

Kuzma lowered his head and sighed when he heard the words, but then he seemed to understand something, and asked in a tentative tone: "You didn't come here to chat with me on purpose, did you?"

Tianyang smiled, "That's for sure. Do you know how much power I have in the Lakers?"

Kuzma squinted, "How big is it?"

"I can decide the team's selection!" Tianyang looked up at the sky and patted his chest, "Now you call me big brother, and I will let the Lakers choose you!"

"Impossible, I am 95 and you are 96, I am older than you!" Kuzma turned his head, his tone dissatisfied.

Tianyang didn't force it, but continued to stand by the side. At this time, Xiao Hua walked to the podium and said: "In the 2017 NBA draft, the Magic team used the No. 20 sixth pick and chose Angeis from Spain Pasecniks!"

Kuzma gritted his teeth and shook his head, as if he was depressed but not himself.

"How are you thinking about it? The Lakers will be drafting soon, and you still have 5 minutes. There are only 4 spots left in the first round!" Tianyang clenched his nostrils, and his tone was rather harsh.

Kuzma didn't answer immediately, and after a long time, he said: "Of course I want to play with the Lakers, and I admire your strength very much, but I am determined not to do it in this way, and would rather lose."

"EM... so you admit that I'm better than you." Tianyang said with a 'defiant' look on his face, "Well, let's forget about it, big brother, just call me captain, and I'll let the Lakers choose you."

"Of course you are better than me, otherwise why would I go to your training camp, but call the captain, unless we are in the same team." Kuzma still insisted on his own opinion.

"Okay, I appreciate you very much! You are the No. 27 pick!" Tianyang waved his hand, turned and left.

……

Kuzma didn't understand a little bit, Tianyang just said and walked away. Before he recovered, Xiao Hua went to the podium and read: "In the 2017 NBA draft, the Brooklyn Nets use No.20 with the seventh overall pick, Kyle Kuzma from the University of Utah!"

Hearing his name, Kuzma finally confirmed that he was selected.

And, according to the previous deal between the Lakers and the Nets, he will be sent to the Lakers.

Kuzma was ecstatic in his heart: "It seems that Tianyang did what he said, and I will thank him after the group photo is finished."

With excitement, Kuzma ran to the podium to take a photo with Xiao Hua, then briefly accepted a reporter's interview, and excitedly looked for Tianyang.

"Have you seen Tianyang? The Chinese star of the Lakers." He asked a TNT reporter.

"Over there, I'm talking to someone." The reporter pointed in one direction.

Kuzma nodded his thanks, ran over like flying, and saw Tianyang from afar.

He wanted to wave and shout, but Tianyang was talking to someone, so he could only suppress his excitement and walk over slowly.

……

"Hart, do you know my influence on the Lakers?" Tianyang asked solemnly.

Hart rolled his eyes and smiled: "Of course, you are the top star of the Lakers. To be honest, I am also a fan of yours. I never lost a game for the Lakers throughout the playoffs. You beat the Warriors with 60 points and 40+ three times. The performance of double is really unprecedented. I want to learn from you, really."

Tianyang squinted his eyes and turned his head, his expression was very helpful, "It's good that you understand this, to tell you the truth, since last year's NCAA Finals, I have been very optimistic about you. Now, as long as you recognize me as your big brother... "

Before the words fell, Hart rushed to say: "Brother, if you have any orders, just say it!"

"Well, you are much more sensible than Kuzma, do you want to play for the Lakers?" Tianyang continued to shake his head, pretending to be arrogant.

"I want to! I want to dream! As long as I can play for the Lakers, I am willing to do anything!" Hart replied hastily.

"Okay, brother, I'll arrange this for you." Tianyang turned around with a smile, and saw Kuzma with a black face.

"I think the Lakers decided to choose us a long time ago. You got the news in advance, so you came here to pretend to be a big brother?" Kuzma's cold squint', his face was full of displeasure.

Although it was exposed, Tianyang couldn't lose his momentum, and Tianyang waved his hands again and again, "You can't say that. When you join the team, go ask the coach and manager who advocated choosing you two."

Kuzma smiled bitterly and shook his head, "Who made you enter the league earlier than me, and are you better than me? You wait, I will devote 100% to training, and sooner or later I will let you call me big brother. But thank you for your recommendation!"

Tianyang smiled and said nothing, he really didn't expect that running out to do some spoofs would actually inspire Kuzma's fighting spirit.

Hart smiled and said, "No matter what, you will always be my big brother!"

……

At 11:3 p.m., after 2017 hours, the [-] draft finally came to an end.

Just when people thought it was going to be calm, a tweet from WOJ blew up the audience.

"According to reliable sources, the Lakers chose Tatum to rob the Celtics. Kupchak proposed the conditions for the first round of 18 and the second round of 18. Angie originally agreed, but the Celtics After owner Vic heard about it, he vetoed the deal on the spot and said the Celtics would never be threatened by the Lakers."

After Twitter appeared, Lakers fans applauded, and the famous Laker Leonard updated Twitter: "Welcome new Lakers member @Jason – Tatum @Kyle – Kuzma @Josh – Hart!”

(End of this chapter)