noveldrama
Chapter 877 877 540 Who Still Has Dreams
Chapter 877 877 540 Who Still Has Dreams
?Chapter 877: Chapter 540: Who Still Has Dreams Chapter 877: Chapter 540: Who Still Has Dreams The world was bustling with noise and after finalizing his contract extension, Yu Fei was closely accompanying Elizabeth Olsen.
Compared to Christina Hendricks, a mature woman who seemed to have seen through the world, Olsen, who had not yet graduated from college, still viewed the world with an innocent and cheerful perspective.
When it came to love, she was very serious and focused, considering Yu Fei in everything she did.
This indeed made someone, who had long maintained an “open sexual relationship,” taste the sweetness of love, and at moments, he thought about the future.
He was soon to turn 29 and perhaps it was time to settle down with a woman, but he was not sure if Olsen was the one.
Although Olsen was somewhat blindly in love, she was also career-minded. She was the type willing to offer her body to the screen during her prime years to gain prominence, and Yu Fei was uncertain whether such a person was right for him.
He didn’t think much about it.
He decided to enjoy the moment until mid-July, when Yao Ming, the MVP of the 2010-11 CBA season finals, called him.
The NBA lockout last season was both an opportunity and a “catastrophe” for the CBA.
The opportunity was that the league suddenly welcomed a large number of superstar players who should have been playing in the NBA.
This undoubtedly brought a lot of spectacle to the league, making it more entertaining, but those clubs that had spent a lot of money to poach NBA players were ultimately swept by the Shanghai Team, which had “four foreign players.”
The current rule in the CBA, starting from the 2009-10 season, allowed the bottom four teams in addition to hiring two foreign players, also to hire an Asian foreign player to enhance competitiveness.
The Shanghai Team had hit rock bottom before being bought by Yao Ming, and thus naturally held the right to three foreign players. Coincidentally, a new season’s NBA lockout and Yao returning to the Shanghai Team were undisputed, just like Space Easy returning to the Guangdong Team.
But Yao’s dominance was unmatched by Space Easy.
With the “four foreign players” boosting them, the Shanghai Team played an undefeated season and swept the championships both in the regular and postseasons.
At present, Yao was attending the national team’s training camp preparing for the Wuhan Asian Championship to qualify for the London Olympics.
But with the NBA lockout ending and Yao becoming a free agent, he needed to make a decision.
Initially, Yao had decided to leave the Rockets to join a more competitive team.
But now, the Big Three in New Jersey had already been formed.
The Lakers and other teams had no room.
Yao received an invitation from San Antonio.
Because Duncan had taken a pay cut, the Spurs had enough room to sign Yao.
The issue was, while Yao wanted to leave Houston, he didn’t want to be booed when he returned to Space City for the new season.
The three Texas teams had always been antagonistic towards each other.
Yao couldn’t possibly switch to another Texas team.
For him, it would be best to switch to the Eastern Conference, so he could avoid encountering his old team in the West.
Just as Yao was considering moving East, Miami released some information.
Riley was not the kind to settle.
The lockout had bridged directly over the last season, making the Celtics another year older, while Tayshaun Prince also became a free agent, and the Celtics had no resources to retain him.
Just when Riley thought the era of the Heat was about to arrive, the Big Three of New Jersey emerged.
Under such circumstances, unless Kevin Love and Stephen Curry both matured into All-Stars next season, what did they have to compete with?
Yao, as Howard’s nemesis, had dominated him every time they met. It was an advantage to have Yao, at least when facing New Jersey on the inside.
Therefore, before securing Yao, Riley had left himself no way out, hitching two first rounds, and sending Hedo Turkoglu to the tanking Orlando.
Knowing Miami’s plans, Orlando was very willing to accommodate Riley; if the Heat could acquire Yao, they would delight in seeing Howard embarrassed in the playoffs.
The Magic took on Turkoglu’s toxic contract using cap space, and the two first-round picks from the Heat were just a consolation prize.
However, with the trade going through, the Heat, which had originally been capped out with no operational space, suddenly had the salary capacity to absorb Yao.
The two parties began further negotiations.
Yao, currently in China, had his agent call daily to update him on the negotiation progress.
Despite this, Yao was still uncertain about Miami, so he called Yu Fei to ask his opinion on the Heat.
In Yu Fei’s view, the Heat might be the most suitable team for Yao.
They had the ability to clear the inside, allowing Yao one-on-one, and they could involve Yao in high post dynamic offense, making good use of his developed skill of picking and popping for three-pointers.
If Yu Fei remembered correctly, Curry and Love were about to enter the All-Star fray, both under rookie contracts, along with Yao and Wade; a team with four style-compatible All-Stars would be no less powerful than the Brooklyn Nets’ Big Three, right?
Moreover, the Heat had also picked up Jimmy Butler at the draft this year.
But that said,
over the years, Yu Fei had been teammates with former Heat players.
A few years ago, James Posey came to play in Seattle, and when George Karl thought he had rigorous training volume, Posey always scornfully said that Supersonics’ training volume was not even half of the Heat’s.
In this regard, Riley was much like those domestic coaches firmly believing in the “three obediences and the four virtues.”
He believed that only rigorous training could forge strong athletes.