Chapter 84: I will assume more positivity and optimism
In the office of the boss of the Verizon Center, Abi Paulin sat in her seat and listened to Susan O'Mary's report.
Regarding the controversies and conflicts between Jordan, Yu Fei and Collins.
In front of Jordan, Pauline was a tolerant and kind-hearted old man, but in Omari's eyes, he was a dignified superior.
"Basically, Frye was the only player in the camp who was clearly opposed to Michael," O'Mary said. "That's the reason Doug didn't want to start Frye, because Michael didn't want to start him."
Paulin remembered the scene when he met Yu Fei just now.
Yu Fei didn't feel particularly good to him. Although he was honored by his "praise", he was by no means a pragmatist like Wes Unseld who would respectfully call him "Mr. Pauling" , and someone who serves him wholeheartedly.
"Do you think he will bow to MJ?" Paulin asked.
Omari said: "If he wants to bow his head, he doesn't have to wait until today. His performance today just proves that he is determined to draw a clear line with MJ."
This made Pauline think.
He certainly knows how rare it is to have an opponent of Jordan in the player camp.
Since Jordan took over the Wizards in early 2000, Pauline has given up a lot.
The right to build the team, the right to advise the front office, the right to oversee the executives, and as the owner, the only way for him to feel like this is his team is every time he comes into the Verizon Center, and everyone knows that, except for Jordan , the Wizards also have a big boss.
Although Pauline has repeatedly emphasized to the outside world that the Wizards are not Jordan's words. So far, Jordan's only transaction without his consent is the "Naseby transaction", but insiders know that it is just him trying to save his respect. excuse.
The Wizards are Jordan's team.
Pauline lost a lot, but also gained a lot.
Since Jordan joined, the team has achieved peripheral profits for the first time in team history.
As long as he can continue to make money, Paulin really doesn't mind having people manage the team on his behalf, but the problem is that Jordan has no sense of gratitude at all. He takes his tolerance and regression as a matter of course, and allows those around him to insult his colleagues at will. , and called him a "troll."
Pauline is enduring, and he must endure because the team still needs Jordan.
As long as you're playing ball, God is still God.
What if he stops playing for a day?
Pauline had an inkling of what he would do that day.
After a while, assistant general manager Rod Higgins came over and informed the coaching staff of the decision: "Doug agreed to let Fry start the next game, and the problem was solved."
"Is this solved?" Unseld opened his eyes wide.
Omari said: "The opponent in the next game is Orlando?"
"Orlando?" Of course Pauline knew Orlando, but what did Orlando mean?
Unseld said: "Is Frye going to face Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady in his first career start?"
"It seems so."
Higgins looked at them playfully. Of course he knew how much Paulin and the two attendants around him hoped that Yu Fei could enter the starting lineup of the team. It was so strange that a person who opposed Jordan became the starting lineup under Jordan. Ironic thing?
But unfortunately, Yu Fei's dream of starting the game will soon wake up.
"Well, I still have some work to do." Higgins resigned.
Unseld looked embarrassed: "This is very difficult. Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady are both top-notch star players."
Omari looked at Paulin: "Sir, do you want to arrange a private meeting between you and Frye?"
"Don't worry," Paulin said. "We'll wait until he finishes tomorrow's game. He will only be valuable to me if he stabilizes his starting position. This is something he must prove. If he doesn't have the strength, , but want to be 'anti-Mike', that is stupid, I will not expect anything from such a person."
When Collins went to the gym to inform Yu Fei that he would start tomorrow, Yu Fei's thought was: That's it?
He thought there would be some push and pull, maybe he would really have to apply for a deal.
Unexpectedly, Jordan let go.
However, Collins also said: "Tomorrow you are going to play against Grant Hill, and if you don't perform well, you know what will happen."
Yu Fei understood immediately.
This is the reason why Jordan relented, hoping that Hill would teach him a lesson, and then they would have reason to continue to bench him.
The idea is beautiful, but Yu Fei doesn't think that Hill, who has just recovered from a serious injury, can beat himself.
If the opponent is McGrady, Yu Fei may still be hunting Jordan and Collins' mother, Hill, which is great.
The next day, evening
As usual, Yu Fei was neither nervous nor excited. He practiced once in the morning and again in the afternoon. After dinner, he came to MCI an hour early.
Joining him today are still Kwame Brown and Chris Whitney.
"If I make a big fuss like you, can I also be a starter?" Brown asked eagerly.
"It's possible," Yu Fei nodded and said, "But you have to overcome your boss phobia first."
As soon as Yu Fei finished speaking, Brown became weak.
"You look like you're in a good mood?" Whitney didn't expect Yu Fei to be so open-minded. Is this the state a guy who has to face Grant Hill in his first start should have?
"Why, do you still want me to cry because I won the starting spot based on my strength?"
"If you were beaten by Hill tonight, what do you think the coach would do?"
Yu Fei saw the worry in Whitney's eyes. He was more concerned about the young people on the team than Hamilton.
Maybe he is the leader of young players.
Yu Fei smiled and said: "Chris, if you really like assumptions so much, why not assume that if I beat Grant Hill, what would the coach do?"
Whitney felt that if Yu Fei really beat up Hill, the Wizards' internal environment would be more complicated and the conflicts would become more and more acute.
Because Yu Fei's starting position today was replaced by Hamilton as a substitute.
If Yu Fei defeats Hill, then it will be easy to secure a starting position. What about Hamilton? Do you have to be a substitute all the time?
Because Yu Fei is to start, Hamilton is the substitute?
Isn't this a series of schemes by the cunning Collins?
This was used to drive a wedge between Hamilton and Yu Fei, further isolating Yu Fei, and even putting him in the starting lineup would not help him.
Whitney kept his words in his heart. He believed that Yu Fei had his own considerations and there was no need for him to say anything else.
Ever since Yu Fei decided to rebel against Jordan, his rookie season in D.C. was destined to be difficult.
After arriving on the court, Whitney gave up the shooting warm-up and chose to stand under the basket as a caddy for Yu Fei.
"Remember how I taught you how to adjust your breathing?" Whitney said, "There's nothing wrong with your shooting action, but you can't always find the balance between breathing rhythm and shooting. Now get familiar with that feeling."< br>
Brown yelled: "It's not fair, why don't you pass the ball for me?"
Whitney rolled her eyes at him, "You'll have to wait until you're in the starting lineup!"
"Okay, okay, let's put it this way, then I will beat Garcíidi to death like Da Fei tomorrow!" Brown yelled.
"If you could say this in front of Garcíidi, I might think you can still be saved."
"Da Fei, don't be too arrogant, I am the number one pick!"
The No. 1 pick who played less than 10 minutes in each game
In fact, after being together for so long, Yu Fei and Brown both understand each other's abilities.
As the No. 1 pick, Brown is undoubtedly a parallel import, but there is a problem with the Wizards' training method. Even if he cannot become a talent, with his talent, he will be a starter in the NBA for seven or eight years, and he will definitely be a substitute for another five or six years. But now there is no one to train him at all.
In the past, he relied solely on his tacit understanding of playing at the same time as Yu Fei to perform brilliantly from time to time.
If Yu Fei's starting position is stable, Brown's life will be difficult.
Half an hour before the game, the Orlando Magic arrived at MCI.
When McGrady, Hill, (Mike) Miller, Ewing and (Horace) Grant walked out together, the pressure was really unusual.
Before the start of the season, the Magic were regarded as the Lakers' biggest opponent for three consecutive championships.
Tracy McGrady, who joined last season, originally came to assist Hill, but after a while, Hill put on a suit, and McGrady became the core. He averaged 28 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists per game, and instantly became a hot super star. The positions of himself and Hill were completely replaced.
The biggest problem of last year's Magic was that they only had Tracy McGrady as a lone star. Although they had shooter Pat Garrity and Rookie of the Year Mike Miller on the front line, they were too poor inside and there was no one to share the pressure, so they scored 43. won, and then were swept by the most powerful Bucks team since the 1980s in the playoffs.
One summer later, McGrady promised to take the league by storm, Hill returned, and the weak inside line was reinforced by two strong players in Ewing and Grant. "Sports Illustrated" predicted that the Magic would win 60 games.
It can be said that they are the first offseason championship team in the new century.
However, the Magic's record so far is 7 wins and 7 losses, ranking seventh in the Eastern Conference, surprising many observers and sports writers.
However, the season has just begun, and experts agree that once Hill finds his game form, the Magic can still win 60 games.
Yu Fei glanced at them, and then, it was time to warm up.
At 7:30 in the evening, MCI was full of spectators, and the Wizards did not give up the gimmick of "Frye Yu's first career start".
Posters of Jordan vs. Tracy McGrady and Yu Fei vs. Hill were hung outside the arena.
"Everyone performs his or her duties and works together as one."
Before kickoff, Collins fed the players chicken soup.
Yu Fei took the field for the first time as a starter. McGrady on the opposite side stuffed his clothes into his shorts and came over to say hello like a big brother.
McGrady first said hello to Jordan, and then said to Fei: "Hey, rookie, please be nice to Grant."
"As the best player in the Eastern Conference," Yu Fei responded calmly, "please show mercy to our old man."
Yu Fei's words made McGrady smile awkwardly and drew Jordan's death stare.
(End of chapter)