Coach: Coaching the Grizzlies at the beginning, playing the bantam

Chapter 335 Free Market: Signing Stars! Master and apprentice reunited? ! Xiao Ding joins? !

After the draft, Lu Yong called general manager Sean Marks.

"Hey, Sean, sign someone for me."

"No problem. Are you the undrafted pick in this year's draft?"

"Yeah, Gabe Vincent at Cal State, give him a two-year contract, this guy has something."

"Okay, I'll contact you shortly."

The 18th draft produced two good undrafted players, namely Dun Luo and Vincent.

Interestingly, both of them later joined the Heat and were teammates for two years.

Unlike Dun Luo, Vincent's three-point shooting is not top-notch, at best it is league average.

However, Vincent, who is 1 meters tall and weighs 88 kilograms, plays very hard. In addition to being a fixed-point shooter, he also has the ability to control the ball. In his peak season, he scored 91 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.5 steal. As a starting guard, he helped the Heat reach the Finals all the way to the Finals. It was worth signing a minimum-salary contract.

In addition, even though Vincent is only 1 meters tall, he can defend multiple positions on the court. He is a very powerful player, similar to the 88D at the first position.

Lu Yong signed him not only for a cheap price, but also to a large extent because Vincent's playing style is suitable for the Nets. He is more than enough to be the third point guard in the new season.

In early July, the NBA free market opened, and each team began to make reinforcements.

The Nets have left seven players this year. Wood, Tucker, Joe Harris, Jeremy Lin and Ferrell have all been poached with high salaries. Veteran Scola is preparing to consider retirement, and marginalized player Hamilton is fed up with not being able to play in the NBA. During his playing days, he was entrusting an agent to contact overseas leagues and leave the United States to play.

Including Monte Morris, who was traded away before the draft, the Nets lost more than half of their players in the summer, and the lineup immediately ushered in a major overhaul.

Fortunately, the team's core lineup has not changed, and only some substitutes have been replaced, and salary space and quotas have been freed up. Lu Yong is not worried at all about this.

The only pity is Joha. Lu Yong wanted to use the contract to keep him, but the Pistons offered too high a price. The Nets could spend this money to sign players with better quality, so they had to reluctantly part with him.

The first to break the news was the wealthy Los Angeles Lakers. As soon as the free market opened, the Lakers spent 4 million in four years to acquire the "little emperor" LeBron James. At the same time, they also signed Rondo, Stephenson, Pope and McGee to build a new championship system around James.

Everyone can see that the Lakers are preparing to compete for the championship next season and finally have a chance to get rid of the hat of a weak team.

Some experts bluntly said that the Lakers' record in the new season is at least the top four in the conference, and they are very important in the Western Conference.

However, only Lu Yong knows that the Lakers will not be able to compete for the championship next season, and whether they can make the playoffs is a question.

The addition of James has indeed greatly raised the upper limit of the Lakers, but Lakers coach Walton is picky, and the team he leads cannot become the favorite for the championship. If it were not for the bonuses he received as an assistant coach with the Warriors, the Lakers would not be able to win the championship. Maybe hire him as head coach.

The news of the Lakers' reinforcements has been on the hot news search, but Lu Yong only took the time to take a look and stopped paying attention. Naturally, he did not want to waste time when there was no threatening opponent in a short period of time.

On the same day, news came out from the Western Conference's popular Rockets that they had renewed Paul's contract for $4 million over four years. After enjoying the benefits of last season, the first thing the management did in the summer was to find a way to retain the "light bulb combination."

Seeing this news, Lu Yong breathed a sigh of relief. The Nets have one less potential opponent next season. Paul's ability to lead the team to the playoffs is absolutely top-notch in history, but there is no chance of winning the championship. He is the one who will be injured at critical moments. There has never been a year that makes people worry.

Paul and Harden are competing against each other in the playoffs. If they can break out of the Western Conference, it can only be said that the Western Conference has changed and there will be no one who can compete.

What really worries Lu Yong is that his former disciple Butler broke out of his contract and signed with the 1ers for 2400 million in one year. In the new season, he will join forces with the "Great" Embiid.

The 76ers played well last season, finishing fifth in the league in regular season record. Now, with almost no changes in the core lineup, Butler has been reinforced. They will definitely be stronger next season, which is one of the stumbling blocks for the Nets on their way to the championship.

In addition, Leonard and DeRozan exchange clubs, and the rise of the Raptors is also a challenge that cannot be ignored. In Lu Yong's previous life, the Raptors defeated the Warriors and won the NBA championship this year. Leonard scored 28.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2 steals, and 1.2 blocks in the series, combining offense and defense.

The Raptors led by Kawhi Kawhi specialize in tough battles and are much better than when DeRozan led the team.

Fortunately, the Nets soon received good news.

Lu Yong’s former disciple, two-time MVP star ‘Reaper’ Durant has confirmed to join the Nets!

The two parties signed a 4-year 1.23 million contract. The master and apprentice joined forces again after 7 years!

As soon as the news came out, Brooklyn fans were excited and cheered, as if they had already booked the championship in advance.

In stark contrast, the management of each team looked horrified.

Originally, the Nets had the best record in the Eastern Conference last season, and now they have signed a big fish like Durant. Will they be dragged to the sky next year?

Durant averaged 34.3 minutes per game last season, scoring 26.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1 steal and 1.8 blocks. His statistics were very explosive. It was never his opponents who limited his scoring, but his teammates. Fed up with his time in the SuperSonics, Adu took the initiative to defect to his mentor in the summer. The league is about to usher in the 2.0 version of 'Death is coming'.

Unlike when he took over the Sonics in 07, Durant has now become a complete star, and it is not difficult for him to let go and average 30+ per game. In the Nets, he is the well-deserved boss of the team, and he finally does not suffer at the highest level.

Only one day later, the Nets made another move in the free market, signing Turkish Battalion Ilyasova for 800 million a year.

Almost all the Nets' interior players left in the summer, and Lu Yong focused on strengthening the power forward and center positions. The Turk has excellent long-range shooting ability. He played for the Hawks and 76ers last season, averaging 10.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1 steal per game, and shot 36% from three-point range. He is a very useful substitute power forward.

The Nets' third signing was an inside job, giving Michael Beasley, the second overall pick in 08, a contract with an annual salary of 350 million.

Because of his personality and constant off-field troubles, Beasley, who was originally a star, has become a mercenary in the past two years. Last season, he played for the New York Knicks, averaging 22.4 minutes per game, 13.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists, shooting 50.7% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range. He used practical actions to explain what it means to be a prodigal son who can never change his fortune.

You can say that he is more powerful than his thighs, but you cannot say that Beasley is bad. Lu Yong decided to give him a chance. The Nets also happen to lack substitute insiders like him who can hold the ball in singles. There is a high probability that he can open a blind box in a headwind game. There are surprises.

After all, when he played for the Rockets, he had a highlight moment when he led the team to defeat the Clippers. As long as he took a few cigarettes, there was no need to worry about his competitive status.

After winning Beasley, the Nets' lineup for the new season is already very competitive, and they are extremely threatening whether starting or coming off the bench.

No matter who is signed for the last spot, it will be a make-up, and it is difficult to get too many playing opportunities in regular time.

Lu Yong pondered for a moment and signed Ding Yanyuhang, who was supposed to sign a training camp contract with the Mavericks at the end of the month.

As China's most dominant forward player in the past two years, Ding Yanyuhang is now at his peak. He played 45 games for Shandong last season, averaging 37.2 minutes per game, scoring 26 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.6 steals. He has won the regular title for two consecutive years. Game MVP.

In Lu Yong's previous life, Xiao Ding signed a training camp contract with the Dallas Mavericks this year and was waived soon after. It wasn't until two months later that the Mavericks re-signed him to a contract with an 'Exhibit 10' clause. This signing was mainly for Ding Yanyuhang to go to the Mavericks' Development League team, the Texas Legends. Potency.

Maybe Xiao Ding did not have the strength to gain a foothold in the NBA at his peak, but training in the Nets' team atmosphere will definitely make greater progress than he did in the CBA.

Even if Xiao Ding is unable to stay in the NBA in the future, Xiao Ding can still lead his team to compete in international competitions when he returns to China. The more progress he makes, the greater the probability that the Chinese men's basketball team will qualify.

At this point, the Nets' 15-man roster for the new season has been officially determined.

Center: Lopez, Mitchell Robinson.

Power forward: Millsap, Michael Beasley, Ilyasova.

Small forward: Durant, LeVert, Duncan Robinson, Ding Yanyuhang. Shooting guards: Mitchell, Hardaway, Vincent.

Point guard: Russell, Dinwiddie, Brunson.

At this time, Nets fans were excited about the new season and left slogans of "Nets Championship" on the official website.

The main lineup that had the best record in the Eastern Conference last season remains unchanged, but the small forward has the "Reaper" Durant. This lineup will definitely avenge its past humiliation when it encounters the Celtics again.

Experts analyze the Nets' summer signings and believe that the Nets are the biggest favorites to win the championship in the new season, with a guaranteed regular season record of 65 wins.

The people signed by Lu Yong are all suitable for the team's tactical system. They only need a little running-in in the regular season to perform impressively.

In Lu Yong's view, if the Nets fail to win the championship in the new season, his "championship coach" will become like Rivers, and it will be full of water when squeezed with his hands.

In the offense, Russell, Mitchell, and Durant let go of the three long shots, which is the tactic. Just the catch and jump shot after the screen is enough to give the opponent a drink.

On defense, Luo Luo, Millsap, and Robinson are all good at protecting the frame. With LeVert, Durant, and Vincent on the outside, the defensive efficiency is definitely higher than the league average.

Only Lu Yong, a time traveler, knows how domineering the Nets' current lineup is.

If these players are all in their prime, not only will the NBA reach its finale, but they will form a "dream team" to go to the World Cup and win the championship!

In early October, the NBA preseason began as scheduled.

There is no doubt that the Nets' first opponent is the New York Knicks across the river.

The Knicks just experienced a catastrophe in the summer. First, Butler made a fuss about leaving the team and signed with the 76ers freely. Then, core inside player Jokic applied for a trade, and was finally sold to the Nuggets.

Now that the Knicks have returned to the dark era when Anthony was the boss, many Knicks fans are hoping that Melo will return to his peak, lead the Knicks to a bloody victory over the Nets, and restore New York's glory in the new season.

Anthony thinks so too. He plans to go all out against the Nets, beat Durant and let people see what the return of the king is.

On the 4th, Brooklyn’s home game was full.

The Knicks and Nets had no reservations. The stars were all on the field. Even if this was a preseason game, they did not want to lose the New York Derby.

New York's new coach David Fizdale was high-spirited and loudly encouraged morale in the locker room. The players were unmoved and instead called him a "G".

The Knicks have gone through a wave of lineup changes this season. Everyone has worked hard to achieve results and built a tactical system around Anthony. The atmosphere in the locker room has become less tense.

Lu Yong was relatively relaxed before the game, just arranging tactics as usual and not considering the Knicks as his opponent.

When the Knicks management is determined to continue to strengthen the lineup around Anthony, the team is already useless. It is hard to say whether they can make it to the playoffs in the new season. If they want to compete for the championship, they can only dream about it.

Lu Yong directly sent the strongest lineup, Russell, Mitchell, Durant, Millsap, and Lopez.

Knicks starting lineup: Brogdon, Knox, Anthony, Harrell, Noah Vonleh.

Fizdale is a typical defensive coach. He hopes to build the Knicks into a strong defensive team. On the offensive end, Anthony relies on his personal ability to solve problems.

It's a good idea, but from a practical point of view, Fizdale's arrangement is a mistake, and the offense of the substitute players is wasted.

Looking at the lineup on paper, the Nets can beat the Knicks.

This is indeed the case. The Knicks quickly fell behind after the game started.

Lu Yong completely activated Durant's singles threat. As his mentor, no coach in the league knows how to use Adu better than him.

Russell and Mitchell became the "three-point killers". They never lacked opportunities when playing next to the God of Death. They directly defeated their opponents with a wave of indiscriminate bombing.

Luo Luo and Millsap also performed outstandingly. Not only did they contribute on the defensive end, but they also destroyed the New York Twin Towers offensively and firmly dominated the basket.

首节篮网36比22领先，安东尼8投3中，三分3中1，罚球2中2，得到9分4篮板。

At first glance, he scored a lot, but his efficiency was too low, with a shooting rate of only 37.5%.

The two teams are not at the same level at all. The arrival of new aid Durant strengthened the Nets' offense. In the first quarter, he made 6 of 4 shots, 2 of 1 three-pointers, and 3 of 3 free throws. He efficiently scored 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. , personal duels in positional battles are opportunities, worthy of the name of the God of Death.

Melo fans who watched the game online were depressed again. They promised that the king would return, but this is the result?

In the second quarter, Lu Yong sent Dinwiddie, Hardaway, LeVert, Ilyasova, and Mitchell Robinson.

Ding Yanyuhang was sitting on the bench, it was not time for him to perform yet.

Lu Yong had greeted him as early as the offseason. After signing with the Nets, he would definitely not have much playing time. Xiao Ding would only play when the team was leading or lagging behind by a big score. Even so, the intensity of competition during garbage time is still far greater than that of the CBA. Ding Yanyuhang definitely has a better future playing in the Nets than staying in China.

Lu Yong arranged a very interesting tactic in this quarter. He actually let power forward Ilyasova serve as the main attacker, using the screen to shoot a three-pointer from the outside, catching the Knicks off guard.

Ilyasova's shooting is not exactly accurate, but he has a strong ability to seize opportunities. His mid-range shots have a high hit rate, and he beat veteran Jeff Green.

Other players also performed well. Dinwiddie hit two three-pointers, broke through many times to attract double-teams, and assisted his teammates to make easy jump shots.

The performance of the Nets substitutes was surprising. After a small climax, Fizdale stood on the sidelines and was stunned, watching the game enter garbage time.

Fortunately, this is just a preseason game that doesn't attract much attention. Even if the team loses miserably, Fizdale can find an excuse to train, so it won't be too embarrassing.

杜兰特只打了22分钟，拿下18分5篮板4助攻1盖帽，12投7中，命中率接近60%。

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that Adu did not use all his strength in the preseason. He played casually and was a superstar. No wonder Lu Yong sat on the sidelines and looked like he had a chance to win.

Ding Yanyuhang got playing time in the second half, playing 16 minutes, making 4 of 2 shots, 1 of 0 three-pointers, 2 of 2 free throws, 6 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist. He received a pass from teammate Vincent and performed a dunk.

尼克斯方面，安东尼18投6中，三分8中2，罚球5中4，拿下18分6篮板2助攻。

布罗格登14分3篮板4助攻，哈雷尔12分7篮板1抢断，被菲兹戴尔委以重任的一年级新秀诺克斯8投2中，仅得5分，效率烂的一批。

In the end, the Nets defeated the Knicks 135-102.

This is still the case when the game enters garbage time early. If Durant and other main players play ten more minutes, the Knicks will lose at least 40 points.

People who were not optimistic about the Nets were silent. The Nets were far more powerful in the new season than imagined. When death came to Brooklyn, the entire league trembled.

(End of this chapter)