Chapter 531 The new season is about to begin
Soon, the awards ceremony took place. When the national anthem sounded and the Chinese team collectively stood on the championship podium, almost all Chinese people were moved to tears. China finally had a team event that could win a gold medal, a regret for countless Chinese people, and tonight, Yang Mo made up for it.
If the Chinese are the happiest people, then the Americans are undoubtedly the saddest people. They once again lost the world championship, although they still use the prefix "Dream Team" in front of their national team.
"Team USA will make a comeback at the London Olympics, and we'll lead even stronger players to the championship. I hope Team China will be in the finals by then," Coach K said firmly in an interview after the tournament. "We will beat Team China, and we can beat Super Yang. We're still the invincible Team USA."
Lao K's speech showed his unwillingness to admit defeat. He wanted to make a comeback and defeat his opponent again.
Lao K refused to admit defeat, but Yang Mo was full of heroism and had a kingly demeanor: "As world champions, we will gladly accept all challenges, and this of course includes the US team."
His words directly defined the American team as the challenger, while the Chinese team became the overlord.
"I will assist these young players and do my best to help them grow. They can come to the Knicks anytime as sparring partners and hone themselves against NBA players," Yang Mo said calmly when discussing the Chinese team. "I believe this team can have at least five players who can make it to the NBA. They're all talented, as long as they receive systematic and scientific training."
Yang Mo's words filled Chinese fans with confidence. Meanwhile, Baofeng Entertainment had already taken action, signing several promising players. They would do their utmost to improve these players' abilities and then bring them all to the NBA. The commercial value of Chinese players was immeasurable, and Baofeng Entertainment was unwilling to hand over these profits to others.
While China was celebrating, Isaiah Thomas also completed several minor trades in New York, one of which was a significant rip-off to the Miami Heat. To clear cap space, the Heat traded Beasley to the Timberwolves for two draft picks. After acquiring Beasley, the Timberwolves then traded two future draft picks to the Knicks. In essence, the Knicks and Timberwolves had conspired to undermine the Heat.
The Heat had originally planned to dump Beasley out West. Even if they didn't want him, they couldn't let him go East and become a force to constrain them. But... they hadn't anticipated that the Timberwolves had already secretly colluded with the Knicks and were working together to sell the Heat.
When Pat Riley learned the deal was done , he flew into a rage. He raged at the Timberwolves' general manager, saying they were being disloyal and disregarding their friendship. The Timberwolves' general manager shrugged and said realistically, "The Knicks offered us more, so we chose them. The NBA is a business relationship, not a friendship."
Pat Riley could only curse loudly and then swallow his anger. He never thought that he would be betrayed, and that he was being schemed against by his biggest enemy.
Meanwhile, Michael Beasley, the man involved, was in high spirits during an interview with the New York media: "I've wanted to come to the Knicks for a long time. I've always wanted to join Super Yang. He and I are best brothers, and I'm his most loyal comrade. I think I'll have a lot of fun playing here, and I think I'll reach the pinnacle of my career in New York City."
Yang Mo, however, did not express a particular welcome to Michael Beasley's overtures. Instead, he publicly warned in the media: "I have reservations about Michael Beasley joining the team. I am pessimistic about the negative news about him off the court. I also think that his training attitude is not positive enough. Also... his defensive performance will give Stein a headache."
Yang Mo's words immediately made Beasley anxious. He wanted to call Yang Mo, but Yang Mo's phone was always turned off. He had no choice but to speak to Yang Mo in the media: "Don't worry, Yang. I will definitely not be like I was in Miami. I swear I will never touch marijuana again. I will definitely be able to become the best sixth man for the Knicks."
Beasley's upright attitude actually left Miami's Pat Riley stunned. He passed on the former No. 2 overall pick not only to clear cap space but also, more importantly, because his off-court performance was truly terrible, constantly embroiled in scandals. Unexpectedly, he'd already turned over a new leaf just after leaving the Heat. Is he on his way to becoming the next Super Yang?
Pat Riley subconsciously touched his cheek. He felt a little hot and didn't want to be slapped in the face again.
After acquiring Beasley, the Knicks' small forward position became even more crowded. At this time, Isaiah Thomas called Yang Mo and asked, "Do you think Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets is a good fit for our system?"
"Carmelo Anthony?" Yang Mo frowned. This guy was a classic small forward, so he didn't need to control the ball all the time, but... in some ways, he and Stoudemire overlapped. They were both good at face-up offense. In this era where the distinction between small and large forwards is not so clear, Qiu Feng's close proximity might make the combination of one plus one less than two. "What's your opinion?"
"Now the Nuggets are willing to trade, and Carmelo Anthony is also willing to come. My plan is to use Wilt Chandler, Gallinari, Larry Hughes and others to trade for Carmelo Anthony. Our small forward position is crowded anyway, so we might as well trade for a small forward who can truly be called an ace." Isaiah Thomas expressed his thoughts.
It's undeniable that Isaiah Thomas was right. But Yang Mo still hesitated. "Let me think about it. There's no rush. You can work on other deals."
As soon as Yang Mo said this, Isaiah Thomas immediately suspended the deal. The next day, he announced the signing of Raymond Felton. Additionally, he sent Anthony Randolph and Douglas to the Timberwolves in exchange for Ronnie Brewer, a shooting guard known for his defense.
At this time, the Knicks' training camp had already begun. Their current roster consisted of Tyson Chandler, Stoudemire, Turiaf, Michael Beasley , Jeffries, Gallinari, Wilt Chandler, Ronnie Brewer, James Posey, Eddie House, Tony Allen, Raymond Felton, Yang Mo, and several players who came to try out, plus rookies.
Compared with last season, this lineup is undoubtedly extremely luxurious. Although the small forward position is a bit crowded, it is extremely strong. How can it be as tight as last season?
Most notably, this roster doesn't even break the luxury tax threshold. Salary management is quite reasonable, with only Tyson Chandler, Stoudemire, and Yang Mo making tens of millions annually. The combined salary for these three is only around $34 million. The rest of the players are either on rookie contracts or on veteran minimums. Jeffries and Turiaf are both on mini-mid-level contracts. This is a fantastic bargain.
Isaiah Thomas's summer spending scot-free performance has shattered his previous image of incompetence. Who dares to call him a spendthrift now? He only spent $42 million to acquire Stoudemire. That's pure robbery. Remember, the Rockets offered Stoudemire a five-year, $96 million contract. In fact, upon learning that Stoudemire had been signed to the Knicks for a fraction of the price, the Rockets' Daryl Morey was furious. He'd always been the one robbing others, but he never expected to be poached by a spendthrift for just $40 million.
The Knicks are so strong that New York fans have adjusted their expectations to the highest level. Last year, they had such a brilliant record with such a lineup, so this year they must be even more talented.
At the media conference, Yang Mo was interviewed and said very casually: "Do you think that our team can pursue other goals besides the championship?"
