It only took the Lakers one day to collect personal information about Whiteside, starting from his high school days, including various pre-draft trials and tests, and his performance during his time with the Kings. The Kings coaching staff gave him His evaluation, etc., were all reported to Kupchak.
"This guy came out of Patterson Middle School. That middle school has always had a very good record in the United States. I chose Marshall University as a university, which is considered a strong team in the NCAA. In my freshman year, I won the NCAA's blocking title. ! I seem to have a little impression of this player. According to the predictions of the draft that year, some people even thought that he could enter the lottery area, at least in the first round. Our Lakers did not have a first-round pick in 2010, so I was Didn’t pay much attention to him.”
"According to rookie standards, his physical test data is pretty good. His vertical jump is the same as Cousins. From this point of view, Whiteside is also a very talented player. At least he will be selected in the first round. How could it be? Falling to the 33rd pick? Huh? Wearing slippers to participate in the rookie physical test, what kind of attitude is this!" Kupqile's brows suddenly frowned.
During the NBA rookie physical examination, many team managers will be present, but in 2010, the Lakers did not have a first-round draft pick, and last season the Lakers defeated the Celtics and won the NBA championship. For the Lakers at that time, what was needed was to maintain the stability of the lineup, not to develop rookies, so Kupchak didn't pay much attention to the draft at that time, and he didn't know about Whiteside wearing slippers for the rookie physical test. .
As a player who is about to enter the profession, he should have a minimum professional attitude, not to mention that the draft is related to the future of a new player. For rookies, participating in the rookie physical test is a time when their future is related. Of course Must be paid great attention to. And Whiteside actually wore slippers to participate in the rookie physical examination. In the eyes of many managers and scouts, this is a very lack of professional attitude, and the rating will naturally be lowered a lot. Many teams will even blacklist him directly because of this.
However, Kupchak then thought about it. Whiteside wore slippers to participate in the physical test, and the data was actually very good. His vertical jump was almost the same as Cousins. Doesn't this further prove that his physical fitness and athletic ability are really strong? !
"The managers and scouts of the league's teams are not fools. They will definitely realize this, but they still did not choose Whiteside. It seems that this player's character is flawed." Kupchak then looked at the hand in his hand. Information, and then suddenly laughed.
"After the game, the reporter complained about why the previous team didn't draft him, claiming that the lower limit is Garnett! Does he know who Garnett is? Many people say that their upper limit is Garnett, and they will be despised. This guy He actually said that his lower limit is Garnett! Haha... Is this guy an idiot? His IQ is worse than Cousins. No wonder no one wants it! No team is willing to choose an ADHD patient. Putting this kind of guy in the team is a time bomb!"
Kupchak shook his head muttering to himself, and then continued to read the relevant information provided by the Kings.
"I stayed with the Kings for two years, and spent most of the time in the Development League. In the first year, I only played one game, playing 2 minutes, with 2 fouls and 0 statistics; in the second year, I played 18 times, averaging 100 points per game. He can score 1.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 6.1 minutes, which are very ordinary blue-collar statistics. There are a lot of players like this in the league!"
"I don't train seriously, I don't pay attention, I don't even do warm-up exercises properly, I just mess around with the team. I'm very narcissistic and dismissive of the assistant coach's guidance. I drove a car on the first day of training camp. A Mercedes-Benz cost more than 200,000 yuan. I remember that the first contract of a second-round pick was more than 800,000 yuan. After deducting necessary taxes and insurance, you can get at most 400,000 yuan. This guy actually spent half of his salary to buy a Mercedes-Benz. A car! Stupid! Do you think you got a big contract worth tens of millions!"
Cars in the United States are cheap, and half of the middle class can buy a car for US$30,000 to US$40,000. US$100,000 in the United States can buy a car that costs around 2 million in China. And spending two hundred thousand dollars to buy a car in the United States is definitely a top-notch luxury car. The top-of-the-line Mercedes-Benz G-Class that Whiteside bought for $200,000 is the same model as Curry's Mercedes-Benz. But Curry only bought a new car after getting a big contract, while Whiteside was only a second-round pick, and he bought a star's luxury car with a precarious job. This shows that Whiteside is really a rookie in his rookie period. Extra-large brain-dead.
"I really don't understand why Zhang Guan wants me to pay attention to such an idiot! Is it just because he has played in China? He can't even compete in China's first-level league. How much potential can such a player have?"
Kupchak curled his lips in disdain. However, considering that Zhang Guan is the team's small boss and the core of the team after all, Kupchak felt that it was better to give Zhang Guan a face and let Whiteside come to the team to try out. If you train for a while, just try it out, it won't cause any loss to the Lakers.
…
Entering April, the situation of the playoffs has become increasingly clear. There are 7 teams in the Eastern Conference with a winning rate of more than half, and entering the playoffs is already relatively stable. In the West, the competition between the Grizzlies, Mavericks and Suns has become increasingly fierce, and the Lakers, who are on a winning streak, have gradually entered the playoffs.
On April 4, the Dallas Mavericks visited Los Angeles.
On the court, Nowitzki was breathing heavily. He had already played 38 minutes today. For a 36-year-old veteran, his body has indeed reached its limit after playing in a fierce game for such a long time. .
However, even so, the Mavericks still fell behind. The excited shouts of the home fans even made the Mavericks players breathless.
Whenever Zhang Guan holds the ball, the scene where all the fans shout "MVP" makes Nowitzki feel as if he has returned to Los Angeles five years ago, when the Lakers were pointing. Championship, the fans in Los Angeles were extremely crazy at that time.
"When did the Lakers' home court become like this!" Nowitzki wiped the sweat from his head.
This Mavericks team has brought together many former star players, but the overall age is indeed a bit older. Nowitzki is 36 years old, Marion is 36 years old, Dalembert is 33 years old, Calderon is 33 years old, Carter is 37 years old, Harris is 31 years old, and Monta Ellis is considered young and is already 29 years old. .
Such a team may be better than the Spurs in terms of experience, but it is really unable to fight a protracted war.
What's more, this game is the second of a back-to-back for the Mavericks. Last night, at the same venue, the Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 113-107. Today's game against the Lakers, although there is no hard work for the Mavericks, it is still a back-to-back game. A group of old men could hold out for more than thirty minutes, but they were really unable to bear it.
Precisely because of their age, many experts in the United States are not optimistic about the Mavericks entering the playoffs. Compared with the Mavericks, the Grizzlies and Suns are younger and more energetic. Even if the aging Mavericks barely make it to the playoffs, it will be difficult to make a difference.
In this game, the Lakers also lost 117 to 107, giving the Mavericks their 31st loss of the season. Since the Grizzlies lost to the Timberwolves the day before yesterday, the Mavericks, Grizzlies and Suns all lost 31 at this time. Negative, back to the same starting line. There is only two losses between them and the Lakers, who lost 33 games.
After defeating the Mavericks, the Lakers have the last six games left. Their opponents are the Clippers, Rockets, Warriors, Grizzlies, Jazz and Spurs. Except for the bottom Jazz, none of the six opponents are easy to bully. Especially the game against the Grizzlies was a crucial battle for the playoffs.
The day after defeating the Mavericks, Whiteside also arrived at the Los Angeles Lakers training facility.
Since being waived by the Kings, Whiteside has been without the ball. Due to his poor reputation when he was with the Kings, Whiteside could no longer survive in the United States, so he sold the luxury Mercedes-Benz and looked for gold mining opportunities overseas. However, those European teams did not need insiders like Whiteside, so Whiteside moved to China's CBA.
But CBA still doesn't need Whiteside. What CBA needs is foreign players who can score, not shot-blocking springers like Whiteside. Whiteside's offensive methods are relatively simple. No CBA team is willing to waste precious foreign aid spots on Whiteside. In desperation, Whiteside has no choice but to play for the CBA Development League. Although Whiteside's offensive level is not very good, he can still easily bully his opponents in lower-level leagues.
The experiences of the past few years have smoothed Whiteside's edges and only helped him improve his IQ. Before the draft that year, Whiteside was so out of the top five. He once felt that his talent could enter the top three. After being selected with the 33rd pick, Whiteside felt that all teams were blind. However, after being slapped in the face by reality, Whiteside has matured a lot. He knows that he must seize any opportunity to return to the NBA.
Because of this, on the first day of trial training, Whiteside's attitude was very positive, as honest as a good boy, without the "brainless" look he had back then.
Kupchak stood on the sidelines of the training court. He looked at Whiteside, who was leaping high under the basket, and couldn't help but gasp.
"This physical talent and athletic ability are not much worse than Jordan and Drummond! The offensive methods are not that good, and the weight is slightly lighter, but there is no lack of physical confrontation ability, and That wingspan seems to be longer than that of Anthony Davis. He is really a good player at grabbing rebounds and blocking shots! Where did Zhang Guan find this guy! Are those scouts blind? Let such an excellent player Talent slips away before your eyes..."
If it weren't for Whiteside's bad record, Kupchak really wanted to sign with Whiteside right away.
Beside him, Coach D'Antoni also nodded frequently.
"The offensive method is relatively simple, and he can't shoot three-pointers. Although this is not the type of center I want, but with such good physical talent, no coach will let it go! This Whiteside is 25 years old this year. , he is a little older, and his plasticity may be lower, but if he is purely used as an inside defensive player, he does not need to think so much. His athletic ability is very good and will not slow down the team's rhythm. It has a place in the tactical system. It feels much more useful than that silly big guy like Thackeray." D'Antoni commented silently in his heart.
The arrival of Whiteside also made Thackeray and Ryan Kelly feel the pressure. Both of them received one year's rookie basic salary and could be laid off at any time. Now a new inside player suddenly came to try out, which naturally made the two of them extremely nervous. They also performed extremely well in training. .
On April 6, the Rockets challenged the Clippers away from home. It is said to be an away game, but in fact it is still played at Staples Arena, and the fans are all Los Angeles fans.
The Clippers' current record is 53 wins and 24 losses, ranking third in the Western Conference. They are also two games behind the Rockets, who are fourth in the Western Conference. Their position is relatively stable. So in Coach Rivers' view, there is no need to go head-to-head with the Lakers.
Moreover, today's Staples does not have the atmosphere of the Clippers' home court at all.
"Defense!Defense!Defense..." The fans at the scene kept shouting defense, but Paul's expression became even more gloomy when he was holding the ball.
"Whose home court is this? Now I'm attacking with the ball! The home team is attacking with the ball, but the fans are shouting 'defense'. What kind of home court is this! This is too bullying!" Paul suddenly felt like crying. No tearful feeling.
This is what Los Angeles is like. As long as the Lakers play well, the Clippers will become stepmothers.
Since Zhang Guan came to Los Angeles, the Lakers have never lost at home, and the Lakers have won consecutively, from a team that beat the street to a team that is expected to enter the playoffs. This inspirational story is the easiest He is a fan in the United States. There are many people in Los Angeles who are realizing their dreams, and an inspirational Laker will naturally be sought after by everyone.
In fact, if they had not met the Lakers, the Clippers would still have received support from their home fans. It's just that the Lakers' foundation in Los Angeles is too deep. They are a symbol of this city, and fans hope the Lakers can win.
Soon after, coach Rivers took Paul off the court, along with Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. Anyway, the Clippers have entered the playoffs and their current ranking is relatively stable. It is better to give the main players a rest. Moreover, this kind of home atmosphere is even more difficult than the away game. It is useless to let the main players stay on the court. Not only can they not win the ball, they have to pay for it with a depressed mood.
…
On April 8, the Lakers faced the Houston Rockets at home.
The Rockets are going to play back-to-back away games, and Los Angeles is the first stop. Tomorrow they will go to Denver to challenge the Nuggets.
Perhaps the last time we went to a nightclub, we all turned into soft-footed shrimps. This time, Rockets coach McHale specially ordered that going to nightclubs was prohibited, and everyone must stay in the hotel.
However, even so, the Rockets still could not take away a victory, mainly because the Rockets' lineup was not neat.
Howard had a cyst removal operation on his left ankle not long ago. After playing a few games after the operation, he felt some pain in his left ankle. As the playoffs approached, the Rockets didn't want Howard to get injured again, so they simply arranged for Howard to take a truce.
The Rockets' vacant Beverley tore the meniscus in his right leg at the end of March and underwent surgery. It would be great to be able to return in the playoffs, so he also missed this game.
Asik and Jeremy Lin replaced Howard and Beverley respectively and took the starting position. Without Howard, the Rockets have one less offensive point inside; and although Jeremy Lin has good scoring ability, he cannot gain the trust of Rockets coach McHale. His playing time in this game is not even as much as that of the Rockets' third player. Three point guard Cannan.
Nick Young's nerveless knife that never knows when it will show off showed its hunger again in this game. He made 4 of 6 three-pointers and scored 32 points in only 23 minutes. This scoring efficiency It's enough to put the top scorers in the league to shame.
The Rockets also lost to the Lakers again, 115-130.
For the Rockets, losing now doesn't matter. The Rockets are currently ranked fourth in the Western Conference. Judging from the record of the Western Conference teams, it is difficult for the Rockets to rise to third in the Western Conference, and it is also difficult for the Rockets to fall to fifth in the Western Conference. Moreover, for the Rockets, the fourth is to play the Trail Blazers, and the fifth is to play the Trail Blazers. The difference is just one more home court. This is not a decisive factor, and it is not enough for the Rockets to fight hard at the end of the regular season.
The Lakers won this crucial battle. For the Lakers, every game now is a crucial battle.
The next day, the Lakers finally announced that they would lay off backup center Sacre and sign Hassan Whiteside with a one-year minimum salary.
This layoff and signing did not attract people's attention. A player of Sacre's level will be waived at any time by any team. It is not surprising that the Lakers waived Sacre.
And Whiteside was only a second-round pick that year, and he couldn't play at all for the Kings. There were a lot of players like this in the Development League, and they occasionally went to the NBA to work part-time to make up the numbers. This is also normal, and he is also a player who can be laid off at any time.
As for Whiteside himself, he cherishes this opportunity extremely. Although he got this contract, it was only a one-year base salary, and only a quarter of it was guaranteed. If he cannot get a chance to play and express himself in the NBA, then after this season, he may have to return to the Development League in China.
Whiteside is already 25 years old. Many people think that players of this age have little potential to tap. If he can't return to the NBA, he will really have no chance when Whiteside gets older.
"I must stay in the NBA this time! First of all, we have to start with carrying the bag." Whiteside picked up Zhang Guan's bag with a look of fear and followed him obediently.
"This boy carrying the bag is not bad." Zhang Guan looked at Whiteside with a smile and said to himself: "I hope he can improve his level soon! After all, he was recommended by me. If he still has the same bad attitude and performance as before, I will It’s also very shameless.”
It’s so time-consuming to look up information about the NBA, especially information from three or four years ago. I really admire those great people who write about the NBA. Thanks to Thai Style Zhang Laotou, Bubble 2016, Duo Cai Ni, Red Wenwu, Hunan Army 1, Dongfang Yiying, and Lao Guo 003 for the reward!
(End of chapter)