NBA's King of Talking

Chapter 512 Good Friends

Despite the pessimism surrounding the Clippers' rookies, Jia Fei wasn't worried at all. He knew these rookies were all capable of making it, as long as the team gave them enough opportunities. A quiet, unassuming development path, free from the spotlight and external pressure, was a better growth trajectory for young players.

Rookies Bridges, Brunson, and Bruce Brown are having their first NBA official photos taken. All three are somewhat shy, especially given the large number of reporters present.

Jia Fei was naturally the person photographed the most, and the one that reporters were eager to interview. Zhou Ling'an also came. She knew she would definitely get an interview with Jia Fei, as she had for years, so she was very confident. With that confidence, she swayed her waist more vigorously as she walked, and the mature feminine aura she exuded still attracted the attention of many people present.

Jia Fei was very confident when he was photographed. He had changed his hairstyle, transforming his original buzz cut into the trench coat style of his idol, Allen Iverson. In fact, this hairstyle wasn't very suitable for him, but his handsome face made it possible for him to pull off almost any look.

Many people feel their hairstyle doesn't suit them, which could be because the hairstyle doesn't suit them or their face shape. But the truth might actually be—you're not handsome enough! Truly handsome people look good in any hairstyle. An unsuitable hairstyle might just detract slightly from their overall good looks, but it doesn't affect their overall appearance.

Zhou Ling'an naturally managed to interview Jia Fei. Thanks to her personal relationship with Jia Fei, she's now the most successful Asian reporter in the NBA. Even for a reporter like Marc Stein, interviewing Jia Fei isn't an easy task.

At the end of the interview, Zhou Ling'an put down the microphone, looked at Jia Fei and asked, "This isn't part of the interview. Can you tell me how things are between you and Xiao Ning now?"

Jia Fei was surprised that she would ask about Lin Ning, and his face flushed slightly, but he quickly recovered and still had that signature smile: "Let's... leave it at that, you can go ask her!"

“I asked her, but she wouldn’t say, so I’m asking you!” Zhou Ling’an was still determined to get to the bottom of things. She knew her limits and knew that Jia Fei wouldn’t be angry if she asked. Moreover, she would only touch on the surface and wouldn’t ask anything too private.

"We're good friends!" Jia Fei answered without batting an eye. He didn't think there was anything wrong with his answer; regarding his relationship with Lin Ning, that was truly the only answer he could give. Could he say they were "boyfriend and girlfriend"? Even if he was her idol, he couldn't say that. They hadn't even held hands, yet they were already boyfriend and girlfriend? No one would believe that! What if she didn't want it? He'd be incredibly embarrassed…

With Jia Fei's answer, Zhou Ling'an couldn't press the matter any further. Even as a matchmaker, she couldn't ask questions without boundaries! Jia Fei was the top player in the alliance, a position that, in a sense, made her her benefactor. She couldn't afford to offend such a powerful figure!

Zhou Ling'an stopped asking, and Jia Fei also breathed a sigh of relief. Being a public figure is really not easy. Sometimes you have to be careful about what you say, otherwise, if news spreads everywhere, it's not necessarily a good thing.

The following day, NBA teams began their training camps, with the Clippers' training camp officially kicking off.

The team atmosphere is great. Although they are the defending champions, they don't look old at all. The oldest players on the team are Art Mayok, Jeff Green, and Lou Williams, all of whom are 32 years old.

It has to be said that Jeff Green is in really good form. He can glide and dunk, and his fast-paced dunks, as well as his quick and experienced switching and help defense, are all impressive. Sometimes it's hard to believe that you can get such an experienced forward for a minimum salary.

It's worth noting that this player was a key rotation player for the Cavaliers in last season's Finals, while Kevin Love, who plays at the same position, earns $3000 million a year, while he only has a minimum salary contract...

In the NBA, once a player starts earning a minimum salary, it becomes very difficult for them to earn a mid-level or even higher salary. The minimum salary acts as an "anchor," defining a player's market value.

"Jeff, that dunk was so cool!" Jia Fei went up and gave Jeff Green a high five.

"Thank you!" Jeff Green was shy. Even though he was already in his thirties, he didn't have the air of a seasoned veteran. He was hardworking, capable, ruthless, and didn't talk much.

“We can defend our title this season. Your ring will definitely come. Let it fly a little longer!” Jia Fei said with a smile.

"Thank you!" Jeff Green was somewhat moved. He originally didn't want to come to the Clippers because they had just swept his Cavaliers in the Finals, but in the end, he was moved by Jia Fei and the Clippers' management. They persuaded him to put aside the idea of ​​"defecting" and focus on pursuing the championship.

KD is KD, and Jeff Green is Jeff Green; their situations are completely different.

The three new rookies are all good defenders, and together with last season's two rookies, White and Dillon, all five of them seem to have the ability to enter the rotation, which makes head coach Budenholzer very conflicted when arranging the lineup rotation.

The starting lineup is pretty much a foregone conclusion; the main issue is the rotation. Playing with a 10-man rotation in the regular season is practically the limit in terms of playing time. Any more than that would make it difficult to distribute playing time effectively. But even with a 10-man rotation, Lou Williams and Harrell have both been re-signed. The pick-and-roll combination is a godsend in the regular season, and both players are in excellent form; there's no reason not to use them.

With this, the seven-man rotation is now set. Dillon was a rotation player last season, playing a crucial role in both the Western Conference Finals and the NBA Finals; there's no reason for him to fall out of the rotation this season. His qualities—defense and toughness—are exactly what the team needs. This makes an eight-man rotation, leaving two spots with fierce competition.

Jeff Green, a swingman forward who can play positions 3-5, possesses excellent form and rich experience. He should have no problem securing the backup power forward position, thus creating a nine-man rotation. His inclusion in the rotation means Art Mayork will likely struggle to break into the regular rotation next season.

It's certainly a bit cruel, but there's nothing we can do about it. This is the competition among NBA championship teams; everything comes down to suitability and ability.

There is only one spot left, and that spot is for the perimeter, so Bridges, Bruce Brown, White, and Brunson will be competing for it.

For these four players, training camp and preseason games will be especially important, as they need to make a better impression on the coaching staff.