NBA's King of Talking

Chapter 159 Bromance

"Yes, you're right!" Jia Fei agreed with this view. The "one player, one city" rule has prerequisites: the original team can offer a 5-year maximum contract, while other teams can only offer a maximum of 4 years if a sign-and-trade isn't implemented.

Jia Fei admires the kind of player who chooses to stay with their team by taking a pay cut to strengthen the team, rather than the kind of player who is already old but receives a top salary and enjoys tours that affect the team's rebuilding.

As for whether the NBA should award a "One Player, One City" award, Jia Fei thinks it's a joke. Let's talk about this again when teams can no longer freely trade players!

"Jay, it looks like I'm richer than you, but actually your contract is bigger than mine!" Kemba Walker joked.

Jia Fei smiled without saying a word. What he said was indeed true. Kemba Walker was a first-round pick and this was his third season. Because he was a lottery pick, he signed a standard 2+2 four-year rookie contract, with the last two years being team options. The Bobcats had already exercised his third-year team option.

Jia Fei's current salary is significantly higher than Kemba Walker's because his large contract with the Hawks has already taken effect. This is why many rookies prefer to sign short-term contracts; a four-year rookie contract is too long. Once you quickly establish yourself, you'll be used cheaply by the team for several seasons.

The following evening, the Bobcats hosted the Hawks at their home arena, the Time Warner Center.

The Bobcats became the 30th team in the NBA during the 2004-05 season, making them the youngest of the current 30 teams. Since their inception, they have only made the playoffs once, finishing second-to-last in the league last season, a true bottom-feeder. However, their record this season is decent so far, with a 3-3 record and a respectable 50% winning percentage. Whether they can maintain this winning percentage is a big question.

Charlotte isn't like Los Angeles; the number of fans attending games here is not only smaller, but there aren't as many celebrities or legends either. But tonight, a middle-aged man wearing sunglasses and earrings attracted a lot of attention. With him there, the prestige was off the charts.

This man is known as the God of Basketball.

During pre-game practice, Jia Fei saw Jordan, jogged over, and shook hands with him.

Before entering the NBA, he had a tryout with the Bobcats and even got Jordan to sign his autograph.

Jordan also remembered him. The second-round pick he looked down on back then has now signed a big contract and become a starter for the Hawks.

Jordan's smile seemed somewhat forced. The outside world frequently brings up his terrible judgment of players to criticize him. His career was perfect, but in terms of player selection, he seemed to always avoid the right options, almost becoming a negative indicator, which is quite regrettable.

Many Bobcats fans complained that owner Jordan should just be a good owner and stop interfering with the general manager's work. The more outrageous his actions, the longer it will take for the team to rise to prominence.

This match was broadcast live on China Sports Channel, with commentators Yu Jia and guest Su Qun providing commentary.

"Mr. Su, do you think the Hawks have a chance to beat the Bobcats on the road and start a winning streak?" Yu Jia asked.

Su Qun adjusted his glasses and nodded: "If the Hawks play normally, they have a high chance of winning. The Bobcats' overall roster is still relatively weak, so the Hawks need to protect the paint."

"Do you think Jia Fei can still deliver a great performance in this match?" Yu Jia continued to ask.

Su Qun said, "It might not be as good as the last game. The Bobcats will probably have Michael Kidd-Gilchrist guard him. He's an excellent defensive player. Jia Fei's offense will be limited, but I think if that's the case, he can help the team in other ways."

The starting lineups for both teams have been announced. For the Hawks, it's Horford, Middleton, Korver, Jafi, and Teague.

The Bobcats' starting lineup consists of Al Jefferson, Josh McRoberts, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Gerald Henderson, and Kemba Walker.

Kemba Walker has firmly established himself as the team's starting point guard since the beginning of last season. His performance has been consistently stable, and he is showing signs of becoming the team's leader.

Jia Fei and Kemba Walker embraced warmly before heading to their respective teams. One of the highlights of the match was the contest between these two close friends. Although they didn't play the same position, their relationship naturally became a topic of discussion.

Horford and Al Jefferson jump the ball near center circle, the game is about to begin.

The jump ball began, and Horford won it, giving the Hawks possession for the first possession.

Teague dribbles the ball across half-court.

The player guarding Jia Fei was Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the Bobcats' second overall pick.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, a graduate of the University of Kentucky, was the second overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft.

PS: Jia Fei: "This name is way too long, almost as long as Giannis Antetokounmpo's... Also, second overall pick, what's your connection to Jordan, Kidd, Kyrgyzstan, and KFC Spicy Chicken Wings?"

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist possesses the perfect size and athleticism for a forward, and at only 20 years old, he has unlimited potential and possibilities. He was an outstanding defender in college and is considered a rough gem with limitless potential.

Jia Fei knew that Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in his previous life had later been proven to be a bust second overall pick. He didn't know if this guy was handpicked by Jordan. If so, then Jordan's poor draft record would be further tarnished.

The Hawks' offense shifted the ball to Jia Fei, who drove towards Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. He found that the second overall pick was quite physically strong, and he couldn't gain any advantage at all. His layup was also disrupted and missed!

Kemba Walker grabbed the rebound in the backcourt, but instead of rushing the fast break, he slowly crossed half-court.

Jia Fei knew that Kemba Walker was a point guard who was neither used to nor good at initiating counterattacks.

Jia Fei defended Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, his strategy being to completely ignore the latter's shots. He knew that in his previous life, this guy didn't have a basket; did he suddenly have one now?

When Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was left wide open, the Bobcats fans in the arena felt insulted and chanted that they would make Jia Fei pay the price.

Kemba Walker was also in a dilemma. He knew that his teammate's shooting was not good, but it seemed wrong not to pass the ball, so he eventually passed it to him.

Michael Kidd was left wide open and was quite frustrated. He took a mid-range shot, but he was too hasty and missed!

Jia Fei easily grabbed the rebound and dribbled the ball up the court. He had just been using psychological tactics; Michael Kidd-Gilchrist's shooting was poor, but he wasn't completely unable to shoot. His three-pointers were indeed weak, but he had a decent mid-range shot. However, his anger, combined with the debuff, would make his shooting percentage even worse.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist relentlessly harassed Jia Fei, spurring Jia Fei to a frenzy. He accelerated and launched a direct attack from the backcourt! Utilizing his speed advantage, he overtook his opponent and passed to Korver, who was following up in the middle!

Korver's three-point attempt missed!

However, Jia Fei grabbed the offensive rebound and scored with a strong layup, helping the team score first!