Basketball Legend: When Pride Still Matters-Chapter 1018 - 587 Frye Says Hes Not Here_2
Chapter 1018: Chapter 587 Frye Says He’s Not Here_2 Chapter 1018: Chapter 587 Frye Says He’s Not Here_2 Jokić didn’t understand; the NBA draft is the league’s covert battlefield.
Teams that don’t have a lottery pick but believe they’ve found a gem are extremely reluctant to tip their hand.
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The Clippers were no exception—after the workouts, they quickly extended a second invitation to Jokić.
This time, the workout was a private, secret affair.
Moreover, the content of the workout wasn’t as intense as the first.
It focused more on evaluating Jokić’s personality.
Such workouts felt less like a professional basketball tryout and more like a major corporation’s interview process.
...
They were lengthy and more complex.
Jokić, who had not yet received a draft promise, grew impatient, not wanting to waste his time.
“I’ve already done everything I can. You’re not going to be like San Antonio, are you?”
Trem asked cautiously, “Like San Antonio?”
“They were pleased with me, but gave me nothing!” Jokić said. “Listen, I can go back to Serbia. I can accept any result!”
Unintentionally, Jokić divulged news that made Trem even more intrigued.
The Spurs were also interested in Jokić.
The Spurs, known for evaluating players’ potential alongside their personalities, tended to favor players with good character.
Trem smiled, “Nikola, I can now confirm that you are exactly who we’ve been looking for.”
That evening, Trem invited Jokić and his agent to dinner.
Then, on behalf of the Clippers, Trem formally made a draft promise.
“Don’t withdraw from the draft!” Trem said earnestly, “We will definitely pick you, and make sure you’ll be playing in the NBA next year!”
For Jokić, with only a second-round draft prospect, it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Withdrawing was merely a rhetorical threat, but it was also one of his options.
As an undervalued draft pick in a competitive draft year, withdrawing to enter next year was a perfectly logical decision.
However, securing an NBA spot meant his income could increase tenfold over the next few years.
So, it was settled.
The Clippers would now have to wait for draft day, and in the meantime, shift their focus to the trade market.
The trade market was anything but calm these days.
Dwight Howard, who prided himself on loyalty, seemed forgetful after the season ended.
He renounced his previous devotion, decisively opting out of his contract to dive into free agency.
Seeing Howard on the move, Carmelo Anthony also declared his intention to test the free agency waters.
With two of The Big Three gone, Paul knew he couldn’t succeed in New Jersey and followed suit by entering free agency.
When The Brooklyn Nets’ Big Three was first formed, it was a grand affair. However, they consecutively faced the Supersonics empire and the rising Miami Heat. The three incompatible stars, after repeated failures, found their grievances irreconcilable.
Their time in the limelight contrasted starkly with their current fall from grace.
Yet, as the saying goes, “the fall of one giant can fertilize a thousand others”—the collapse of a super-team could lead to the rise of several new powerhouses.
The Clippers, needing to strengthen their interior lineup, were eyeing Howard. However, Yu Fei made it clear that he didn’t wish to work with stars who prioritized fun. Thus, the Clippers’ management decided to focus on the draft.
But fate sometimes extends the threads of past associations.
Since their playoff elimination by the Clippers, the Warriors had been seeking to bolster their frontcourt. Howard entering free agency was an opportunity for them, perhaps through a sign-and-trade to acquire the player still known as the “best center.”
However, Howard’s various mystifying moves in New Jersey had tarnished his reputation.
The Warriors, given a choice, would prefer a more reliable player. Besides, their main goal was still to off-load Tyreke Evans’s burdensome contract.
So, they reached out to the Clippers once again.
The Clippers, too, were “not satisfied” with Griffin.
More precisely, the Clippers’ fans were discontent with Griffin. They didn’t see him as the future. Though the Clippers’ front office rated Griffin highly, they didn’t think he fully complemented Yu Fei.
Some critiques of Griffin were justified. If Griffin needed GOAT to take on the inside game to alleviate his burden, what value did he bring to GOAT?
Failure to handle the pressure in the paint was damning.
Technical mismatches could be resolved through adjustment, but being unreliable in crucial moments was a headache. Therefore, while the Clippers wouldn’t actively shop Griffin, Trem’s stance remained the same—trade was unwelcome, but he wouldn’t hang up the phone.
The Warriors still remembered how Griffin had dominated them in the playoffs.
While Griffin performed poorly in the Western Conference Finals, the Warriors were first and foremost looking to acquire him. Any potential flaws would be a problem for later, after they got him.
Their call came through to Trem’s office once again.
They wanted to proceed with the trade as initially agreed.
But Trem informed them the Clippers needed to seriously deliberate before they could respond.
After hanging up, Trem relayed the Warriors’ proposition to Yu Fei.
At the time, Yu Fei was vacationing in Miami.
He had no plans of going anywhere before the draft.
Other than relaxing, he was also hoping to get a feel for Yao Ming’s thoughts.
