Chapter 5

Fan Xi's performance in this game was completely inspiring.

He was like a savior who suddenly appeared, illuminating the sky like a comet when the Lakers were in despair, and defending the home team's glory in the Staples Center.

Three three-pointers in three attempts, plus a buzzer-beating free throw.

One hundred percent shooting percentage.

Fan Xi's NBA debut could be called god-level; looking up the resume of any superstar, no debut could be more legendary than Fan Xi's. Although many superstars had higher and more comprehensive data.

However, you have to know that Fan Xi was just a temporary worker on a 10-day short-term contract who was undrafted.

"No one can stop Fan from signing a contract; if the Lakers don't sign him, there will be plenty of teams throwing out olive branches." The TNT host expressed his opinion on the nationwide broadcast: "Although there are often flash-in-the-pan players in the NBA, my intuition tells me that this Chinese player can stay in the NBA and achieve something."

However, the commentator sitting next to him, a famous former NBA superstar who became a commentator after retirement, Charles Barkley, didn't think so, even though he had kissed a donkey's butt because he belittled Yao Ming before... At that time, he claimed that Yao Ming could never score 20 points in a game, and as a result, a week after he said this, Yao Ming did it. Then, he kissed a donkey's butt as punishment.

This became a joke in the NBA.

But Barkley didn't take it as a warning at all; he was a big mouth when he played basketball, and he still is now. He said: "China is not a place that produces guards; I believe their big men are very outstanding, just like Yao Ming. However, I don't think this player named Fan can stay in the NBA at all; there are too many flash-in-the-pan players."

"Most importantly, he is not humble at all; he doesn't have the affinity that Yao has. He actually made wild remarks about the team's main point guard, Steve Blake, after a game where he performed well."

"My god. You know Steve Blake was the point guard the Lakers spent 16 million US dollars over 4 years to sign last summer to supplement the last short board when their salary space was completely locked."

"Do you think the Lakers will choose him between the main point guard and a short-term contract player?"

Charles Barkley became more confident as he spoke; he felt his judgment was correct: "I bet the Lakers will never give him an official renewal contract, even if it's a non-guaranteed minimum salary. Because Steve Blake will stop all this from happening."

Charles Barkley was talking about a very realistic situation.

Seniority is very important in the NBA; unless you are that kind of Heaven's Chosen Son, otherwise... it's impossible for old players to make way for you.

Fan Xi's talent is mediocre, and he is an undrafted player; just wanting to overthrow a starter like Steve Blake based on a game of brave performance is too difficult!

Although at this time, the entire Los Angeles fan group was whispering his name.

And... the country across the Pacific was boiling over for Fan Xi.

Countless classrooms, offices, basketball courts, and streets were discussing a basketball player named Fan Xi who had just suddenly appeared in the United States.

At this time, it was noon in the country.

Many excited fans even ran out to shout loudly.

How many years had it been, finally an inspiring guard appeared in the NBA.

This had extraordinary significance for domestic basketball.

Ku Pu Qie Ke and Jimbas ran to the locker room excitedly; the shock this game brought them was truly amazing; they sat in the audience and witnessed with their own eyes how the team fell into a desperate situation after Kobe was injured, and then witnessed with their own eyes how Fan Xi stepped by step defied the heavens and killed the gods, saving the game.

They weren't commentators sitting in the broadcast room watching the fire from across the river; the shock brought to them at the scene couldn't be calmed down for a long time.

The Los Angeles Lakers had already won two championship trophies, but this year they inevitably entered a sluggish state; the team had no gains in recruiting, and the players' fighting spirit had faded because the championship was in hand, plus the point guard position was really unmanned.

Fisher was old and had no defense. Shannon Brown only had a body, and his technique was so rough that even his grandmother couldn't bear to look at it. And Jordan Farmar, who left before, was simply a basketball player who played with a pig's brain.

So, the team signed Steve Blake in the free market.

Blake was an average point guard; his offense, defense, and assists were all mediocre, but he could be considered to have no obvious short boards. For the Lakers, who had been lacking point guards for years, he could be considered a life-saving medicine.

Now that Fan Xi suddenly exploded, it gave them a new possibility.

They felt that the Lakers' last short board might really be completely repaired.

Although Fan Xi's talent wasn't good, his defense was very sticky. And tonight, the three-point ability he exposed was simply amazing; Ku Pu Qie Ke said to Jimbas excitedly more than once: Little boss, I really saw Reggie Miller. Reggie Miller shot us to death with three-pointers in the Staples Center back then, and I was at the scene; it was the feeling that Fan brought.

"Yes, yes, I was at the scene too. Fan is too fierce!" Jimbas nodded crazily.

The two reached a consensus on this matter.

So, they wanted to keep Fan Xi.

On the way, Jimbas was still saying to Ku Pu Qie Ke: "We can completely give him a three-year minimum salary, referring to the level of a second-round pick, or even the standard of the end of the first round; I believe he has no reason to refuse."

In the NBA, there are strict regulations for rookie contracts.

First-round rookies can sign a four-year contract; the highest salary is the first pick, and his starting annual salary is equivalent to a mid-level contract, which is about 4.5 million US dollars in 2011; the first two years are guaranteed, and then the team has the right to choose whether to continue or give up in the third and fourth years; generally speaking, the team will execute it. And often in the third year, they will talk about contract renewal with big-name rookies; at this time, big-name rookies can sign a max contract for up to 5 years, or other contracts.

Overall, the higher the draft pick, the bigger the contract.

Second-round rookies can sign a 3-year guaranteed contract with the team at most; most second-round rookies get a 2+1 contract, or a 1-year contract. The first-year salary is often only the minimum salary, which is the NBA's minimum wage, about 800,000 US dollars.

In addition, a guaranteed contract means that the signed contract amount takes effect in full, and the team cannot owe you a single cent.

Those second-round picks or undrafted players who are ranked lower often get non-guaranteed minimum salaries, which means that although the salary is 800,000 US dollars, it is calculated by the day; you get how much money you earn for every extra day you play. However, as long as you stay with the team for three months, you can basically take all the money.

Now, Jimbas said to give Fan Xi a three-year minimum salary, which is actually a very, very, very special and lucky existence for an undrafted player. It's equivalent to you only being able to get into a junior college in the college entrance examination, but you performed super-level and passed the third-tier college to get into a second-tier college.

And the first-round end standard mentioned by Jimbas is equivalent to performing super-super-level to get into a first-tier college, or even a key university.

Rare and hard to find.

As the Lakers' general manager and the club's housekeeper, all contracts pass through Ku Pu Qie Ke's hands.

He thought about it and didn't think Jimbas's words were too bizarre.

Because he also felt from the bottom of his heart that the team should keep Fan Xi for a long time; the temperament Fan Xi showed in this game was too fierce, simply the aura of a superstar.

Ku Pu Qie Ke had been in the NBA for many years and had seen many potential rookies, but even many famous superstars didn't have the aura that Fan Xi had. In the entire Lakers team, perhaps only Kobe could contend with it. Even Bynum, who was called the hope of the Lakers' center revival, didn't have it; he was timid.

The thing called aura sounds very mysterious.

But Ku Pu Qie Ke was very willing to believe it.

So, he said: "Let's see how to talk. If we can sign him at the standard of a second-round pick, that's best; if not, using the end of the first round is also worth it."

Jimbas nodded; as a boss, starting from reality, economic benefits and output-input ratio are very important.

The two made up their minds and came to the door of the locker room, just about to call Fan Xi out to announce this good news.

But they found Steve Blake running out angrily, and he grabbed Jimbas and Ku Pu Qie Ke.

"We absolutely cannot sign this ambitious person; he is too self-righteous and too arrogant."

Steve Blake said to Jimbas: "This guy actually publicly declared me as an enemy during an interview, he actually attacked me in the media; our locker room cannot accommodate such a person who attacks teammates, he will definitely destroy our chemical reaction, definitely make the team lose tacit understanding, definitely make us move towards failure..."

Blake's words were very arbitrary and firm, with a meaning of "incompatible", almost putting "either him or me" on his lips.

This made Jimbas and Ku Pu Qie Ke very embarrassed.

They thought highly of Fan Xi and very much hoped to reach a long-term cooperation with Fan Xi.

However, if the team's main point guard didn't get along with him, and as he said, he was an arrogant person, a person who would destroy the locker room atmosphere... then it really needed to be reconsidered.

Just at this moment, Fan Xi suddenly walked over from the other side.

He was walking with Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher, and Matt Barnes, and they were laughing and talking, very harmonious.

Odom saw Jimbas and Ku Pu Qie Ke and didn't forget to joke with them: "Hey, Jim, Ku Pu... we dug up a super shooter today, why don't you hurry up and prepare the contract? Don't let other teams steal him."

Odom was a senior Lakers player who stayed here when the Lakers were still down and out, and fought with Kobe from the middle and lower reaches of the Western Conference to two consecutive championships.

In terms of seniority and merit, he was one of the top three or four in the locker room.

So, his words were far more important than Steve Blake, the point guard who just came.

At the same time, Derek Fisher also spoke: "Yes, Jim. Hurry up and sign him. I'm old, and I'll retire in two years; the team needs a shooter. This guy's ball feel is natural, believe me, sign him, it's not wrong."

Fisher was also a Lakers hero, and he was even a locker room leader. He had made great contributions during the Lakers' last three-peat and once created the miracle of a 0.4-second buzzer-beater. As a famous shooter in Lakers history, since he spoke like this, and even had the meaning of inheritance, Jimbas and Ku Pu Qie Ke's thoughts became even firmer.

At this time, Steve Blake's face had become very ugly.

Matt Barnes's words became the last straw that crushed him.

"Yeah. Jack's defensive sense of smell is very good, he should be the best defensive point guard on our team; with him here, I finally don't have to clean up the mess for the No. 1 position..."

As a defensive tough guy, Matt Barnes's words were very valuable.

The Lakers were suppressed and beaten by the Celtics in 2008 because the defense of the No. 1 position was too clumsy. Now the peak Big Three has been formed in Miami on the East Coast; if they meet them in the finals, the defense of the No. 1 position is not good, and they will definitely be caught and beaten by them in defensive counterattacks until they collapse.

When all three said so.

Jimbas and Ku Pu Qie Ke exchanged glances.

Then, Jim patted Steve Blake on the shoulder and comforted him: "Steve, I believe your misunderstanding will be cleared up soon."

This sentence was equivalent to telling Steve: We have decided to sign this person, don't be impulsive.

Steve Blake was very frustrated; he felt he had lost very thoroughly.

At this time, General Manager Ku Pu Qie Ke spoke to Fan Xi: "Jack, where is your agent? Let's talk about the contract renewal. As these teammates said, we need you, the Lakers need your talent."

Fan Xi showed a comfortable smile.

For the past nine days, he had been waiting for Ku Pu Qie Ke to say this sentence.

He worked hard every day, just to stay with the Lakers.

Now, the dream had come true.

Even... Jimbas added: "We want to reach a long-term cooperation with you."

However, at this moment, Fan Xi suddenly said something that caught everyone off guard.

He said: "Thank you. However, Mr. Ku Pu Qie Ke, and Boss Jimbas. I really don't have an agent, and probably no agent would believe that I can stay in the NBA, so I handle these things myself."

This is not common in the NBA; almost every player has an agent to help them deal with problems.

However, thinking of Fan Xi's previous situation, it was normal for him not to have an agent. Indeed, no agent was willing to run around for an undrafted player because the economic benefits were very low.

"It doesn't matter, Jack. Now rookie contracts are standard contracts, according to NBA standards. We are willing to provide you with a 2+1 minimum salary contract, the first two years are fully guaranteed, and the team has an option for the third year." Ku Pu Qie Ke said understandingly.

This sentence really broke everyone's glasses.

Especially Steve Blake, he didn't expect Fan Xi to get a three-year contract because of an excellent performance in one game; he entered the NBA as the second pick in the second round and only got a 2-year partially guaranteed contract, and he only got 370,000 US dollars in the first year.

But now, why does this damn kid get a 2-year fully guaranteed minimum salary, and also has a third-year option.

His expression was like eating sour grapes, very unnaturally distorted.

Odom and others congratulated Fan Xi at this time.

However, at this time, Fan Xi said something that surprised everyone.

"Why not give me another 10-day short-term contract? You can continue to observe me. You know, according to the regulations, a team can give the same player at most 3 10-day short-term contracts."

Fan Xi said this calmly.

What???

Everyone present was shocked.

What is this equivalent to?

It's equivalent to a cooked duck that was originally in Fan Xi's pocket, but Fan Xi forcibly dragged the duck out of his pocket and then threw it away.

Why?

Why don't you want the guaranteed contract you got?

This is more than two million US dollars.

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