Chapter 504: The Meaning of Going Out to Roam

Zhan Mu Si Duo Lan kept his promise; he prepared a welcome dinner for Fan Xi and invited some distinguished season‑ticket holders, essentially a welcome party. About four or five reporters attended the banquet.

These reporters were selected by Zhan Mu Si Duo Lan's assistant, with one rule: none have ever criticized or attacked Fan Xi.

Zhan Mu Si Duo Lan's way of doing things is like that; he doesn't care about others' outbursts. So, being rich from childhood versus becoming rich later still differs in the degree of willfulness.

Not only Fan Xi attended the dinner; also new signings such as Kai Wen Jia Nei Te, Han Mi Er Dun, Qiao Yue Han Xun, Bu Lu Ke Luo Pei Si, and others.

This was Fan Xi's suggestion.

He hopes a team can be more united.

Fan Xi's speech at the dinner was calm; he didn't utter the classic line "not one championship, not two, not three…", but emphasized working and growing together with everyone.

Of course, he did make a promise. He said he heard the New York fans' voices, hopes to help them achieve their wishes and his own, which is everyone's shared wish.

Fan Xi's speech is becoming increasingly steady and balanced.

Just as Ba Ke Li criticized Qiao Dan: since this guy became Thus we include: English, he no longer tells random lewd jokes in front of us; he started playing for real.

A person's words and actions change as their status rises.

Fan Xi received a grand welcome at the dinner; director Si Pai Ke Li even knelt on one knee, pleading with Fan Xi to bring a championship to the New York Knicks, saying that the last time New York won a championship, his wife hadn't yet stopped menstruating and was still a teenager.

Then, beside him, Kai Wen Jia Nei Te teased, "You can still find a teenage wife now."

Garnett, that guy, just likes to make random jokes.

Fortunately Ka Meilong An Dong Ni was traded; otherwise he would now be munching a donut in one hand and teasing Si Pai Ke Li with the other—Ka Meilong An Dong Ni really couldn't tolerate that.

Fan Xi and Kai Wen Jia Nei Te had a private conversation; they previously had some unresolved issues. Garnett had tried to leverage his remaining influence and strength to make a technical investment in Kuaisuan, hoping to buy a small stake in the Kuaisuan club at a low price.

How could Fan Xi possibly pay him any attention?

Zhan Ni Fu An Ni Si Dun actually spent 150 million dollars.

On that matter, Garnett felt Fan Xi was not righteous.

Fan Xi thinks he just wants to eat air.

Now that the two are teammates, they automatically stop bringing up that issue. Garnett is not a great villain; although his mouth is foul, he plays with passion. Fans mock him as a hit‑and‑run, iron‑blooded high‑flyer, but on defense he truly has two brushes, while his offense has noticeably weakened with age, yet he remains a player no one dares to leave unattended. Defensively, injuries have caused a decline.

Overall, he has now entered a decline phase. It's not especially severe; he still possesses elite player level. His impact on games definitely surpasses Mili Xiqi.

That's enough.

Moreover, the Knicks also have another power forward, Si Ta De Mai Er.

Although Si Ta De Mai Er isn't very famous, many impressionable fans think of him as a "cake‑eating" power forward who can't survive without Nash.

In reality, he is a master‑level offensive specialist, and at his peak may have been one of the NBA's strongest frontcourt offensive power forwards in history. When he first arrived in New York, he could even threaten the scoring title, but after Ka Meilong An Dong Ni arrived, their roles overlapped, causing his scoring to drop, followed by some injury setbacks.

Fortunately, now Si Ta De Mai Er has recovered.

Fan Xi called him, and Fan Xi places great expectations on Si Ta De Mai Er. Fan Xi hopes Qiao Yue Han Xun and Si Ta De Mai Er can form the Eastern Conference's strongest frontcourt duo… in fact, they worked together on the Suns years ago.

With the current Knicks lineup, pursuing a defensive approach is no longer viable; bringing in La Li Bu Lang, if the Knicks can keep their defensive efficiency in the league's top ten, that would already be a surprise within a surprise.

The Knicks will most likely make some subtle tweaks, such as La Li Bu Lang scheming to bring his former subordinate Pu Lin Si over.

Pu Lin Si defends well, but he's a bit old.

Anyway, give it a try.

…

With Zhan Mu Si Duo Lan's help, Fan Xi purchased a villa next to Zhan Ni Fu An Ni Si Dun's mansion, located in Long Island's affluent district.

According to league rules, owners and players may not engage in any under‑the‑table benefit exchanges. While many details are murky, Zhan Mu Si Duo Lan indeed gave no monetary assistance, and Fan Xi doesn't need his financial support. However, persuading the original homeowner to sell the house requires other abilities.

Zhan Mu Si Duo Lan happens to possess that ability.

On July 5, Fan Xi still hadn't seen Jennifer, though he could observe the activity there through a telescope.

Fan Xi returned to Los Angeles on July 6.

The Clippers immediately held a grand championship parade tour.

All the players gathered together, even though many had already left the team, including owner Fan Xi, who is now a Knicks player.

The Los Angeles city government arranged this exceptionally well; they set up the grandest tour route for Kuaisuan. This time, the attending fans far exceeded last year's numbers.

This is a tangible sign of Kuaisuan's rising influence in Los Angeles; now Kuaisuan's hype has already surpassed the Lakers.

When people mention the Lakers, most talk about their stupidity: who let them give up Fan Xi?

Andrew Bai Na Mu has recently been spouting nonstop: "Facts prove the Lakers' management are a bunch of stupid donkeys. They traded me and Jieke Fan, thinking Chris Paul and De Huai Te Huo Wa De could replace us. But the facts show those two are useless; they just wanted to ride the championship. Now they can't, they immediately jump ship and run."

Bai Na Mu, after being traded, hardly plays anymore; his regression is very rapid. His huge contract will most likely be bought out before the new season starts.

Bai Na Mu now does nothing all day; aside from messing with his hairstyle, he just talks trash about the Lakers.

That can be considered the Lakers' karma.

Even so, some Lakers fans are clamoring to re‑sign him and Lamar Odom, to revive the glory of the three‑peat era.

Compared with the Clippers fans who wildly celebrate a back‑to‑back championship, Lakers fans seem forever stuck in the past, holding no hope of contending for a title in the foreseeable future.

Because of this off‑season, other teams are strengthening, while they have failed to complete two crucial contract renewals.

Moreover, Pau Gasol also plans to leave the Lakers.

The Lakers will revert to their former Lakers model, except Kobe is no longer the youngster he once was.

Fan Xi, excitedly greeting fans on the championship float, sprayed champagne all around; he was more thrilled and animated than ever, like a rock star, bringing passion wherever he went.

At the tour's final stop, Fan Xi made an important proclamation, saying: "I'll be back soon. I won three championships in the Western, and now I need to go to the Eastern to prove my skills."

"Otherwise, people will say Michael Qiao Dan won six Eastern championships, and you got nothing."

"I have to let them know that what Michael didn't achieve, I can."

"Michael didn't win a championship in his Rookie Game season; I did."

"Michael didn't achieve a three‑peat across two teams, I did." Qian Qian Mo Huo

"Next, I'm going to attack Mai Ke Er's old stronghold; I will leave them speechless!"

Fan Xi made an important statement.

This statement is a positive response to the media's recent hype about Fan Xi surpassing Jordan.

After all fans and basketball media deemed Fan Xi the only player in the post-Jordan era with the foundation to challenge the basketball god, Fan Xi stepped forward.

He did not dodge, he did not feign humility, he did not act coy.

He is just that tough, that firm, speaking his mind bluntly. He is going to the Eastern Conference to win a championship.

In recent times, the media has almost daily discussed this topic. The discussion's conclusion is mostly that, due to league rules, Fan Xi cannot long enjoy the benefits of the Kuaisuan; he must leave the Kuaisuan every two years. This would cause the Kuaisuan's roster to fall apart, and upon joining a new team he could not quickly develop chemistry.

Given this lose-lose situation, everyone thinks Fan Xi will struggle to surpass Jordan, because Jordan had two three-peats.

Now, Fan Xi is launching a counterattack against this mainstream, widespread claim.

He wants to go to the Eastern Conference and win a championship.

He wants to win a four-peat!

Is a four-peat not great enough to compare with two three-peats? This is a miracle of consecutively winning with three different teams.

Of course, this is Fan Xi's plan.

Whether it can be achieved, everyone remains skeptical.

After all, the Knicks' roster strength in the Eastern Conference is not the strongest. Moreover, many analysts believe that the Knicks, led by veterans and injured players, may even struggle to overcome the cross-town rival, the Brooklyn Nets.

Many media outlets are still discussing the pros and cons of the trade between the Knicks and the Nets.

Because of Fan Xi's great fame, no one dares to publicly say the Knicks made a bad trade, but privately they still think the Nets won the future.

Fan Xi knows that saying this will stir up a public opinion storm, but he does not intend to hide his ambition; this is obvious.

Moreover, he needs to give New York fans on the East Coast a hope. The words that James Zhan Mu Si Duo Lan did not speak, Fan Xi will speak out.

He also owes an explanation to the Kuaisuan fans; since he left his hometown, he must bring back a championship. Otherwise, what's the point of venturing out?

…