Chapter 658: Goal of the New Season

This is a major move made since Jerry West became a senior advisor for the Warriors.

Many people say it's a robbery.

But the Warriors almost gave everything they could.

The 7th pick in 2012, up‑and‑coming Harris Barnes, a steady shooting forward with defense and a basket. Andre Iguodala, a tough three‑position defender. Andrew Bogut, starting center. Also a 2018 first‑round pick and a 2020 first‑round pick, both unprotected.

It was even rumored that they were willing to part with Zhui Meng Ge Lin, but the Cavaliers turned it down.

The Cavaliers gained reinforcement, fresh blood, and also secured the future in this deal.

Warriors… people say they won the championship.

They were already very strong, and with James, their weakest link was filled.

NBA media didn't even have time to mock King James being banished from his own territory; they shouted, "The wolves are coming! The NBA finale is here." Other teams can start gearing up for the 2017‑2018 season.

Fan Xi was also shocked by the trade.

He didn't expect the Cavaliers actually traded James.

What does this mean?

It means James can never reach the pinnacle again; he's a sold‑out. How can a super‑star be kicked out like that? And he was forced out.

This trade completely eliminates any chance for James to compete with Fan Xi.

He has already been written off.

Even if he wins a championship in the future, it will be hard for him to get Finals MVP.

Sometimes, status matters more than ability.

James went to the Heat via his own nationally televised announcement.

He returned to the Cavaliers on his own initiative.

This shows that, under those circumstances, he controlled everything.

But now he has lost that control and those privileges; he's even worse than an average player.

He can't get the same treatment in the Warriors as he did in Miami or Cleveland; he's there to assist Stephen Curry.

For James, who was hyped from high school and deemed the Heaven's Chosen Son, this may be the greatest cruelty.

Thinking of this, Fan Xi couldn't help but call him, offering James some comforting words and encouragement.

James thanked Fan Xi on the phone, then said, this time he will never lose to Fan Xi again; this is his last chance, and he will seize his destiny.

Fan Xi said, "Go for it."

It's unclear when, but Fan Xi stopped treating James as a rival.

Maybe in 2014, or perhaps 2015.

He now even feels some sympathy for James, for some reason.

Kevin Durant feels no sympathy.

He's typing furiously on the internet.

He is angry, not for other reasons… but because James is occupying someone else's nest, and because West is all talk and no follow‑through… they had originally agreed that after two championships they'd go to the Warriors. Who could have known that James's trade would cut off his escape route.

When he heard the trade happen, his mind went blank: "It's over, I'm just a stand‑in."

"Why say that the Warriors getting Le Bu Lang Zhang Si is the finale for other teams? Do these people even understand basketball?"

"Last season, Jie Ke and I swept the Warriors, swept James. Two 4‑0 series. Now what can they do together? Win one more game?"

"In my view, the Warriors have no chance of winning. In a best‑of‑seven, Jie Ke and I are invincible. Jie Ke is the greatest ruler ever, and I am the best shooter ever. Want to beat us? You can only rely on imagination!"

"I don't mean to look down on the Warriors and James, but comparing them to the New York Knicks is just pointless."

…

Durant unleashes firepower.

Zhan Mu Si Duo Lan really likes this brother; he sent Durant a case of Romanee-Conti.

It gives Durant more spirit when he types.

At the music festival organized by the New York Knicks, Durant not only sang a song but also loudly announced to the fans below, "This season, Jie Ke and I will bring you a new championship!!"

The news thrilled New York City.

But it also fired up Oakland.

Zhui Meng Ge Lin finally shed Mili Xiqi's massive hammer shadow, and his swagger returned. He announced two things: "First, I won't give up the No. 23 jersey; I have a special attachment to it. Le Bu Lang Zhang Si can wear his preferred No. 6. Second, if even with Le Bu Lang Zhang Si we still can't dominate this era, then this era is just terrible."

"Durant isn't that impressive; he's just good with his mouth."

Zhui Meng Ge Lin mocked Durant again.

"I looked at my championship ring and knew whose mouth was more powerful." Durant typed online: "Honestly, arguing with someone of Green's caliber is my disgrace; Jie Ke always tells me to look down on everything, that I'm the strongest grim reaper. But I can't do that, because I pity those who have no championship yet spout nonsense everywhere."

They kept trading barbs back and forth.

Le Bu Lang Zhang Si did not mention the championship at the Warriors press conference announcing his signing; he didn't even discuss how he would lead the team.

He announced he will wear the No. 6 jersey.

He said he will contribute all his talent and ability to the team, and he emphasized that he will do his utmost to help Stephen Curry and Tang Pu Sen.

If those words had been spoken five years ago, James would never have said them.

The past few years have changed a lot.

The once triumphant king is now an exiled fallen monarch.

He no longer dares to sing any "Backyard Flowers." He no longer dares to say anything about guaranteeing two, three, four, five, six, or even seven championships.

He low‑key makes veteran James fans ache.

…

In August, Fan Xi attended the Olympics and won another gold medal, his second Olympic gold.

Because he faced little resistance.

This year, everyone on the Dream Team is Ka La Mi.

Ke Bi and the other veteran stars have retired, James and his Banana Boat brothers didn't come, Du Lante was busy typing on a keyboard, and Rosa was originally going to participate. But she withdrew later, because James joined the Warriors, and she had to seclude herself to train her brand‑new technique.

Wei Si Bu Lu Ke and James Ha Dun also didn't participate.

The biggest star on the Dream Team is Huo Wa De.

You can tell whether this team can play or not.

In this Olympic final, Fan Xi didn't exert much force; the new domestic generation he has cultivated has already matured. Although they haven't entered the NBA yet, most of their skill and tactical level has risen to the NBA fringe tier.

Domestic basketball leagues are now booming, salaries are especially high, and combined benefits aren't worse than the NBA fringe players' minimum salaries.

After Fan Xi won two Olympic gold medals, his total gold count surpassed Qiao Dan.

What more does Qiao Dan have to say?

In fact, aside from some stubborn elements in the United States, worldwide Fan Xi has long been the number one in basketball.

When the World Basketball Federation chairman presented the award to Fan Xi, he was bent over.

In Brazil, Fan Xi was even more unprecedentedly adored.

After getting the second Olympic gold, Fan Xi toured domestically, then returned to Los Angeles to reunite with family, and next headed to New York.

At this time, Jennifer played the host role, inviting the sisters to stay long‑term in New York.

Anyway, Fan Xi's house in New York and her place are already connected, so housing so many people is no problem.

The sisters have also gotten used to this communal life; at night they secretly listen to the next‑room noises, holding number tags while queuing for Fan Xi's reshoots.

But normally, living together is even happier.

Tai Lei Si Wu Fu Te even joined this communal life, staying a week in Los Angeles with Liu Yi Fei and the others, and she received a warm welcome.

This made her unable to resist wanting to join the moms' ranks.

But Fan Xi still thinks she should prioritize her career, at least wait until she's thirty.

Fan Xi has high hopes for Tai Lei, whose height surpasses that of Fan's women, and whose wingspan is also long.

With her frame and abundant nutrition, she could even produce a small forward.

Fan Xi now urgently hopes for a child to inherit his basketball legacy… the previous few don't really love basketball.

This makes him a bit unable to hold his head up before Ke Bi.

…

At the end of September, the New York new season training camp began.

The Knicks hired Bilupusi as head coach, and Jia Sen Ji De came over as assistant coach.

That sounds a bit unfair to Ji De.

After all, Ji De's playing career is more glorious than Bilupusi's, though he lacks a championship. Moreover, Ji De began coaching earlier than Bilupusi. Whether ranking by seniority or popularity, Ji De always wins.

But Zhan Mu Si Duo Lan doesn't care about any of that.

The owner is rich and capricious.

He only looks at who is closer to Fan Xi.

Then, without doubt, it's Bilupusi, who followed Fan Xi to win a championship, later served three seasons as an assistant coach for the Clippers, and won two championships.

That résumé… isn't it tougher than Jia Sen Ji De's?

Ji De is just a lousy player.

Bilupusi is the real network.

In the realm of human relations, Zhan Mu Si Duo Lan has always handled things transparently. Whoever is close to him, he promotes, gives important roles, and showers with limitless money.

Bilupusi takes the post immediately.

On the day the training camp started, the Knicks' overall roster for the 16‑17 season was almost set.

Center: Bo Er Jin Ji Si, Sa Bo Ni Si.

Power forward: Lan Si Tuo Ma Si, Si Ta De Mai Er, Ai Er Nan Ge Mai Si.

Small forward: Du Lante, Kao Te Ni Li.

Shooting guard: Wu Jia Xi Qi, Mu Lei.

Point guard: Fan Xi, Bu Lan Deng Zhan Ning Si.

This is the confirmed list; a few are still in tryouts.

At first glance, this lineup seems to have only Du Lante and Fan Xi, plus sophomore Bo Er Jin Ji Si.

Another somewhat known player is Bu Lan Deng Zhan Ning Si, but after returning from Europe his power is halved; he no longer has the earlier BJ‑AI‑mimicking strength and aura.

Kao Te Ni Li is also okay, but just okay.

When Fan Xi entered the training camp, he greeted these young admirers.

Then Si Ta De Mai Er proactively ran over and tightly embraced Fan Xi: "You finally came back, I missed you to death."

After Fan Xi left, Si Ta De Mai Er's decline was visible to the naked eye; now he's on a veteran minimum salary. If Zhan Mu Si Duo Lan hadn't seen his decent relationship with Fan Xi and let him mentor newcomers, he'd have been kicked out long ago.

Actually, De Huai Te Huo Wa De also contacted the Knicks.

He went to this year's Olympics to prove himself; although still under a high‑salary contract, he only has one year left worth 20 million. It wouldn't be hard for him to get another ten‑million deal, and if a team lacks a center, they could offer him 20 million.

But basically no team is willing to give him a long‑term contract.

So he wants to take a chance. He wants to follow Fan Xi to win a championship.

He told Fan Xi that during the Olympics.

Fan Xi smiled and said, "No."

Back then he joined Miami, the Heat were at their peak, and he went over to trash‑talk. Fan Xi said, "One day you'll come begging me to take you in."

And now he's here, right?

But Fan Xi still refused.

No need for that.

Although General Manager Phil Jackson was also a little worried, he asked Fan Xi, 'Can our interior hold up right now?'

Fan Xi said, 'No problem.'

Fan Xi had great confidence in Bo Er Jin Ji Si and Sa Bo Ni Si.

Bo Er Jin Ji Si is 221 tall, but he is very, very agile, and his playing style is even a bit like a small forward.

As for Sa Bo Ni Si, although he hasn't shown himself in the NBA, if he has seventy percent of his dad's ability, he will definitely walk all over today's NBA.

After all, Sa Bo Ni Si is the son of the world's roof.

Old Sa Bo Ni Si once swept the world basketball scene, dominated in Europe, and in the World Cup he would crush opponents. Without him, the Dream Team wouldn't have existed; one could say he created the Dream Team.

After Old Sa Bo Ni Si had beaten all opponents in Europe, he went to the NBA to make a living. At that time, his knee was badly injured; he couldn't even jump. Yet at age 33, when he arrived in the NBA, he could still make the four dominant centers of the era eat dirt. Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers, he thrived.

Many American media said, if Sa Bo Ni Si had come to the NBA at age 20, he would be a top-five superstar in the NBA.

Now, his son has arrived.

Although Xiao Sa Bo Ni Si doesn't have his father's height of 221, he is also quite solid and possesses solid technique.

Upon meeting him for the first time, Fan Xi asked, 'How much of your father's technique have you learned?'

Xiao Sa regarded Fan Xi as his lifelong idol, and, excited, he blurted out, 'My dad learned seventy percent of my technique.'

Fan Xi laughed heartily; what a filial son.

At the first day's media meet-and-greet, Fan Xi was asked by New York media about this year's goal.

Fan Xi said, 'I still say that: if I don't bring a championship to New York, I won't leave!'

That remark set New York fans ablaze.

Fan Xi's promise can be spent like money.

He's not the type to speak off the cuff; he wouldn't say something like guaranteeing a certain number of championships.

But whatever he says, he will definitely follow through.

He walks the talk.

At this point, New York fans even hope they don't win the championship this season, because they like having Fan Xi stay in New York City for a few more years.

…