It’s basically a gamble, otherwise, they wouldn’t have agreed to let Butch Baird choose Zhang Hao.
When asked to help as head coach to lead the team to tank, Butch Baird didn’t refuse, since the salary of a head coach is much higher than that of a scouting director.
It was also around that ti that Randy Whitman transitioned from being Chuck Daly’s assistant to the chief assistant of Butch Baird, as taught by Chuck Daly.
Because only with the Brooklyn Nets could he, as an assistant, have such power; all tactics were his responsibility, and he could experint with his strategies without worrying about the team’s record.
Initially, both were satisfied with such an arrangent, but now...
"Butch, are you sure you want to do this?"
"Why not? I think we can win so gas, our players should also really want to win, to strive to win. Randy, don’t you want to see our players strive to win gas?"
Using terms like striving to win, wanting to win.
Randy Whitman shook his head, but said, "Of course, I do."
For the players he personally selected, especially after convincing managent to agree, there was always a bit of special fondness. Randy Whitman could easily understand Butch Baird’s thoughts.
Though never spoken, his actions always showed extra care.
Now when he says "our players," he practically only ans Zhang Hao. If they hadn’t selected Zhang Hao, if Zhang Hao hadn’t shown such talent, if Zhang Hao hadn’t given him so much possibility, he would never have made such a change.
This could potentially cost them their jobs! If they affect the team’s tanking plans, the first to get axed is definitely the coaching staff, replaced with one willing to obediently take the fall.
Silent and speechless, after a while, Randy Whitman said, "I’ve suddenly beco less interested in my current job, oh damn it, why would I want to go crazy with you? I still have to support my family!"
Listening to the managent’s arrangents, doing their job properly, is also a way to get noticed by other teams. Following orders is a strength, this is where the Brooklyn Nets need them, as do many other teams.
In tanking, there has to be soone to take the fall, and the coach is most suitable for this role.
If they continue like this, maybe after this tanking journey ends, other teams might approach them for work; teams needing to tank will always want them, as long as they tank successfully.
But if they achieve sothing unexpected, it can also attract so teams’ attention, such as leading an underestimated team to win more gas.
And if the benefits from the latter are greater, then the forr is not as important, even if the latter involves risks, benefits always co with risks.
Another point, if a coach becos famous for tanking, no team might want to hire them again, hiring them ans openly planning to tank.
"Since you didn’t refuse, that ans you agree."
"But it’s difficult, if our players lose a few more gas, their montum might quickly dissipate."
"That’s why we need to play well in the preseason. For us, winning any ga is a win. I think you guessed who I want to help, but he really reignited my passion for basketball."
"Yes, I never thought our players would beco so serious, so eager to win in a ga, and it’s just a preseason ga, just like his na, he’s truly an unpredictable factor, every ti I see his expression before stepping on the court, I can’t help but get excited, even after all these years of retirent... but I never thought I’d go mad with a lunatic like you, from the mont you said you wanted to select a high schooler, I knew you were a lunatic..."
...
On the afternoon of the 13th, Zhang Hao followed the team to the next stop of the preseason. Tomorrow they will face the Bulls on the road.
The dia’s sudden high praise for him in the news left him a bit dazed. He had expected his performance to draw attention, but he didn’t expect it to be this much.
A rookie’s stellar performance is always viewed very highly, often coupled with the word "future."
Feeling dazed, Zhang Hao had a bit of a headache about how to stay low-key.
He really wanted to keep a low profile, but it seed that no matter what he did, he would end up being high-profile.
He really doesn’t care about these things; he would rather they didn’t exist.
Because he has experienced the benefits when opponents aren’t paying attention, when they overlook him, which ans more ti and opportunities to better adapt to NBA gas.
From the airport to the hotel, he kept thinking about this, but when he got to the hotel and lay down on the bed...he realized these were all insignificant matters.
Indeed, in this city, his bit of fa is nothing.
Lying down, clearing his mind, thinking about nothing, the phone in his room suddenly rang.
He picked it up just in ti, and before he could speak, Butch Baird on the other end said, "Aix, starting today, when playing away gas, return to the hotel by 11 PM the night before the ga. We’ll be doing room checks, so watch the ti when you go out at night."
"Got it."
"Alright, I have more calls to make, I’ll hang up first."
Zhang Hao didn’t find anything unusual, just preparing to continue lying down.
Lying down is really comfortable; although lazy, laziness in itself is a comfortable thing.
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