Mountain Peak System: a Path to NBA-Chapter 749 - 267: On the Importance of Following the Right Person_2

Qin Yue, Wallace, Brown, Barnes, Chasing Dreams.

To be honest, if the Warriors can successfully recruit Duncan this year, Ma Long, who had long planned to continue pushing the team's small-ball strategy next season, even considered letting Riley trade Brown while he still had value for an inside partner that could create space for Qin Yue.

What a pity...

This lifetime, Brown's lucky streak helped him narrowly escape a calamity.

"So Mike, according to you, what we should strengthen next is actually the wings?"

Ma Long nodded and said, "I really appreciate the combination of Jimmy and Antoine, but considering Jerald will be serving as the power forward for a long time next season, we do need to strengthen our current wing lineup."

Seeing this, Riley no longer hesitated.

After all, in today's era, quality substitute centers are hard to find, but quality wing backups are a dime a dozen in the NBA.

"Mike, what do you think of JR Smith?"

"JR Smith? He hasn't found a team yet?"

More than just not finding a team yet?

This summer, JR decided to opt out of the last year of his contract with the Nuggets to test the free-agent market, and now he has become a clown in every sense.

First, the teams on the market willing to offer JR a big contract are either awful teams like the Timberwolves.

Or it's Milwaukee, another cold and barren place like Minnesota.

In the NBA, JR is known for being brainless, no doubt.

But that doesn't mean JR is actually dumb.

JR doesn't want to waste his prime on these hopeless teams.

But...

Among the contending teams JR wants to join, where is there still cap space to sign him?

As various teams' recruitment work enters the final stages, JR suddenly becomes an extremely awkward big fish in the free-agent market.

In fact, before the Warriors contacted JR, JR had even prepared to go to Minnesota to assist the "Chosen One."

However, upon receiving an invitation from the Warriors, JR packed his bags without thinking.

"You know, even up to today, I still see 'Melo' as my big brother."

Looking at his agent who didn't understand why he was so eager to go to Oakland, JR said, "And 'Messiah'? He's 'Melo's' big brother, which makes him my big brother's big brother, so I can't refuse an invitation from 'Messiah'."

To this, JR's agent said with a wry smile, "But 'Jr', you do know the Warriors can only offer you a mini mid-level exception, right?"

Seeing this, JR got furious and said, "What's wrong with a mini mid-level?"

The priceless brotherhood cannot be measured by mere tens of millions of US Dollars.

Playing for the Warriors, isn't it just earning slightly less salary?

In JR's view, as long as he can hang with Qin Yue, how could Qin Yue possibly shortchange him?

In short, don't ask JR why he's willing to smoke, drink, and get a perm for Qin Yue.

Just know that, in his heart, he has always had two suns.

One is Anthony, who left him behind on the Denver Plateau for brothers' basketball with Wade.

And the other is Qin Yue, who always takes him for good food and drinks whenever the Nuggets visit Oakland.

On July 19, the Warriors officially signed JR Smith from the free-agent market with a three-year, nine-million US Dollar bargain contract.

How to describe this unbelievably cost-effective signing?

Simply put, even Qin Yue didn't expect that JR would rather refuse higher salary offers from other teams just to play brothers' basketball with him.

In Qin Yue's eyes, this is very unreasonable.

But this is very JR.

After all, if the historical JR had a bit of sense, he wouldn't have waited until the 16/17 season to get his first contract with an annual salary exceeding ten million US Dollars.

However, in this lifetime, JR made a decision that might change the trajectory of his life.

Because, just like JR thought.

After he showed absolute loyalty to the sun in his heart, how could Qin Yue possibly shortchange him?

Meanwhile, on the other side, James, who had already reported to Minnesota, encountered another low point in his life.

On July 20, the United States men's basketball team officially announced the new Redemption Team roster.

The "Chosen One" James was shockingly left out of Coach K's twelve-man roster.

The reason was Durant's strongly firm stance to the United States men's basketball team: "I don't want to play with that hypocrite, if you choose him, I will quit the American team immediately."

Durant's stance became the last straw that broke James' back.

Because on the international stage, how could James possibly compare to Durant?

It's known that as early as two years ago in Constantinople, Durant had already proven his prowess on the international stage.

But what about James?

On the international stage, all lifetime James left for American fans were two games, one where Qin Yue scored 55 points in his face, and another where Qin Yue scored 58 points over his head.

Thus, between Durant and James, nearly without hesitation, the old Coach K, who had been issued a win-or-go-home ultimatum by the American Basketball Association, chose the former.

And this also made James, who had tried to make a comeback at the London Olympic Games, feel even more what darkness and coldness meant.

There was even a moment when James himself really thought he had become the "Chosen One" neglected by heaven.

"Randy, do you think I have a chance to return to the spotlight?"

"Brown, you can't give up! You know, even Michael Jordan had to wait many years to win his first championship trophy."

Give up?

At no time would James ever choose to give up.

Some players never want to give up the belief of fighting for every ball, the will to win every time they step on the court.

But James, who won't give up his hard-won fame and glory, will try to climb back from the abyss even though he has already fallen deep.

...

In July, before the Olympic Games began, Chinese fans, extremely looking forward to the London Olympic Games, received both good news and bad news.

The good news is that with Qin Yue and Yao Ming joining the team, the Chinese Men's Basketball Team will once again challenge the Olympic champion under the leadership of the "Qin Yao" duo.

But the bad news is, Yao Ming and Qin Yue will officially retire from the national team after this Olympic Games.

"The Chinese team that dominated the last two tournaments will have their final dance at this Olympic Games." — ESPN headline news

"Time, don't rush me. What's to come, I won't push away. Time, don't rush me, what's gone must still be chased. When you have to say goodbye, that moment of farewell is like the flowing time, who can defy it? Who can sigh, alas?" — CCTV's special program "Basketball Park: Goodbye is Also Goodbye"

"I don't expect all fans to understand me and Yao Ming, but personally, I have no regrets about my national team career." Before the opening match of the London Olympic Games, Qin Yue said during an interview, "Now, I only want to focus on the upcoming games and strive to defend the title with the national team in London."

That evening, there was no suspense.

Under the leadership of Qin Yue and Yao Ming, the Chinese team triumphed over the Brazilian team in the opening match with a score of 94 to 75.

And what's worth noting, more than the match itself...

The Brazilian players lining up after the game to take photos with Qin Yue attracted even more attention.

Since the GOAT will officially bid farewell to the international stage after this Olympic Games.

So the Brazilian players all wanted to seize the opportunity to take a photo with him during his last dance on the international stage.

Of course, the craziest has to be the Brazilian team's number-one inside player, Andre Vallejo.

Because while others were there to take photos, Vallejo was there to find a job.

"Give me a minimum salary!" During the post-game photo session, Vallejo actively said to Qin Yue, "I admit I followed the wrong person back then, but now, I want to correct my mistake."

...

PS: Updated (Surprising, what exactly is 'Brother' Gordon trying to do in this year's playoffs? U1S1, this year's playoffs are indeed quite interesting)