One Year Left to Play-Chapter 123 - 39: When in Doubt, Ask Dad
Turnaround fadeaway also became one of his main training items.
He has a clear development direction, and the first step is to expand his skills around mid-range shots.
The first thing to do is not to widen the shooting area, but to enhance the existing mid-range shot and athletic ability, strengthen catch-and-shoot and tactical practice. This requires officially returning to the team, so for now, he continues to train to speed up his shooting, even a 0.1 second improvement is good.
Day by day, Zhang Hao immersed himself in shooting training and tactical learning.
Finally, on September 1st, in the NBA owners’ first negotiation with the Players’ Union of the new month, an agreement was finally reached, and the NBA lockout is over!
...
"Rookie contracts are no longer than 5 years. I remember it’s fixed for first-round picks to be 4 years, right? And there are no player or team options. Future first-round contracts seem to change as well, it appears it will only be set in the next labor agreement.
Rookie contracts have fixed salaries based on draft position and salary cap, with a maximum increase of ten percent, same as last year’s regulations, just officially confirmed unchanged for the 97-98 season.
Flexible salary cap continues..."
Zhang Hao looked at the changes in the NBA labor agreement that Pelinka had organized, as reported by American Cable TV Station, the core framework couldn’t be changed, only adjustments in details were made. Changing the core framework means both sides definitely want to strive for clauses beneficial to themselves, once this begins, a year and a half can surely not reach an agreement.
It’s just a demonstration lockout between both sides, the losses are only in the non-profitable summer league, with almost no other losses, just the free market being shortened.
The NBA’s announcement of the resumption of operation included the opening time of the free market, midnight at 12 AM tonight, with signing, trading, etc., all able to unfold.
In the afternoon, Zhang Hao received a call, notifying him that he could use the Continental Airlines Arena for training anytime. Trainers and staff have all returned to their positions, the latest return time is September 27, with the training camp starting on October 1.
However, the head coach told him not to rush back, he can train while studying at school.
Zhang Hao understood head coach Butch Bird’s meaning. Perhaps, he might be considered as a trade chip, even though the probability is small, but in the NBA, any player could become one of the trade chips. If another team really offers an irresistible deal, the Brooklyn Nets would surely trade.
After all, he’s just a high school rookie.
Given that, he didn’t hurry to Rutherford Town.
The next day, the weekend, Zhang Hao didn’t go to train at Inglewood High School’s gym as he used to on weekends, but instead came to a cafe with lawyer Robert Pelinka to meet an agent.
Since he might cooperate with Starbucks to establish a branch in China, and once cooperation is confirmed, he’ll be a partner, even though he hasn’t hired an agent yet, many people still contact him, all handled by Pelinka answering the calls.
Most meeting requests were refused, Zhang Hao knew many agents were here to take a share of the pie, who knows what unfavorable decisions they might make. His father has already returned home, the Starbucks China representative also has gone back, Zhang Hao fully entrusted the matter to his father. Compared to others, his father is more trustworthy, he knows the domestic market and rules as one of the earliest seafood merchants, also an import dining industry member.
Besides, agents... let it wait, Pelinka is quite useful, although he’s a lawyer, Zhang Hao found Pelinka really has the ability to be an agent. With his current income, even with costly lawyer fees, he wouldn’t spend too much in a year.
Agents, better none than unsuitable ones, if stuck in a pit like those two number 21, it’d be terrible.
This time, the agent, Pelinka said it better not to refuse the meeting, refusing Charles Banks’ meeting request before was too hasty.
Because both of them are star agents under the once-giant sports agency Falcao Talent Agency.
Although Falcao Talent Agency’s NBA business has declined, a skinny camel is bigger than a horse, and they have numerous contracted players in football, hockey, and baseball. North America’s four biggest leagues still have more than a hundred players, most with salaries over a million US Dollars, totaling an annual income of over six million US Dollars for the agency.
This agent requesting a meeting is someone Zhang Hao has an impression of, future notorious "Decision Season One" creator – Henry Thomas. Fifteen years later, this agent will be considered a thorn by the management of the entire league’s 29 teams, a new David Falcao, eventually isolated from the NBA.
