Bulldozer of the NBA’s Restricted Area

The 25th is the last day of the trade deadline.

Regardless of whether they are in the East or the West, each team has a lot of large and small transactions, but at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the official announcement of the deal between the Eastern Hornets and the Western Jazz made the front pages of major sports newspapers.

…

The trade plan proposed by the Jazz is... to use starting shooting guard Jeff Malone + backup center Isaac Austin in exchange for the Hornets' Li Shengli.

Jeff Malone, the Jazz's gold medal shooter, averaged 32 minutes, 49.4% shooting, and 18.1 points per game this season. However, the Hornets' outside shooter Gill is injured. You know... Even Gill at his peak cannot compare to Jeff Malone. , so Jeff Malone is the trade player hand-picked by the Hornets.

As for center Isaac Austin, he was taken by the Jazz with the 21st pick in the second round of 1991. His personal statistics are not outstanding, but his success lies in hard work and hard work. Even as a substitute, he averaged 14 minutes per game. Achieve 5 points and 5 rebounds, and pack with Jeff Malone.

….

To be honest, the transaction between the teams is not that high-end. To put it crudely, it is really no more advanced than the aunt haggling in the market. However, the Hornets, who have a rare commodity, shouted NO to the Jazz's first bid.

What the Hornets want is simple, a powerful outside scorer and a blue-collar center to pair with Larry Johnson.

There is no problem with the outstanding shooting guard Jeff Malone, but it is absolutely impossible to replace Li Shengli alone. At the center position, the Hornets want Mike Brown, who performs better, but the Jazz's opponent of the Hornets is The feedback also said NO once.

You know... the Jazz's starting center has always been mammoth Mark Eaton. However, the effects of Mark Eaton's injuries became prominent and his condition declined. The starting position was gradually handed over to Mike Brown, and from Jazz head coach Jerry - Considering Sloan's position, Mike Brown was the substitute he prepared for Li Shengli. After all, it's not a good thing to care about the beginning and not the end. No matter how good the starting lineup is, it won't work if there is no substitute who can play.

As for the Hornets' desire for a center, Mark Eaton is unavailable and only Isaac Austin is the most suitable.

…

The center the Jazz gave was Isaac Austin, and the Hornets wanted Mike Brown, so the first negotiation was deadlocked.

The wasp bit the price and kept it until the last day. Jazz really couldn't hold it in any longer.

On the one hand, time is running out, and on the other hand, they are also afraid of being intercepted, so they added a first-round pick. Because the Jazz will undoubtedly make the playoffs this season, there is no need to consider postponing the lottery pick.

However, the more the buyer, the Jazz, wanted, the more capital the seller, the Hornets, had to raise the price. So... they opened their mouths and the Hornets wanted the Jazz's first-round draft picks for two years, in 1993 and 1995.

In the end, the deal was settled.

The Jazz traded Jeff Malone + Isaac Austin + two-year draft picks for Li Shengli. Since the contract amounts of both parties are similar, there is no need to consider the team's salary space.

…

The Hornets' management completed the deal. Although Johnson was put on the shelf and the chips offered by interested teams were too low, they were still very satisfied with Li Shengli's deal.

The originally stretched outside line has now been greatly relieved, and the inside line... Johnson as the offensive point, paired with blue-collar center Isaac Austin, will be much weaker, but it is better than the center and power forward fighting. Some.

…

As for the Jazz, they would be happier if they got the Li Shengli they wanted.

The problem on the outside is not big. Although Jeff Malone is gone, which weakens the outside firepower, the team will not be too weak with Stockton leading the team. At the same time... if the victory of the Malone team inside is as good as that of Jerry Sloan The expectation is that the slight weakening on the outside doesn't even count.

With two self-propelled tanks, why do you need a pedal bicycle?

…

The deal is settled.

Li Shengli was packing his belongings in his residence and preparing to move. Although his belongings were only a few pieces of clothes, it was the place where he had lived for half a year after all. Moving was always a depressing mood. Fortunately, two brothers, Curry and Boggs, Never absent.

"Li, are you leaving today?" Curry asked while helping to clean up.

"It should be so. Turner has already gone over to help me prepare a place to live." Thinking of the time when he first came to the Hornets and stayed at Curry's house for a while, Li Shengli learned a lesson and learned a lesson, so Turner took the first step to solve this problem. The problem...I can't go to Salt Lake City and end up having to stay at my new teammates' house, right?

"Don't be so anxious, right?"

"Why don't you rush? There are only 28 days in this month, and today is 26. There are still a lot of reports, physical examinations, and messy things to do when we get to Salt Lake City."

"Have you finished all your matters here?"

What's going on with the Hornets?

Li Shengli wasn't angry even if Curry didn't mention it, but when it was mentioned, he really got angry.

Alan's phone call to him yesterday afternoon could only be regarded as a private communication. The official notice the next day was issued by the Hornets' team manager, and was also issued a $1,000 team fine for hitting him. Larry Johnson.

Did you agree to get together and part ways?

Why did the Hornets management not forget to chop him before he left?

You know, a thousand dollars is nothing to the team, it's just a matter of squinting and passing by, but by playing like this, it was as if they were deliberately disgusting Li Shengli and showing it to Johnson.

A feeding stick?

Feeding one candy?

Li Shengli was really disgusted. He couldn't imagine how a team's management could do such a stupid thing. When he was beaten to death, he didn't see anyone from the management come out and lick him like this, but he As soon as I left, I started playing the game of killing the donkey...

"Damn, these idiots!"

"That Johnson is nothing!"

Curry and Burgess were very angry and complained for Li Shengli. Although they would not say these words in person, after all, they are three brothers together in private now, and they have to scold what should be scolded. Li Shengli listened to the two brothers scolding each other more and more. The more excited I am, the more I don’t want to say more about this matter.

"Okay, let's not talk about it anymore." Li Shengli smiled, "You guys play well in the next game. Although I'm not in the Hornets, if there are opponents like the Pistons who want to play dirty with you, leave it to me. Come... deal with them!"

The two brothers, who were still aggrieved, were stunned when they heard Li Shengli's words.

Will you handle it?

Calling remotely?

It sounds exciting.

…

The three brothers chatted for a long time. Because the Hornets had a game the day after tomorrow, Li Shengli did not stay with two more people. "There is a game the day after tomorrow. You all go back and get some rest early!"

"OK, I have to go to Salt Lake City on the 1st anyway, so you can take care of it yourself!"

"Let's go, I'm going back too!"

A few minutes later, Curry and Bogues retreated, leaving Li Shengli alone in the empty room. Bored, he glanced at the Hornets' last two games' schedule.

On the 1st, they played the Jazz in an away game. Before that... on the 28th, the day after tomorrow, the Hornets played against the Minnesota Timberwolves in an away game. Li Shengli naturally thought of Alonzo Mourning, a silent and cold-faced tough guy.

Mourning?

Gominsky can't stop him!

What Li Shengli has to admit is...the Hornets' inside defense still depends on Larry Johnson. Let's not talk about other positions. The inside confrontation between Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning has a great impact on the outcome of the game. .