After chatting nonsense along the way, when we arrived at the training center, the floor of the gymnasium creaked and scraped one after another.
The Clippers' trial training for rookies has begun very early. They have a lot of work to do with the No. 13 and No. 20 picks.
In the NBA, draft picks are often traded as bargaining chips. Some teams' draft picks have been traded to so many teams.
Since Min Congda took charge of the Clippers, he has always attached great importance to draft picks and almost never traded draft picks in exchange for immediate combat power.
Even with the so-called "core lineup" already in place, Min Congda is still keen on drafting.
Olshey once expressed the opinion that with a lineup like the Clippers' current lineup, draft picks should be given away in exchange for immediate combat power.
In this way, based on the team's original lineup, the Clippers will quickly grow into a strong player in the championship.
Of course, Min Congda refuted and opposed such opinions.
"Rookies are our treasure and the source of the team's sustainable development!"
"A team that doesn't take advantage of its draft picks can't be successful."
For all the high-sounding reasons, Min Congda just doesn't want to build a strong lineup as usual.
However, Min Congda's strategy of attaching importance to the draft won the approval of Jeff Ball.
He believes: "Mr. Smart attaches great importance to the draft and makes good use of the draft picks, which is a major trend in the future." 33
Min Congda thought, Jeff Ball supports me, isn't this a good thing?
The Hornets have been bankrupted by him, and you will be the Clippers next.
Today's trial training was also hosted by Jeff Ball, and Min Congda gave him full responsibility for the draft this time.
In two weeks, he invited all the players in the middle and lower grades of the draft predictions for trial training, and no rookie refused.
The Los Angeles Clippers are now very attractive to rookies. They are a big city, with potential stocks, young people gather together, and the playing atmosphere is good.
Moreover, the team has just reached the Western Conference Finals and has a bright future. Who doesn’t want to start his career here?
Moreover, Min Congda has a very good reputation among general managers and agents.
The contract is generous, no searching, no bargaining, and all conditions can be met.
The team's treatment is good, and we stay in the best hotels for away games.
It is said that summer league games have the best accommodation, food and drink conditions.
Absolutely satisfied, absolutely first-class, absolutely the best working team.
This allows Jeff Ball to fully examine every rookie player.
Combine the current needs of the team and the instructions given by Min Congda to make the wisest choice.
Min Congda and Jordan Peele sat on the sidelines and watched a tall young man training in the field.
"Kawhi Leonard is from San Diego State University, a native of Riverside, California, and a native of Los Angeles. As a sophomore, he led the team to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen this year. He is a very potential No. 3 player. . The university he attended was unknown and did not produce any great NBA players. During the interview, he said that he really wanted to play for the Clippers and that he wanted to play in his hometown. This is his scouting report."
Jeff Ball sat next to Min Congda, and while talking, he handed Min Congda the freshly released Leonard scouting report.
Min Congda took the scouting report and glanced at it. He had never been interested in this thing, and the writing was basically inaccurate anyway.
He still believed in his feelings more.
"He's from Los Angeles, he goes to an unknown university, he wants to play in his hometown, he's the third position, he's a mid-range forward... Isn't he similar to George? Not bad, not bad, he's a good prospect."
Although George performed well in the regular season and playoffs.
But overall it's still quite mediocre, far from Curry's meteoric rise in his rookie season.
Min Congda is still very satisfied with winning George in 2010.
Now there was another one who was similar to George, and Min Congda immediately felt very good.
This creates path dependency.
"Mr. Smart, the scouting report is wrong."
"I know, this kind of thing is not important. What are you training for now?"
"The shooting test will be carried out immediately..."
After a while, Leonard began to test mid-range and three-pointers.
As a result, the training center was filled with the sound of hammering, and the banging sounds made everyone's head spin.
Moreover, Leonard's shooting posture is extremely stiff and his shooting arc is flat. It's no wonder that his shooting percentage is high.
Jeff Ball looked very embarrassed and said: "Well...his shooting is not very good, which is his shortcoming. But he also has many advantages, and there are... in the scouting report..."
"Needless to say!" Min Congda interrupted Jeff Ball, "Very good, very good. I think this is a promising player! If possible, choose him."
Jeff Ball was stunned. He also wanted to explain Leonard's shooting problem.
Leonard's shooting is indeed not very good. Among the outside players participating in this year's draft, his shooting percentage in multiple trials is not the last but also the second to last.
This shooting ability is really bad, making Jeff Ball very hesitant to choose him.
Because this year's Western Conference Finals and Finals proved to people for the first time that shooting can also win the championship.
The Dallas Mavericks won the championship almost by relying on their superior shooting ability and zone defense in defense - the best way to break the zone defense is long-range shooting.
The success of the Mavericks actually indicates that the NBA has entered the era of shooting, especially the era of mid-to-long-range shooting.
The breakthrough era started by Michael Jordan has ended with the elimination of the Lakers and the defeat of James.
Shooting, especially long-range shooting, will become more and more important in NBA games. This has become a consensus in the NBA industry.
Therefore, when drafting, a player's shooting ability will be particularly valued.
Leonard's stiff shooting posture and low mid-to-long-range shooting percentage will undoubtedly become huge flaws.
So Jeff Ball is hesitant to draft a player like Leonard.
Unexpectedly, Min Congda made the decision directly?
When the two were discussing the division of work before, Min Congda said that Jeff Ball should remind Min Congda in time to correct his mistakes.
So Ball said: "Mr. Smart, I remind you, you have to think carefully. Shooting is very important for a player, and it is an ability that is difficult to develop and improve. Curry, Harden, George and others have it." Good shooting touch, which Leonard lacks."
Min Congda asked: "Then... putting aside the shooting aspect, do you think Leonard is worth choosing?"
Jeff Ball said: "Putting aside the shooting aspect, Leonard is still very worthy of selection."
"Combined with shooting, do you think there is anyone more suitable than Leonard?"
Ball shook his head. What the Clippers lack now is the third position.
Although Ricky Davis performed well, his decline was predictable.
George is still growing, and it would be a good choice to introduce young people to compete.
The Portland Trail Blazers passed up Jordan in the past because they wanted to develop Drexler.
Jeff Ball believes that when players are still young, don't pass up one talent for another.
Because you don't know what kind of player you are missing.
"In that case, it's settled, I believe in your choice."
"By the way, for the 20th pick, please give me the candidates for reference... Let's do this. Make a table with the data of the people who participated in the trial training and give it to me for reference."
"No problem, I will give you the statistics as soon as possible."
Min Congda feels that he has found the trick. Since good shooting is the future trend, then I will choose poor shooting!
Some people died, but not completely...
