readease Chapter 529 - 161: Let Him Get Used to Everything Here
Chapter 529 - 161: Let Him Get Used to Everything Here
Looking at Jason Williams, who was once again in an emotional and teary state, Zhang Hao felt like this guy was treating him as a confidant!
But curious, he asked, "Why do you ask that?"
"The other day we thought we could beat the Knicks, but we lost so badly... Are we being too confident about ourselves?"
"Losing to the Knicks doesn’t make us a weak team, does it?"
"We haven’t beaten a top-four team from either conference since the All-Star weekend."
"That’s because we’ve only played one top-four team from either conference, the Knicks, and didn’t we beat the Rockets? Who do you think is better, Olajuwon or Ewing?"
"Of course, Olajuwon, Ewing almost cried two years ago when playing against Olajuwon."
"We beat Olajuwon."
"Oh, right..."
Jason Williams turned back into that cheerful big boy, running off to figure out how to make a bigger impact on defense.
Zhang Hao wasn’t entirely optimistic about this, but supportive; trying was better than not trying. He only hoped Jason Williams could do a better job at rebounding, that would be enough, more would be a pleasant surprise, and even without it, it would still be good.
Not every teammate needs to be a versatile expert, proficient in both offense and defense.
Just as he was about to continue training, another confused teammate approached...
"Aix, how can I be like you?" Nick Van Exel asked, looking quite serious.
"Plastic surgery."
"I’m not talking about looks! We all know you’re handsome, okay?" Van Exel was instantly annoyed, especially since Zhang Hao had given such a serious response!
"Then there’s nothing more you’re lacking compared to me. Why try to be like me?"
"I don’t mean playing ability, though you’re no worse than me at that. I mean, how can I be as calm as you?" Van Exel paused for a moment before continuing, "The other day, I was confident I could take down Harper, but he ended up taking me down. I felt really frustrated, but you’re always looking forward to the next game, whether you score 60 points or lose, you’re always calm."
"That’s just my characteristic. You have your own characteristics. We need you to be intense at any moment, not calm."
"My characteristics?"
"Yes, we can’t win games without your characteristics."
"I understand now, thank you, Aix!"
Watching Van Exel leave happily too, as the youngest player on the team, Zhang Hao occasionally had to play the role of a psychologist, much to his exasperation.
Yet somehow, he found it quite enjoyable.
The Magician, who had been watching him all along, came over and smiled, "Cool-guy, being a leader feels pretty nice, doesn’t it?"
Zhang Hao shrugged, expressing his helplessness.
"Aix, you can’t always be like this. You need to bring out your strengths. Although you’re only 19, you have a leadership charisma that takes others a lifetime to cultivate. You’re naturally meant to be a leader..."
Here we go again... Zhang Hao thought he wasn’t causing that much concern, right?
Why did it seem like wherever he went, the strongest or the highest-ranked person would start mellowing out?
...
After the Lakers’ morning training session, Logo Man and Jim Buss approached the Magician.
Logo Man asked, "Elvin, how has Aix been doing lately?"
The Magician replied, "He’s getting more and more used to being a leader, even though he doesn’t want to admit he is one."
Logo Man nodded, "He’ll get used to it eventually. Our job is to make him comfortable with everything here so that we have the best chance at renewing his contract."
"Aix is playing so well with us, renewing his contract shouldn’t be a problem, right?"
The Magician and Logo Man both looked speechless, exchanging glances, feeling that the other shared the same thought—does the boss’s silly son only know how to play politics and isn’t aware of the news?
The Magician didn’t want to engage with Jim Buss, so Logo Man said, "I don’t know what got into Dolan, but he’s pushing for a round of free contract clauses, promising to increase the number of games broadcast by American Cable TV Station starting next season if the clauses pass. Many teams are already wavering... I think one of his targets might be Aix. By the time Aix’s contract ends, Ewing’s career will also be coming to an end."
A TV station... Jim Buss thought of how his family once had a small TV station too, but it was too small and was eventually sold to Time Warner. He really envied Dolan.
After thinking for a moment, Jim Buss came up with what he thought was a rather constructive suggestion: "So can’t we renew Aix’s contract now?"
The Magician felt like leaving now...
Because there was a third party present, Logo Man couldn’t say the most direct reason, but the Magician knew why. With some reluctance, Logo Man explained once more, "Players can only renew their contracts in their contract year. What you’re suggesting is the rule change we’re trying to push through."
After sending Jim Buss away, the Magician curiously asked, "Why don’t you find a way to buy a team yourself, Jerry?"
Logo Man laughed and shook his head, "That’s not my pursuit. I’m not like you."
The Magician shrugged. He knew that Logo Man was currently relying on Jim Buss.
Still, the Magician was puzzled, how could the Lakers’ sharp-minded owner have such a son?
The owner’s other children seemed quite normal.
But among the owner’s children, only Jeanie Buss and Jim Buss are interested in taking over the Lakers... and the owner is more willing to entrust the family business to his son.
Old Johnson’s son is still the smart one...
...
At 12 noon, Zhang Hao was watching the news while having lunch.