Chapter 81: A system in which four people serve one person, Ryan?
Nuggets fans who were originally disappointed suddenly took off.
Before, watching Laga Bell and Larry Hughes being taken away, Nuggets fans really almost shut themselves up.
But the arrival of Kirilenko made Denver instantly forget about Bell and Hughes.
It's like the original goal in life was "I won't marry anyone other than Liu Yifei", but now Gao Yuanyuan comes and says, "If I can't marry Liu Yifei, how about we just make do with it, okay?"
That’s great!
Andrei Kirilenko, the All-Defensive Second Team last season, the leader in blocks, and a one-time All-Star.
From the perspective of 20 years later, players like Kirilenko do not seem to be very explosive.
After all, he doesn't have a double team, nor is he the top pick. If you were to assist the emperor, your level would be a bit low. But assisting the Lion King is actually just right!
Although Kirilenko's career-high season was only 16.5 points.
But as we all know, accuracy has never been the selling point of the AK47. But apart from the strong recoil, everything else is an advantage.
Kirilenko is a man like Garnett who fills up his stat sheet at every turn!
In Bird's view, it is the ceiling among team players!
After all, he is the player with the second most 5X5 data in NBA history, second only to Olajuwon.
Whether it's scoring, rebounding, passing, stealing or blocking shots, Kirilenko can do it all. Both offensively and defensively, he works diligently in the game.
In the 2003-04 season, Kirilenko ranked fifth in the league in win shares and eighth in efficiency rating. He's definitely the type of player that makes the whole team better.
The Russian player also knew his value, so when the Jazz wanted to renew his contract for 6 years and 68 million last season, he told the Jazz management bluntly:
"Every player is a commodity in the NBA and has his own value. My value is not 6,800 or 70 million, but a maximum salary of 86 million.
If I can't sign a satisfactory contract, I might change my job, maybe become a reporter? "
As a Russian, Kirilenko does not have a one-man-one-city plot in America. He recognizes money but not people.
I came to the Lighthouse Country just to earn money.
No one loves that shitty place in Salt Lake City. If the Jazz don't give him a maximum salary, Kirilenko really can't figure out what's the point of staying.
The Jazz management was also angry at Kirilenko's forced marriage.
As we all know, when a couple is quarreling, if a third person comes out to say hello, the cheating rate is as high as 99.9%, and the last 0.1% probability is unless he is too ugly.
When Kirilenko and the Jazz had a heated argument, Bird stepped in and led Kirilenko to the hotel.
By the time the Jazz discovered something was wrong, Kirilenko and Bird had already received their second marriage certificate.
This signing caught everyone in the league, including the Jazz, off guard.
When the entire league wanted to see the Nuggets make a joke, Bird made the entire league a joke!
The reason why the Jazz missed Kirilenko was because Bird was very secretive about this matter, which resulted in the Jazz not feeling nervous about renewing Kirilenko's contract from beginning to end.
If Bird had recruited Kirilenko with great fanfare from the beginning, the Jazz would have cut the knot quickly and immediately offered him a maximum salary to avoid future troubles.
Just like when the Suns knew that the Nuggets were going to pursue LaGara Bell, they immediately raised their salary and captured Bell instantly, never giving the Nuggets any chance.
But the Jazz didn't know that the Nuggets were already very close to Kirilenko, so they were still trying to lower the price and negotiate.
My wife is already chatting with her master online every day, but the men at home are still having fun.
Little did they know that Kirilenko was getting further and further away from them.
Now, the Jazz don't even have a chance to show sincerity.
Because Kirilenko has become a strong man under foreman Ryan of the "Denver Strong Construction Group".
Of course, the Jazz could choose to match the contract, but in a small ball market, the Jazz chose to give up matching and rebuild with peace of mind.
In the original history, the Jazz extended Kirilenko's contract in advance in 2004, so they gave him the maximum salary. Because in the 2003-04 season, the Jazz were one step away from the playoffs.
But in the 2004-05 season, the Jazz directly competed for the top pick, and Kirilenko made little progress. Only then did the Jazz realize that it was unrealistic to use Kirilenko as the core.
In this history, the Jazz, which has already experienced the 2004-05 season, will naturally not be able to give Kirilenko a maximum salary.
As a small team, they can only give maximum salary contracts to their core players.
This plot is quite similar to the Heat's crazy pursuit of Lillard in 2023, but in the end, the Bucks, who had been silent all the time, made a fortune silently.
Bird made waves in the east and west, fooling the entire league.
Both Chinese fans and Denver fans cheered. After two years, Ryan finally has his first All-Star teammate!
In the previous two seasons, Ryan had only All-Star girlfriends. Now, I have an all-star boyfriend!
All the outside stars in the league are having headaches at the moment. The Nuggets next season are undoubtedly the team they least want to meet, bar none!
Having Ryan is already torture enough, but now Bird has Kirilenko?
Double tight attack, shouldn't this squeeze out all the perimeter players in the league?
You might as well just put a cover on the basket! That one is cheaper!
In an instant, media from all walks of life went from mocking the Nuggets for not getting anything to praising the Nuggets for soaring into the sky.
"Chasing the championship? Can the Spurs stop Ryan next season?"
"Denver also has its own Jordan, Pippen and Jackson!"
"With the addition of capable people under Foreman, the Western demolition plan next season will be a great success!"
After all, Ryan was able to achieve such dazzling results in the first two seasons without All-Star teammates.
Now that he suddenly has a strong teammate, fans don't know what Ryan can do.
On the Internet, a series of sour comments began to emerge:
"Kirilenko is a second-team defensive player, and James has a first-team defensive teammate in Larry Hughes!
Next season, Ryan is destined to be surpassed by James! "
"James has gone from no team to three teams this year, from 35 wins to 42 wins. Although he did not make the playoffs, he has made huge progress and has unlimited potential!
Ryan won only 57 games this season and went from the Western Conference Finals to only reaching the Western Conference Semifinals. Although there is a second formation, it has taken a huge step back and is already in decline!
Next season, Kirilenko will not be able to stop our emperor from surpassing Ryan! "
"Kirilenko? Only the idiot team gave him the maximum salary! Larry Hughes didn't even get the maximum salary, so why should he Kirilenko?"
Upon closer inspection, the IP addresses for these comments are mostly from the Cleveland area.
Oh, that's okay.
It can be seen that the Kecun fans are really anxious!
They were originally quite happy after getting Larry Hughes, but now they suddenly turned into a mess!
Driving a Mercedes-Benz is only fun when you own the Mercedes-Benz by yourself. If everyone around is driving a Mercedes-Benz, then there will be no difference between this old Mercedes-Benz and BYD F0!
Similarly, when Ryan now has a strong supporter, the sense of superiority of Cavaliers fans is suddenly gone.
How do you let them live?
Ryan watched the news that the Nuggets won Kirilenko and was looking forward to next season.
As an all-around defensive expert, Kirilenko is destined to take the team's already excellent defensive capabilities to the next level.
Bird also called Ryan on the night of the signing:
"How about it? Do you like the gift I prepared for you? Don't worry Ryan, I have other plans.
When you play under me, your main goal is to win by lying down.
Because I've done the hardest work for you.
There is no way, after all, with great ability comes great responsibility. "
Ryan curled his lips, how could there be such a general manager who even called to show off after the signing was over?
Ryan couldn't help but fight back:
"Well done Larry, don't worry, I won't do anything stupid like hurting my back by working on my own just to save money.
When the training camp of the new season starts, you will see me appear there in good health and help you win another best general manager! "
Bird:? ? ?
You kid, you've learned to fight back, right?
Although they were reluctant to give in, Ryan was in a good mood after hanging up the phone.
The team is getting stronger visibly, and you have to continue to get stronger too!
Ryan is still pushing himself crazily every day, because the system has a "health alarm", so Ryan doesn't need to worry about hurting himself.
Bird was also in a good mood.
Ryan has been training hard from the first day he met him.
Except for the occasional business event where he has no choice but to attend, Ryan spends almost every day in the training gym.
Moreover, the trainer also said that Ryan's body is currently very healthy. Although the amount of training is not small, he is still in a low-risk state.
Bird could tell that Lane was eager for revenge.
He's not the type of player who immediately goes to party at night after losing, nor is he the type of player who looks like it doesn't matter if he loses in the playoffs, and then completely lets himself go in the offseason.
The energy in Ryan made Bird seem to see Jordan trying his best to break through the Pistons' blockade.
With such a core, Bird feels that success is inevitable!
Of course, the premise is that Bird must continue to help Ryan, the foreman, recruit suitable helpers.
The system in Bird's mind is actually not complicated. It basically follows the ideas of his predecessor Bzdelik-emphasis on defense, emphasis on counterattacks, and focusing on offensive points without the ball.
Bird thinks there is no problem with the Nuggets' basic general direction.
But why did the Nuggets lose to the Spurs for two consecutive years? First, there is no heavy inside man to carry Duncan. But this is difficult to improve, because there are few teams in the league that can limit Duncan.
What needs improvement is the second point: there are too few people who can pass the ball to Ryan!
In the past two seasons, once Popovich used Bowen to block Miller, half of the Nuggets' offense was wiped out, and Ryan was forced to play ball-handling offenses that he was not good at.
So Bird's solution is to create a team where four people on the field can feed Ryan the ball!
Let Ryan catch the ball no matter how he runs, and let the Spurs block the ball without affecting the team's operation.
Why sign Kirilenko? Because AK47, a hexagonal warrior, is not only strong in defense, but also very smart in passing.
Although he is not considered a point forward, as a European player, his team awareness and passing ability are engraved in his bones.
As for Brazilian Nene, his off-ball screening and passing skills are also excellent.
Now, there is a lack of an inside man who can pass the ball.
This insider should have a certain height, and don't play the fourth position with the height of the third position like Posey.
But it is best to have shooting ability. Not to mention being able to shoot three-pointers, at least the ability to shoot inside the three-point line must be available.
There is also the ability to carry someone under the basket, at least don't let an insider like Duncan play too easily.
To sum up, is Divac the most suitable insider for this team?
Of course, Bird couldn't choose Divac. That guy is almost 40 years old, and he is basically not far away from retirement after being seriously injured last season.
The best candidate in Bird's mind is actually Gasol, the Bear King who is disliked by the Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies have been selling Gasol. Last season, the Grizzlies used Gasol as the main bargaining chip to trade with the Sharks.
The combination of Kobe and Gasol almost took shape in advance.
Although the final deal was not reached, it can be seen that Gasol is not for sale to the Grizzlies.
But right now, the Grizzlies' asking price is too high.
Bird had contact with the Grizzlies, and they actually wanted to take away Ryan.
Bird is convinced and I gave you Ryan, so why should I use Gasol?
If Ryan were a novel, Gasol would be the illustration.
I gave you Ryan in exchange for Gasol. Wouldn’t it be a chapter full of pictures but not a single word!
Therefore, Bird has never reached a deal with the Grizzlies.
It's true that Gasol is very good, but if the team is hurt for Gasol's sake, it will be more gain than loss.
There is no way, it is 2005 after all, the Grizzlies have not yet reached the point of selling Gasol at a low price, and they are not in a hurry anyway.
Therefore, the robbery-style transactions in the Lakers' original history are impossible to replicate at this point in time.
So, Bird is having a hard time now.
Insiders who meet his requirements are really hard to find in this era.
He could only continue to search quietly to put together the last piece of the puzzle for Ryan.
In the following days, the transfer market remained busy.
The Heat acquired Antoine Walker and Jason Williams to continue to protect the Sharks and Wade.
The Timberwolves traded Cassell away, which means that this team, which just won the first place in the Western Conference, has officially entered the reconstruction period.
The Phoenix Suns traded singles king Joe Johnson for Boris Diaw to increase the strength of their forward line.
However, compared with last summer's "Shark Escape" drama, this year's transfer market is relatively calm.
The Nuggets signing Kirilenko is already big news.
But just a few days later, Bird made another big news.
Only this time, Bird's trade did not receive the same critical acclaim as the previous signing of Kirilenko.
Because Bird inherited a hot potato.
"Camby, Leonard, Scotishvili and Brian Russell exchanged four for one, and the Nuggets got Chris Webber!"
"Webber was at the end of his strength last season, and Bird is destroying his future!"
"Even the proud Big Bird will admit a year later that this was a bad move!"
"What's great about Bird is that the chips he sent out didn't hurt the Nuggets.
But what can Weber's arrival change? Does he expect to use Webber to restrict Duncan? "
"Losing the Titans with 13 points in 35 games! The Nuggets have officially entered the post-Skotyshvili era!"
Everyone was puzzled by Bird's performance.
Although Weber still had 19.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.4 steals last season, he still seems to be one of the best fourth positions in the league.
After being traded to the 76ers, people also thought that he and AI could join forces to rejuvenate.
But Webber's total field goal percentage was only 43.3%, which made his data, especially his scoring data, not very valuable.
An inside line shot less than 45%. This is such a low efficiency.
In the playoffs, Webb's shooting percentage dropped to 41.1%.
In the end, he naturally failed to help AI go further, and the 76ers were eliminated in the first round. People can't help but sigh, it would have been better if they had combined a few years earlier.
It turns out that Webber has fallen out of the top star ranks.
The outside world thinks that Bird is out of his mind to trade for such a guy who is already half buried in the ground.
Reporters searched the world for Ryan to hear his thoughts on the deal.
Finally, at the signing of Reebok’s “Laine II”, reporters got the opportunity to interview Laine.
"What do you think of Chris Webber joining? Do you think Bird made the right decision?"
"Ryan, do you really think Weber still has gas in the tank?"
"Will Webber's presence help beat the Spurs?"
Faced with these tough questions, Ryan remained calm:
"Chris will be reborn at the foot of the Rocky Mountains!"
The reporters were all stunned. Ryan, you can lie to your friends, but don’t lie to yourself!
Weber's current athletic ability is not even half of what it used to be. He is not at the same speed level as before. As an inside scorer, he basically relies on jump shots.
Is he reborn?
Even if Marshal Zhang is reborn, he will not be reborn!
Soon, fans on the Internet began to ridicule:
"What can Ryan do? His team signed Webber, and he had to finish it in tears."
"Hahahaha, when Ryan said that Weber would be reborn, the smile on his face was as bitter as a bitter melon!"
"Bird might as well play the fourth position by himself next season. He might be better than Webber."
"Now that's good, Ryan will be in the Western Conference finals in his first year, semi-finals in his second year, and will be eliminated in the first round in his third year. After that, he won't have to lose, and he won't even lose face!"
When Nike saw this, he instantly felt relieved.
Looking at it this way, Ryan still has no chance of passing the Spurs!
It's true that Kirilenko is very strong, but just relying on him to assist Ryan, the Nuggets can't compete with the Spurs.
It's true that I'm in trouble. With Larry Hughes, I will surely amaze the world next season!
The counterattack starts with the Nuggets signing Webber!
Ryan looked at the news and comments on the Internet and sighed.
Do the media and fans have this much trust in me?
What I said is true, Webber will definitely be reborn in the Nuggets!
But, in a role player way!
What are Weber's biggest weaknesses right now? Judging from the sign of the fourth position, the movement speed has become slow, and the ability can no longer support the core role.
Bird also knows this very well. He didn't buy Webber to play power forward.
But I hope Webber can gain weight appropriately and play center! And, no longer playing a core-level role!
Movement becomes slower? This is not a problem at the five position, Webber only needs to defend and rebound in the low post.
Can offense only rely on shooting? No longer able to serve as the core?
It doesn't matter, the Nuggets' top three shooting priorities next season are Ryan, Miller and AK47. Webb has no offensive pressure.
And Weber likes jump shots, but it becomes an advantage because it can help Ryan open up the cutting space!
Webb only needs to do two things next season: be a good blue-collar center, and...lubricate the Nuggets' offense!
Right now, there is no big man in the league who can lead the offense better than Webber!
No matter how much Webber deteriorates, his passing skills and ability to read the game will not decline.
With Weber in place, Big Bird's offensive system of "four people can deliver ammunition to Ryan" can be put into practice!
The four of them served Ryan together. I'm afraid Ryan wouldn't be as happy with Theron!
In fact, Bird had already discussed the use of Webber with Ryan before he traded for Webber.
In this regard, Ryan feels that it is almost 100% successful.
Because in the original history, after Weber transitioned to playing blue-collar center with the Pistons in the later part of his career, he achieved extremely good offensive and defensive efficiency and revitalized the Pistons' offense.
It is true that if Webber is still used as a big star or even the second in command of the Nuggets, his performance will definitely not be very good.
But if it's just a piece of the puzzle, then Webber can still make Bird's championship blueprint perfect!
And to say the least, even if Webb doesn't play, the impact on the Nuggets won't be great.
Among the four chips that Bird was traded to Webber, Camby was only a substitute in the Nuggets, and his functions overlapped with Birdman's.
Scotishvili and "Jordan's last shot background" Brian Russell are just water cooler managers.
Leonard, the only starter who contributed, has no place next season. Because Bird wants Ryan to play 2 and AK to play 3 next season.
In fact, Bird didn't even spend a draft pick!
Therefore, even if Webber fails, the Nuggets cannot be worse than last season.
As for whether Weber is willing to accept this hugely different role, Bird doesn't think it's a problem.
Because he still remembers the conversation with Weber before the transaction took place.
At that time, the once bohemian genius forward looked at Bird holding a cigar in the smoke-filled office, clasping his hands.
No one knew what he was thinking at that moment. Maybe it was the squandering of talent, maybe the gorgeous turn, the violent dunk like a dragon emerging from the water after passing the sharks, Duncan and KG.
But no matter how beautiful the picture was, Weber himself knew very well that that bright purple color has since been submerged in the long river of history.
But is it really necessary to end your career in such a mediocre way?
Bird took a puff of his cigar, blew out the smoke, and gestured with a finger:
"a chance.
I can give you another chance to win.
There are no dazzling data, not many shots. You have to do all the dirty work and get those great passes to Ryan.
But you no longer have to bear the reputation of being a loser.
The choice is yours. "
At that time, Weber simply replied:
"I want to win!
Even once! "
The first update is here! The conscientious old man kneels down and begs for a monthly ticket!