Chapter 127: 2011 NBA Trade Deadline.
The 'Han Happy Zone Defense' reappeared, with Han Sen scoring another 20 points in the second half, totaling 41 points for the game.
What a coincidence it must have been—Han Sen dropped two 41-point games back-to-back on Budenholzer, and that's something he probably won't forget for the rest of his life.
Under Han Sen's leadership, the sophomore team avenged last year's loss by defeating the rookie team 118-106.
In terms of stats, for the rookie team: John Wall had 16 points and 16 assists, DeMarcus Cousins put up 28 points and 11 rebounds, Blake Griffin had 14 points and 7 rebounds, and Greg Monroe added 14 points and 6 rebounds.
For the sophomore team: Han Sen had 41 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists; James Harden posted 18 points and 7 assists; Stephen Curry recorded 13 points and 10 assists; and DeMar DeRozan scored 15 points.
Unsurprisingly, Han Sen was named the Rookie Game MVP.
After receiving the trophy, Han Sen gave his acceptance speech.
"Thanks to my teammates, our opponents, and all the fans in the arena."
It was like his grandstanding moment, met with cheers all around.
The scene was very similar to last year's Three-Point Contest, where no one believed in him, but he proved himself with raw talent.
"I know some people questioned my spot in the All-Star Game," Han Sen continued to fan the flames.
"But I just want to say, guys, I got 2.18 million votes, not 700,000 (Griffin's final vote count)."
Immediately, the cheers turned to boos.
Han Sen ignored it and, once the noise died down, continued speaking.
"I know this might sting a little, but here's the truth: not only am I an All-Star starter, but I'm also the MVP."
He spread his hands wide, watching as his Hater System numbers skyrocketed.
This rookie game served a dual purpose—silencing Griffin and increasing his hater points. A win-win.
The second day of All-Star Weekend featured individual events, which Han Sen didn't participate in but watched from the stands with Swift.
That day was packed with excitement. Curry won the Skills Challenge, claiming his first All-Star trophy.
Then, in the Three-Point Contest, the Heat's James Jones unexpectedly took home the championship.
When the final results came out, Charles Barkley dropped a classic line: "You might not find a video tape in LeBron's team, but you'll definitely find a Three-Point Champion."
Barkley's comment went viral, cementing his irreplaceable status at TNT; otherwise, he might have been fired.
But the spotlight wasn't on Jones—it was on Kevin Durant.
This league superstar, who had been roasted on social media for saying he'd drink bathwater, scored just six points in the Three-Point Contest preliminaries.
Jordan holds the record for the lowest score ever (5 points).
Durant's performance was close, making him a 'second-place GOAT' in this context.
Han Sen had heard about Durant's low score, but seeing it live was a whole different experience. He couldn't stop laughing.
Jordan wasn't prepared back then and was out of rhythm, but Durant had clearly practiced. Yet, he just couldn't hit his shots. Han Sen joked to himself, wondering if Durant had activated a Hater System of his own this year.
After the Three-Point Contest, it was time for the Dunk Contest finale.
During the preparation, the arena played the NBA's classic 'Kiss Cam.'
Han Sen and Swift were singled out by a photographer, and they confidently shared a kiss, making this moment one of the highlights of this year's All-Star Weekend.
Han Sen wasn't even done enjoying it, as that kiss earned him tens of thousands of hater points.
Although his relationship with Swift was already public and widely accepted by her fans after the concert, she still had plenty of haters. Their relationship had essentially become a power duo.
In the Dunk Contest, JaVale McGee and Blake Griffin faced off in a thrilling final.
McGee's jaw-dropping dunks, like dunking two balls into one hoop and another with both hands at once, were sensational. But in the end, Griffin won by jumping over a Kia, taking home the Dunk Contest trophy, marking the end of the individual events.
When the results were announced, Han Sen took to social media, posting:
"JaVale McGee deserved the Dunk Contest championship more than Griffin."
During his time in the Eastern Conference, he had turned Paul Pierce into his main rival and 'hater moderator.' But now that he was in the West and facing Pierce less frequently, he needed a new target. Griffin seemed like a good fit.
After all, Han Sen was speaking the truth: if Griffin wasn't white and a local star from Los Angeles, there was no way his short arms would have earned him the trophy. Just ask Aaron Gordon.
The final day of All-Star Weekend brought the main event: the All-Star Game, where Han Sen had a notable appearance.
Unlike last year in Dallas, this year's All-Star Game was dominated by Kobe Bryant.
As the back-to-back NBA champion, playing in Los Angeles with Phil Jackson coaching, there was no question that Kobe would be the MVP if the West won.
And win they did, with Kobe dropping 37 points, 14 rebounds (10 offensive), 3 assists, and 3 steals to lead the team and secure his fourth All-Star MVP title.
Han Sen played more minutes and took more shots than last year, finishing with 15 points, the fourth-highest on the West after Kobe, Durant, and Pau Gasol.
But this was still his happiest day of All-Star Weekend.
Swift's concert had been a huge success, and although Han Sen had been worried about her performance, she wowed everyone with her choice of song: 'Change,' a track about overcoming challenges that had previously been used for the U.S. Olympic team.
After the All-Star Game, Han Sen and the rest of the players had a rare few days off.
These days coincided with the most active period of the NBA trade market, with the trade deadline looming.
This year, Han Sen was more focused on the trade market than ever before, especially after last year's memorable Cleveland trade for Antawn Jamison.
However, when it came to the Memphis Grizzlies, he had no clue what they'd do in the trade market. He hadn't paid much attention to them in his past life, and most fans didn't either.
But now that Rudy Gay was out for the season, it was crucial for the Grizzlies to make a move. Unfortunately, they didn't have many valuable trade assets, making this a tough challenge for GM Chris Wallace.
This year's trade market was one of the biggest in the last decade, featuring stars like Carmelo Anthony, Deron Williams, and Gerald Wallace—all franchise players.
Other notable names included Jeff Green, Baron Davis, and Mo Williams.
While training, Han Sen kept refreshing the news and saw a flurry of major trades.
Carmelo Anthony was the first big move, as the top-five league superstar finally parted ways with the Nuggets and headed to New York to team up with Amar'e Stoudemire.
Shortly after, Deron Williams was traded to the New Jersey Nets.
This came in the wake of the legendary Jazz coach Jerry Sloan's sudden resignation, rumored to have been caused by a fallout with Williams.
Williams' departure seemed inevitable after that incident.
These two major trades were good news for the Grizzlies, as losing their stars caused a significant drop in competitiveness for both the Nuggets and the Jazz.
However, the Thunder's trade with the Celtics was bad news for Memphis.
The Thunder traded Jeff Green for the Celtics' starting center, Kendrick Perkins.
Han Sen knew Perkins' low-post defense well, and this trade was a far bigger boost for the Thunder than it seemed on paper.
Then Han Sen saw the Grizzlies' own trade news.
Memphis sent Delonte West, DeMarre Carroll, and a future first-round pick to the Rockets in exchange for Shane Battier.
The Grizzlies also participated in a trade between the Wizards and Hawks, sending Danté Cunningham to Atlanta and receiving Jordan Crawford, who was originally set to go to Washington.
Reports indicated that Battier's desire to return to Memphis played a key role in the deal.
Battier had been Memphis' sixth overall pick in 2001 but was traded to the Rockets in pursuit of a championship. His good relationships with both the Rockets and Grizzlies' front offices helped facilitate the trade.
These trades created a chain reaction.
Since Battier's contract was over $7 million, the Grizzlies had to send out West to balance the salaries.
With West gone, they needed to find a replacement and, due to limited trade assets, ended up choosing Crawford, a rookie known more for his scoring than his defense.
Crawford, Atlanta's 27th overall pick this year, had seen limited playing time, appearing in just 16 games and averaging only 10 minutes, 4.2 points, and 1.8 rebounds per game.
The Hawks' decision to trade Crawford was influenced by LeBron James.
Han Sen's viral moment had led to a PR push from Nike, which, ironically, led to a backlash against Crawford, who had once dunked on LeBron during a scrimmage.
Some LeBron fans even accused Crawford of leaking the video to TMZ to gain attention and more playing time with the Hawks.
Crawford had done nothing wrong, but the Hawks had little interest in developing him, opting to avoid further trouble.
Upon seeing the news, Han Sen immediately left the training facility and drove to West's home.
When Han Sen arrived, West was walking his dog in the yard, looking in a good mood.
"Han, what brings you here?" He greeted him with a smile, indicating he probably hadn't seen the news about his trade yet.
This was normal—NBA players often find out they've been traded by watching the news, especially role players.
"Nothing much, just wanted to play 2K. Couldn't find anyone, figured you might be home," Han Sen replied with a smile.
West looked at Han Sen, puzzled. "You play 2K in training gear, all sweaty?" But he didn't think much of it. After putting the dog in its cage, he invited Han Sen inside.
The two quickly started playing 2K.
"What's up with you today? You're playing terribly," West asked after a while, noticing that Han Sen seemed distracted.
Han Sen was about to explain when West's phone rang. He was going to ignore it but hesitated when he saw it was his agent. He signaled to Han Sen to pause the game and stepped outside to take the call.
Getting a call from your agent on the trade deadline usually means you know what's coming.
Han Sen waited for a long time but didn't see West return. He went outside and found West sitting on the porch, his head buried in his knees.
When Han Sen approached, he realized West was crying.
This outcome was truly cruel for West.
He had changed his jersey number this season, ready for a fresh start, and had been performing well with the Grizzlies. But before the season even ended, he was discarded again.
Han Sen patted him on the shoulder.
The phrase 'players are commodities' was harsh but true. Even after his stellar playoff performance last season, the Cavaliers still traded him without a second thought.
The only difference was that Han Sen had the power to choose where he went, thanks to his contract.
Han Sen didn't say anything. He knew that in moments like this, no words could offer real comfort. He simply sat next to him in silence.
After a long time, West's emotions began to settle.
"I have a suggestion," Han finally said, having been distracted earlier because he was trying to come up with an idea for West.
West looked at him, confused.
"You could seek a buyout and join a team that has a shot at making the playoffs."
After the NBA trade deadline, there's still a buyout deadline.
If it weren't for the Cavaliers' tricky moves last year that led to the 'Big Z Clause,' Han Sen would have suggested West return to Memphis in a month.
But now, this was the best advice he could offer.
West's contract was part of the problem. This was his contract year, which is why the Rockets, despite having Lowry and Brooks, took on his deal.
Because an expiring contract frees up cap space in the summer.
However, joining the Rockets wouldn't necessarily give West many opportunities, and with Yao Ming injured, the Rockets were unlikely to make the playoffs. This would rob West of a crucial stage to showcase his skills, which would hurt his chances of landing a new contract in the summer.
In contrast, joining a playoff-bound team was the smarter move.
Han Sen already had a team in mind—the Celtics.
Despite the drama between West and the Celtics when they were with the Cavaliers, West started his career with Boston.
Plus, the Celtics had just traded Nate Robinson to the Thunder to match salaries, so they had an open spot.
West pondered this for a moment before nodding and saying, "Okay, I'll go to Dallas."
Huh?
Han Sen was stunned. Why the Mavericks?
"Because of Shaq?" That was Han Sen's first guess.
"No," West shook his head. While both he and Shaq were close to Han Sen, he didn't have much of a relationship with O'Neal. "Caron Butler is out for the season, so I can get a chance there."
West's reasoning left Han Sen speechless.
He had forgotten about Butler's season-ending injury.
It wasn't just the Grizzlies who had suffered major injuries this season.
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