Chapter 101: The Summer of 2010.
As Han Sen had previously analyzed, the Memphis Grizzlies' playstyle was a perfect counter to LeBron James. To put it more bluntly, their style countered the entire Miami Heat Big Three.
If James actually joined the Heat and Memphis met them in the Finals, it would be like a father disciplining his child—Memphis would crush them.
With a bit of optimism, a three-peat championship wasn't out of the question. However, this all depended on the Grizzlies getting past the brutal Western Conference, where even 50 wins could only land a team in eighth place. This wasn't the Eastern Conference.
Han Sen, who initially wanted to stir the pot and attract haters by predicting a Grizzlies dynasty, decided to play it safe after a word from Wallace, who'd cautioned him ahead of time.
While Han Sen intended to hold back, the press and the public exploded at his claims. The Grizzlies winning a championship?! A team that had never even made it to the Western Conference Finals?!
Wallace face-palmed, realizing he should have briefed Han Sen on the team's realistic goals for the upcoming season. Now, with Han Sen's bold statements making headlines, the Grizzlies would likely become the league's laughingstock.
Nevertheless, Han Sen wasn't done. As the room began to calm, he took the mic again to explain: "Although we missed the playoffs last season, we improved by 16 wins from the previous year. That shows we're on the right track. Many of our games were lost due to weak perimeter defense and key plays in the final moments, areas where I specialize. That's why they brought me here at a significant cost. In reality, since my arrival, we're already a playoff-caliber team. So, our goal isn't just the playoffs; we're aiming for a championship after we gel as a team. And I believe we can achieve it."
His reasoning was solid, but the reporters were still buzzing with his earlier championship comment, already drafting headlines.
Wallace, too, began to see that while Han Sen's words were ambitious, they weren't without merit. Han Sen had thrived in Cleveland under terrible conditions; his success was no accident. And Jerry West's judgment in acquiring him was as sharp as ever.
After the press conference, Wallace pulled Han Sen aside, asking about his knee, still his main concern given the injury history that had almost prevented the trade in the first place.
Han Sen assured him his knee was fine, promising he'd continue to work on his physical fitness over the summer. Wallace smiled, feeling reassured that his gamble on Han Sen was paying off.
That evening, Han Sen's comments stirred massive debate among fans—and gave haters a field day. Memphis' acquisition of Han Sen had already been controversial, and now, with him talking championships, no one cared about his analysis. They just wanted to hate.
Han Sen watched his hater points soar, climbing from 600,000 to nearly 800,000 in no time. For him, it was a big win.
Still, the timing of the Grizzlies' press conference wasn't ideal, and his comments didn't spread further because the 2010 free agency frenzy was about to begin, and all the talk was about player movements.
This year's free agency class was historic, featuring big names like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Bosh, and many others. All eyes were on where James would end up, especially since he was maintaining radio silence. Every bit of news came from his team, and none of it offered any real insight.
Han Sen, scrolling through the latest rumors, stumbled upon real news: The Nets had traded Yi Jianlian to the Wizards in exchange for Quinton Ross. This marked Yi's third team in just four seasons. Despite a career-high season, Yi had once again been derailed by injuries, and his trade to free up cap space wasn't a surprise.
While Han Sen was processing this, his agent Thomas arrived. Han assumed it was to discuss endorsements, but it was about something else: the national team. Thomas asked if he planned to join the team for the FIBA World Championship that year.
Given last year's bad experience, Han Sen hadn't followed the national team's activities. Though surprised, he quickly dismissed the idea, as he had a rigorous personal training plan for the summer. After Thomas left, Han Sen got an idea—he could use this situation to boost his hater points.
He promptly announced on Facebook that he wouldn't be representing the national team at the 2010 FIBA World Championship. The basketball association hadn't yet revealed that he wouldn't be on the team, so he got ahead of them, making a bold statement. He knew this could attract more haters.
However, the backlash wasn't as severe as expected. Fans reasoned that even with Han Sen, the national team wouldn't break through their historical limits without Yao Ming. Han Sen's potential absence didn't spark as much outrage as he had hoped, but at least he could now fully focus on his training.
Then, on the first day of free agency, Rudy Gay re-signed with the Grizzlies for five years, 80 million dollars. It was a crucial move to keep their core intact. However, the Grizzlies were past the point of benefiting from rookie contracts; if they didn't produce results soon, they'd be heading for a rebuild.
Additionally, Han Sen noticed another seemingly minor free-agent signing: Amir Johnson agreed to a five-year, 34 million dollar contract with the Raptors. This indicated that Chris Bosh would likely leave Toronto, which aligned with Han Sen's expectation of Bosh joining LeBron and Wade.
Finally, LeBron announced he'd reveal his decision on July 13 in an ESPN special titled 'The Decision'. Everyone was on edge to see where the 'King' would go next.
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