Even when opponents focused their attention on him, he still delivered two very beautiful passes.
When he beca famous for knocking Jas out in the finals, he was labeled as a "scorer" and "bodyguard."
This sumr, he was traded to the Cavaliers along with Hansen, which further cented that impression.
But in fact, he was in the sa draft class as Hansen and was selected only two spots lower; his talent was not lacking.
Though he never got much of an opportunity with the Grizzlies over the years, he had amassed enough experience to find his own niche.
The preseason progressed thodically, and public interest in the gas was relatively limited.
After all, since the main players basically only played half a ga, it was hard to gauge the team’s true strength, so only fans interested in new recruits or fringe players paid additional attention.
However, it was during this ti that Jas stirred things up.
The Lakers had a preseason match against the Bucks, and it was an away ga.
Traveling from Los Angeles to Milwaukee covered more than 2,800 kiloters, which prompted Jas to question the schedule’s planning.
The thing is, he expressed it in a peculiar way. For soone who previously claid "I don’t follow social dia," he directly posted on social dia:
"Can soone explain to why we have to fly to Milwaukee for a preseason ga?"
This imdiately triggered a lot of backlash from fans, especially as NBA players earn salaries way beyond the average person, especially stars like Jas, who had signed a 1 1 contract with the Lakers this season worth over 21 million US dollars.
"This is why they pay you over 20 million just to play ball."
That comnt beca the most replied-to under his post on social dia, with the likes on it even surpassing the number on Jas’s original post.
Because the issue generated so much buzz, when the Cavaliers flew to Sacranto for a preseason ga, Hansen was also asked about his view on the incident.
"It takes over 29 hours to drive from Los Angeles to Milwaukee, so I guess flying is more efficient," Hansen humorously quipped.
Since Silva took over, there have been several personnel changes within the league’s staff, which is normal as "new kings bring their own courtiers," but this also caused so unreasonable scenarios in this year’s preseason schedule.
As players, this is really a trivial matter, after all, during the regular season, you have to fly even further.
Milwaukee is considered a central city in the United States; Los Angeles and Boston are the ones that are the farthest apart.
During the past Lakers-Celtics finals, there were no players complaining about the travel, so this can be chalked up to Jas being spoiled.
What’s funny is that now Jas and Kobe are on the sa team, and it would be interesting to see Kobe’s expression when reporters ask him this kind of question.
After finishing the preseason, the 2014-2015 season was about to officially begin.
It was around this ti that the league office ranked the teams’ strength.
The Nike-backed Lakers, Rockets, and Heat were in the top three; the Grizzlies were sixth; the Cavaliers tenth; and the Warriors twelfth.
The list was still created by Stan, but this ti he changed his usual style, not analyzing the teams’ fit rationally but seemingly rating them based on the influence of superstars.
"The best scorer and the best facilitator in the NBA on the sa team, it’s like Michael Jordan and ’Magic’ Johnson teaming up. This is a team that attracts vast attention and is the most formidable team for the new season."
And when it ca to the Cavaliers, the tone changed considerably.
"The Cavaliers have missed the playoffs for four straight years. Hansen’s arrival might change so things, but whether he can make a significant impact remains doubtful."
This list attracted a lot of skepticism from fans.
Rember, Stan was so well-regarded because he didn’t bow to Nike’s pressure and provided rational analyses.
However, Stan’s response to the fans proved that it might not be as simple as just caving.
When fans reminded him that Hansen was currently the league’s best scorer, he contested this point.
"If you put Kobe on that Grizzlies team, he’d likely be able to do what Hansen did. Likewise, if you put Hansen on last season’s Lakers, he wouldn’t have succeeded either."
If previous evaluations had so semblance of reasonable doubt, Stan’s current remarks could be seen as completely overturning the very foundation he stood on.
Keep in mind that he truly rose to prominence during the 2012 playoffs when he staunchly supported Hansen and the Grizzlies against all odds, and his status rocketed as they ultimately claid the championship.
But now, his views had done a 180-degree turn.
This has also drawn more fans, especially those who are skeptical about him.
After Hansen led the Grizzlies to a dynasty, what he won wasn’t just the support of mphis fans.
The Cavaliers’ first ga of the season was against the Grizzlies.
Although there were so issues with the league’s pre-season arrangents, such a marquee matchup would definitely not have any mishaps.
Despite Heisley’s repeated emphasis that trading Hansen was Hansen’s own decision, the fact that the inford Wallace has remained tight-lipped keeps the mainstream narrative that Hansen was forced out.
Therefore, the match between the Cavaliers and the Grizzlies is no less a highlight than their ga against the Lakers.
Moreover, since the Grizzlies will be having their championship ceremony at ho court, the scene is bound to be very interesting.
The day before the season opener, the Cavaliers flew to mphis.
When Hansen showed up at the boarding gate, a large number of mphis fans were there to greet him.
Hansen, habitually, went over to sign autographs, and behind him, Irving’s gaze inadvertently conveyed a look of admiration.
Irving is soone with a lot of self-awareness and doesn’t blindly follow the dia’s voice.
He doesn’t believe in anything official, Stan or anything, he only trusts his own perception.
Players know players best, and Hansen’s current strength no longer needs a dynasty to prove it.
When you’re an opponent and your coach tells you that you need to double-team or even triple-team soone for the whole ga, you know that person is the strongest.
That’s why in the past he admired Kobe, and now he admires Hansen.
Of course, his eyes also hold a desire, wondering when he too could beco soone like Hansen.
After dropping off their luggage at the hotel, Malone took the Cavaliers to the FedEx Forum for a warm-up.
Even though the pre-season integration was not bad, the regular season is clearly different.
Especially tonight’s ga, because of Hansen, is destined to be even more unique.
Not to ntion anything else, he definitely wants to win tonight’s ga for Hansen.
So he needed the team to keep as good a state as possible before the ga.
The practice was not public, but when they ca out from the training facility, the outside was already blocked by a considerable number of reporters.
They were all there for Hansen.
Hansen originally didn’t want to do an interview, but there were so many reporters that they were all being squeezed and couldn’t get through, so he simply stayed behind to take the interviews, allowing his teammates to go back first.
The reporters asked questions about all sorts of topics, and Hansen also just picked so of them to answer.
"How do you feel about the league officially ranking the Cavaliers at tenth?" asked a sports reporter from FOX.
"I never care about that, but it serves as a motivation for our team."
In fact, anyone with a bit of sense would know why Stan changed his stance.
Money talks.
Stan’s way of getting famous is very much like Barkley’s, by going against the mainstream opinion. Then, once you bet right on a big issue, you can make a na for yourself.
This season, Nike is fiercely pushing back against UA and won’t miss any opportunities. Stan, as a current top dia personality, is naturally also part of their plans.
That is the uniqueness of Barkley; Barkley can change his stance at any ti, but it’s hard to get him to change his stance.
"How does it feel to appear at the FedEx Forum as an away team player?" asked a reporter from ESPN.
"Very excited, I feel like I can score 100 points tonight."
"If Michael Heisley is there," Hansen added.
Everyone knows that he is not one to hold petty grudges.
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