Chapter 650: Chapter 201: Bodyguard in Position (Part 2)
With him, Mr. Zhang, Zhang Hao looked at their five starting players plus the sixth core combination, simply too explosive!
Although the team hasn’t had any actual combat in terms of cooperation yet, due to the training camp starting early and the hard training, the teammates’ personal competitive state is on point.
Next is the cooperation!
By mid-season, some may continue to improve while others may decline due to age or physical factors, like insufficient energy reserve.
But other teams will face the same situation, and judging from the stars, when everyone is intact, apart from the Bulls, Heat, Knicks, SuperSonics, no other team can compare!
"Byron Scott, capability rating 65...
Brian Shaw, capability rating 78...
George Lynch, capability rating 75...
Jason Williams, capability rating 76...
Derek Fisher, capability rating 61...
James Robinson, capability rating 72...
Jerome Kersey, capability rating 70...
...
Ben Wallace, capability rating 58..."
On the morning of October 7th, upon arriving at the arena since it was the last day of training camp, Del Harris announced the starting lineup for the preseason and early regular season, Zhang Hao received two notifications.
One was the notification of a 90-day lifespan reward for entering the main rotation in the new season.
The other was a player detection report from the player detection system concerning his team with him as the special signing player.
Earlier in the morning, Zhang Hao noticed that there was a new face in the gym, and he knew this person arrived in Los Angeles last night and would come today.
Ben Wallace!
"Ben Wallace, 22 years old, 206 cm height (?), 101 kg weight, capability rating 58, offense—, defense 80, speed 87, strength 88 (explosiveness 90), jumping 92..."
The offense didn’t reach the system’s determination line, which was below 50, hard to say exactly how low, but the defense was as high as 80! Even Garnett in his rookie year was at this level.
But because defense is hard to be seen in tryouts, coupled with the fact that Ben Wallace played for a school with a really poor reputation, no one noticed him.
Moreover, his tactical awareness, ability to collaborate in the post, these were truly abysmal, barely any fields he could even begin to enter.
So, Zhang Hao still felt like Ben Wallace didn’t currently have the ability to play in the NBA, and he needed to be nurtured for two more years.
However, the night before, when Henry Thomas suggested Zhang Hao recommend Ben Wallace to the Lakers, Zhang Hao didn’t refuse and decisively contacted the Logo Man.
The Logo Man didn’t refuse this small request. He felt Zhang Hao was not just trying to earn a six to seven thousand US Dollar commission, and coincidentally they needed a center now.
Even though seeing Ben Wallace who claimed to be 206 cm and refused to accept a height test with only 101 kg weight, Logo Man somewhat regretted it but still signed him.
Anyway, it’s a minimum salary for a year, until the team finds a truly suitable backup center, it’s okay to nurture...what if he really performs well? Even if he doesn’t, it’s not a loss, it’s like giving Zhang Hao a favor.
Furthermore, if there’s a fitting center candidate, they can cut, they can cut the fourth point guard Lumir Robinson first; the guaranteed contract is just a month, cutting him isn’t a great loss, originally wasn’t planning to keep him for a season...unless this number 10 pick from the 1990 draft explodes at 30.
On the other side, being new, where other teammates had been training for almost a month, Ben Wallace seemed a bit out of place, sitting in the corner unsure where to place his hands.
He felt someone kept watching him...
But he thought no one would pay attention to him, an undrafted player, thought it was a delusion until suddenly someone appeared next to him.
The Lakers’ Rookie King!
The super rookie king who was selected to the first team in his rookie season and captured both the All-Star vote king and All-Star MVP!
Seeing the other party scrutinize him, Ben Wallace wanted to introduce himself immediately—boss, I’m a player of your company!
He thought Zhang Hao totally didn’t know who he was, that he seemed weak, disliked him.
As Ben Wallace was about to introduce himself, Zhang Hao spoke first: "Ben, I think..."
Think what? Think I shouldn’t be in an NBA team? I will work hard!
Before Ben Wallace spoke, Zhang Hao continued, "I think your hairstyle doesn’t suit you, and besides, you should grow a beard for more intimidation. Also, you’re too skinny, lighter than me by a kilo. Train more muscles, being strong gets you playtime. Look at you, I feel like a little force can push you away..."
"?????"
So boss, you were scrutinizing me because my style isn’t fitting? My muscles aren’t well-built enough?
Ben Wallace touched his chin, he had shaved it clean when leaving the hotel this morning due to being afraid of offending people because he already looked fierce, while keeping a beard. His hairstyle...he always kept a neat crew cut, even his college coach praised him, how did it become inappropriate now?
With his brain malfunctioning, Ben Wallace dazedly asked, "Boss, what should I do?"
"Uhh...don’t call me boss, just call me Aix."
"Okay, boss."
"..." Looking at the beardless, lacking explosive hairstyle, somewhat simple-looking Ben Wallace, Zhang Hao thought maybe nevermind, don’t fix it, said, "Grow your hair out, change to dreadlocks or cornrows for a more intimidating look, let the beard stay to scare opponents, train muscles...at first, you probably wouldn’t play much, you could start by practicing boxing."
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