570 Some Are Happy, Some Despair (1/2)

There are only 30 teams in the NBA and anyone could become the head coach of an NBA team. Although one could not regard every head coach of NBA teams as tactical masters, one thing was for certain. Every NBA head coach had an exceptional understanding of basketball.

Nowadays in the NBA, a lot of the head coaches of teams used to be professionals, even superstar players, when they were young. They started off as an assistant coach after their retirement and gradually became the head coach of a team. They were basketball players for decades and personally witnessed the development of the NBA. They were unbelievably familiar with the NBA and their tactical thinking was the most suitable for the NBA.

The NBA was significantly different from international basketball leagues. The rules, the tactical systems, and the skills of the players were all differences. That is the reason why there has never been a non-American head coach before. Even if there were coaches with dual nationalities, they would have grown up in the U.S. and been immersed in American basketball culture. One could say that coaches who had never experienced the American basketball would never stand on their own in the NBA.

Dai Li did not really understand American basketball culture. He did not even have experience working as a basketball coach. So when news of him becoming the new head coach of the Clippers came out, all sports commentators voiced their doubts. Clearly, no one looked favorably on a person without any basketball coaching experience, even if he was Laureus World's Coach of the Year.

...

L.A. Lakers

”Has the new boss of the Clippers gone mad? Hiring a track and field coach as the head coach! What a joke!” The person speaking was a middle-aged man around 40 years old. He was the head coach of the L.A. Lakers.

As teams in the same city, although the Lakers and Clippers could not be regarded as fierce rivals, there was tension between the two teams. The Lakers' market was big and they were one of the NBA's traditional powerhouses. The emergence of the Clippers did reduce the size of the Lakers' market. To think that the Lakers would not follow news about the situation of the Clippers was unrealistic.

”This Dai Li is Laureus World's Coach of the Year, perhaps he really has what it takes,” a person beside him said. He was the manager of the Lakers.

”So what if he was named Coach of the Year! It's not that easy to be a head coach of an NBA team. I would say that the assistant coaches of any NBA team would be better than him,” The head coach of the Lakers grunted.

”In truth, our intelligence unit investigated Dai Li. He is the fiancee of the new boss of the Clippers,” the manager of Lakers said.

”No wonder. Looks like this new owner of the Clippers isn't looking for results, he just wants to control the team. That's why he appointed his own people in key positions. However, as terrible as the Clippers are right now, they have no chance of getting better.” The head coach of Lakers shook his head in disdain. He then said, ”I remember not long ago there was gossip that he had been with Helen Pepe? Hard to believe he has a fiancee now. Dating two girls at once, what a player.”

Hearing that, the calculative manager of Lakers smiled.

...

Boston Celtics.

”I really want to give the new owner of the Clippers a hug and a kiss right now. He is a nepotic crony, hiring an outsider as the head coach. What a way to help us out. We should really give him a toast and celebrate!” The general manager of the Celtics looked as if he were on top of the world.

”We're in the East while the Clippers are in the West. We don't have any conflict of interest with the Clippers, so them playing badly doesn't really affect us. I don't understand. What's the benefit ?” Someone in the meeting room asked, confused.

”Did you forget we have a draft pick from the Clippers?” The manager of the Celtics laughed as he talked. He then said, ”Back then, because the Clippers wanted to have their three giants, they gave us their first draft pick, which is also the draft pick this summer. The worse their result, the higher the value of this draft pick.

”The Clippers are bad enough this year and now they got themselves an outsider to be their head coach. They will only get worse. If they sat at the bottom of the table in the Western Conference, there will be a good chance for us to get the draft pick for the three best positions! However, for the tanking teams out there, they might have to stay depressed longer cause they're faced with a team far weaker than them.”

...

The Phoenix Suns was a depressed team.

The Phoenix Suns were currently the last placed team in the Western Conference table. They didn't want to win. The objective of the Phoenix Suns was to tank and place last in the table so that they would earn the first draft pick. Then they could get a rookie with the potential to become a superstar.

The management of the Phoenix Suns was currently discussing Dai Li.

”Hiring an outsider to become their head coach. The Clippers clearly don't want to win. If the Clippers get a result worse than us this season, we'll be in trouble.”

”The key is that there is no reason for the Clippers to tank. Their draft pick belongs to the Celtics, so it would only benefit the Celtics.”