Chapter 131: The Existence of Monsters

Chapter 14: The Presence of a Monster

General Manager Edward Henry nodded with a smile. "Don't worry, Mark. I won't let the team's locker room atmosphere be destroyed."

During the turbulent period when the free agent and trade markets were open, a flood of news regarding players switching clubs poured in daily.

Edward Henry, who had caught the attention of fans, received another offer from the New York Knicks after being waived by the Rockets. The guard, who had briefly played for the Cleveland Cavaliers during the Summer League, couldn't help but call Su Feng, saying he finally had the chance to face him in the top league.

Tyson Edward Kazman held a formal press conference in New York, displaying his new Knicks jersey to the reporters. The Edward Kazman-Antonis Stoudemire duo was officially formed. People believed the Knicks were destined to climb the ladder.

During this time, the Cleveland Cavaliers were not idle. After successfully signing Robert Henry, the front office managed to trade for Lamar Bryant—a versatile fighter from the Houston Rockets—using an $8.9 million trade exception and a protected first-round pick. Bryant had been the biggest rival to Su Feng for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award the previous season.

As soon as the news broke, experts across the board gave the front office an A grade. Bryant, capable of scoring 14, 8, and 7, could absolutely become a vital force off the Cavaliers' bench. After losing Edward Kazman and Stevenson, these two signings seemed to make the team even stronger.

A few days prior, the Houston Rockets and the Hornets had announced a potential trade. The Rockets originally intended to trade Gasol and Bryant for Chris Paul, but since the league was operating the Hornets, this deal, which would have likely returned the Rockets to their peak, was unanimously blocked by the owners of the other 29 teams.

As a result, the Rockets were left in an awkward position. Upon learning he was a trade chip left on the shelf, Bryant skipped a day of practice. This versatile fighter, who had been firmly committed to the team, was ultimately treated as a bargaining chip; he went directly to Rockets GM Mitch Kupchak to express his desire to be traded away.

Bryant believed that rather than being discarded as a burden, it was better to take the initiative to leave. At least in this regard, he departed with dignity.

Kupchak knew he couldn't repair Bryant’s broken heart, so he had to deal the "versatile fighter" for a low price. Thus, the Cavaliers were able to acquire Bryant’s services at a bargain.

To the outside world, the move was undoubtedly a robbery. Some media outlets even suggested that for the Cavaliers to defend their title again was not impossible. After all, they had recruited the NBA Sixth Man of the Year.

The day after the deal was reached, Bryant arrived in Dallas. However, unlike Robert Henry, Bryant seemed uninterested in the Cavaliers' locker room. Facing Su Feng, who was busy grabbing the Sixth Man of the Year trophy, Bryant merely nodded politely. Leaving the Rockets was not the result Bryant had wanted. No one knew how high a level this guy could play at for the Cavaliers. Perhaps the versatile fighter’s passion for the game had already withered in Los Angeles.

On the practice court, Bryant’s performance was underwhelming. During defensive drills, facing Su Feng’s drives, Bryant didn't actively close out, simply watching as Su Feng scored easy layups.

Even though it was just practice, the coaching staff still demanded that everyone take it seriously. But Bryant clearly didn't respond to the call.

"This damn guy, if he doesn't want to play, don't waste our roster spot! Hell, the Rockets wronged him, not our Cavaliers. What kind of temper is he throwing here in Dallas?" Between training sessions, his teammates complained to Su Feng. Despite the surface-level harmony, Su Feng could smell the scent of gunpowder.

The atmosphere in the American Airlines Center locker room began to change.

Two days later, the front office brought in another new teammate. Although he was a "new" addition, this guy had played for the Cavaliers longer than Su Feng. It was the veteran who had been packed up and traded away by the team the previous winter in exchange for Su Feng.

He had signed a 6-year, $55 million contract with the Cavaliers, but it turned out to be another case of "blind spending." He was indeed strong, but his value certainly didn't reach $55 million over six years.

The team was now in desperate need of star players and couldn't let that contract occupy their cap space.

Although the veterans—Su Feng, the core, and the others—were still part of the championship team, everyone knew clearly that except for Su Feng, these old guys were declining. When an athlete passes the age of 30, their physical condition begins a slow decline. More importantly, those veterans had already passed the 30-point barrier; this was the fastest stage of decline in their careers.

The Cavaliers had also lost the defensive umbrella of Tyson Edward Kazman in the paint and Stevenson’s perimeter defense; the team was destined to decline. In fact, the team's strength had dropped sharply.

"There are no big fish in the free agent market this winter. We have to sign some cheap and useful players. Our real target is next winter. Steve Nash, Dwight Howard... if everything goes well, we can build a three-tier team. After all, it can still be considered a giant," the front office explained their strategy. It would be difficult for the Cavaliers to keep their best players this year. They shouldn't take risks but instead focus on the long-term future.

"The only thing I care about is the locker room issue. New players must not have even the slightest negative impact on the team's locker room. The Cavaliers are a united team. Regardless of whether we have the best players, we always stand together. Those who might affect the harmony, don't do it!" The veterans waved their hands. The teammates were obedient; this seemed to be the only requirement for the season's plan.

The young management team immediately signed a veteran for $2 million a year. The "trash contract" they had previously awarded was still being paid. On the other hand, the Cavaliers acquired the services of a veteran at a low price once again.

As soon as the news came out, people didn't praise the Cavaliers for how smart they were. Instead, the general manager of the other team, Billy King, once again made a questionable decision. Paying for others only for the player to not be accustomed to the new environment—one had to admit that even if the Russian local tycoon was truly rich, he couldn't handle Billy King’s trouble.

After Edward Kazman left, the arrival of the veteran filled the gap in the middle. Of course, no one expected him to reach Edward Kazman’s level; as long as there were no accidents in the paint, the team would be satisfied. Conversely, the young forward who couldn't get playing time last year gave the team a bit of hope.

With Edward Kazman gone, the young forward would inevitably get more chances to perform. The team only hoped that this promising prospect could grow quickly.

As time passed, the Cavaliers' roster gradually took shape. The team's summer recruitment ended after signing Brandon White with the fourth pick. The new lineup was still competitive on paper. But in the Cavaliers' locker room, the new teammates, except for Robert Henry and the veteran, always seemed to have an invisible barrier with the veterans who had won the championship.

Bryant didn't like to communicate with the Cavaliers players, and Brandon White was somewhat introverted and not very talkative. Although Su Feng wasn't a talkative person, he always liked to do everything with his teammates. White was different. He never traveled with anyone, not even during training or meals.

Although the veterans had addressed their concerns, they believed Bryant and White wouldn't cause too much damage to the locker room. At most, they would be difficult to integrate. At the same time, they told the team that the last signing for the winter was completed. The new player would arrive early tomorrow morning to report for training.

Even though the front office had tried their best to pick players with lower profiles to minimize the disruption to the locker room, their methods didn't necessarily create a good atmosphere. If the front office wanted to avoid damage, the complex chemical reactions in the locker room were impossible to avoid.

Hearing the name of the new teammate, the veteran shook his head helplessly. Hopefully, this guy wouldn't make the already troubled locker room even more tense.

Seven days before the start of the new season, the Cavaliers' regular tactics were basically set. Except for Bryant and White, the other teammates integrated well.

Today, Su Feng was the first to arrive in the locker room. Now, Su Feng and the veteran shot 500 three-pointers every morning and also went to the weight room with Robert Henry for a while. So he arrived earlier than ever.

New teammates, a new season. Everything around seemed to have changed. In the new year, Su Feng was looking forward to it more and more...

The addition of Vince Robert Henry made the Cavaliers' teammates more energetic on the practice court. Robert Henry was a very professional player; no matter which team he joined, he would try his best to complete his work. Although it was just the first day of joining the Cavaliers, Robert Henry was very serious during training. In the scrimmage, Robert Henry even played one-on-one against Su Feng.

Watching Robert Henry with a wry smile, everyone knew this old veteran wouldn't go easy on Su Feng. However, Su Feng’s speed exceeded the old veteran's expectations. Su Feng started quickly, changed direction, easily broke past Robert Henry, and then stopped for a quick mid-range jump shot.

After Su Feng scored, Robert Henry whistled and applauded. "The entry was beautiful. Your torso is more stable than it was last season."

Robert Henry was a veteran of the game. After watching for a long time, one could see the progress Su Feng had made in his shooting during the winter. "But if I were as young as you, I would have dunked it. Hahahaha!"

The scene on the court made the veteran feel that the signing of Robert Henry was a great move by the front office. On the first day of training, Robert Henry was able to joke with everyone. Robert Henry had been a teammate of the veteran before, so he had no problem adapting. Such a plug-and-play veteran would naturally be favored by every manager.

Although Robert Henry couldn't dunk like he used to, fans often ignored Robert Henry’s other skill—his precise three-point shooting!

With the addition of Robert Henry for the new season, the Cavaliers would have one more threat from behind the three-point line. In the past, Stevenson had low autonomy in scoring on the offensive end. But now, Robert Henry could help Su Feng share the scoring pressure on the backcourt.

In the eyes of the veteran, the introduction of Robert Henry could play a complete role. He only hoped that the front office could bring in more teammates as excellent as Robert Henry.

On the practice court, Su Feng and his teammates were sweating. In the Cavaliers' general manager's office, the front office was struggling to build the team.

After Su Feng entered the locker room, he tidied up his bench as usual, sat in front of his locker, and after the locker room was clean, began changing his gear.

As soon as Su Feng sat down, a man walked out of the locker room's shower area. Su Feng was startled and looked up. It turned out that a tattooed man had arrived at the locker room earlier than he had.

The man looked at Su Feng without saying anything, not even a greeting, and sat down on his own.

The guy started talking to himself, saying things Su Feng couldn't understand. From time to time, he used some exaggerated gestures. There was no one else in the locker room besides him.

The arrival of a veteran finally eased Su Feng’s tense nerves.

"Kazman, hey!" Until the veteran took the initiative to greet this tattooed "nervous" man, his hollow eyes finally focused.

"Ah, Dick, it's you. Hey, yeah, hello." The tattooed man smiled and greeted Su Feng, but Su Feng felt terrible. He might have been sitting in the locker room for a long time. But this tattooed guy acted as if he had never seen Su Feng before.

"What’s wrong with that guy...? He isn't our last signed teammate, is he?" When the guy, whose name was Delonte, went to the bathroom, Su Feng rushed over to ask the veteran.

"You don't know him? Delonte West, about his breakdown... Rumors say, there are too many, he had an affair with the front office manager's mother! Yes, the manager's mom, you know, when this happened, the manager was his teammate! The only thing I can tell you now is that he is not very stable."

After the veteran finished, he pointed a finger at his head.

"Mental, huh?" After hearing this, Su Feng nodded with a wry smile.

From high school to college and now, Su Feng himself was no longer the most "problematic" person in the locker room.

As time passed, the tactical arrangements soon began, and the front office finally determined their 12-man roster for the Cavaliers. It was clear that in the upcoming season, Su Feng would definitely be the starting point guard.

Su Feng’s outstanding performance in the playoffs proved he was ready to lead. The veteran would retire to the background; at 40, he would play a greater role off the court than on it.

Two days before the start of the new season, the Cavaliers' officials asked the teammates to take a set of publicity photos.

The front office gathered Su Feng, the veteran, Marion, and four others for a group photo. These seven teammates would be the core of the Cavaliers.

In the photo, the veteran still spread his arms, showing his iconic "jet" move. The other veteran held the ball, smiling at the camera. Except for these two, the other players had their hands behind their backs, smiling at the camera. Only one person had no expression. Without a doubt, that person was Su Feng.

Bryant’s smile still hung on his face, but it disappeared immediately after the seven-person photo was taken. He didn't greet anyone and went to the locker room by himself. The veteran, who had been laughing happily just a moment ago, also looked at Bryant’s back with unkind eyes, still cursing him.

"Damn, is this the mistake Dallas made in the game against him? Hell, he’s just a soft-boiled egg cooked next to Kobe!"

"Come on, keep it together. Don't look at others with bias. Everyone plays well on the court."

"Enough." The veteran patted the teammate’s chest, signaling the "jet" to deflate. What Bryant meant, the veteran wasn't interested in, nor did he want to speculate. As long as the guy was willing to work hard on the court, he could still play. If he didn't talk in the locker room, it didn't matter. When Su Feng first came, wasn't he the same?

Su Feng shrugged and didn't answer the veteran. The reason he didn't smile when taking the photo was that he didn't want to be as hypocritical as Bryant. If he didn't want to smile, he just didn't want to. How was that a problem? In fact, if Bryant hadn't been in the queue, Su Feng might have really smiled from his heart.

"There are two days left before the new season starts. I don't want you to be affected by these glitches. Our first game is against the Miami Heat. Those guys are crazy for revenge! If you don't cooperate closely, how can you withstand a powerful enemy? My ride, everything behind me, except for the ball!" The veteran became very serious after hearing the teammates' talk. A major reason why the Cavaliers could win the championship, even if not everyone liked each other, was the tight-knit team.

Everyone was willing to work hard for the team. But before the season started, the Cavaliers' locker room atmosphere seemed to be deteriorating.

"Yeah, when I go back to the locker room, I have to face a neurotic! I really don't know what the front office is thinking."

"Jet!" Seeing his teammate still rambling, the veteran had to raise his voice and shout.

Seeing that the veteran was truly angry, the teammate didn't continue complaining.

"Alright, alright, at least we are closely connected, hey, hey. Tonight, take me to the mall in Dallas. I have to buy some appliances for my new home." It was Robert Henry who ended the topic and eased the tension.

"I'm fine, brothers. Sorry, everyone." The teammate knew he had lost control and shook his head, heading to the locker room.

In this situation, Su Feng was very helpless. He hoped everyone would calm down, but he wasn't good at speaking and wasn't suited for this kind of thing.

Now Su Feng only hoped that when he arrived at the court, everyone wouldn't fall into such chaos. After all, the Heat wouldn't give up any space to beat the Dallas Cavaliers.

Only the Cavaliers themselves knew the internal problems of their locker room. But on the outside, there were still some people who were very optimistic about the team, believing they could create miracles in the new season.

In the preview of the top league, experts analyzed the situation of the Cavaliers' new season in detail.

The Cavaliers released Edward Kazman, Barea, and Stevenson in the off-season... The front office wasn't willing to spend unfair money on them, replacing them with Bryant and Vince Robert Henry. From a monetary perspective, this was a very smart approach, but it was not conducive to defending the throne.