Chapter 10

In recent seasons, the Lakers have had a very tough time. Ever since the team's star player, Magic Johnson, retired due to contracting AIDS, the once dominant team has lost its former glory. With the increasing competition in the league, the Lakers, one of the best and most prestigious teams in NBA history, are now under immense pressure.

Moreover, as the general manager and leader of a team like the Lakers, Jerry West is well aware that the fans of Los Angeles not only need the team to perform well but also to play attractively and to have enough star power. But now?

Since Magic Johnson's retirement, the Lakers' performance has plummeted. This season, their regular-season win rate has not even reached 50%, with fewer than 40 wins. Such a win rate would not even qualify them for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. Although they made it to the playoffs in the Western Conference this year, it is clear that facing a team led by the new regular-season MVP, Charles Barkley, the Suns, the Lakers' prospects do not look good.

In the end, the Lakers were indeed swept out of the playoffs in the first round, and this has been the case for two consecutive seasons. Both times, they were the eighth seed in the regular season, which is a huge disgrace for a team that has dominated the NBA for so long.

Of course, there is little hope for the Lakers' performance now. The most critical issue is that the team lacks a star player, and their appeal has severely declined. If three years ago, the entire league and the world were focused on Los Angeles and the Lakers, now, all the attention of the NBA and the world is on Chicago and the Bulls. Few people truly remember that the Lakers were once the dominant force in the league, the center of everyone's attention.

In this situation, what Jerry West needs to do is find a second Magic Johnson, someone who can lead the Lakers to rise again. He has a very good target in mind: Anfernee Hardaway, who averaged 37 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks per game in high school and was named the best player in the nation by many major media outlets upon graduating high school.

West has been closely watching this rookie for a long time. Not only did Hardaway put up the best statistics in high school history, but he also averaged 23 points, 8.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game in college and the NCAA. Just like in high school, he was named the best player in the nation for two consecutive years after entering college.

During the Dream Team training camp last year, after Hardaway led the NCAA team to defeat the Dream Team, he was personally designated by Michael Jordan as his successor. However, from Jerry West's perspective, a significant part of the reason Jordan said Hardaway was his successor was due to the awkwardness of not being able to continue belittling the young man who had defeated him. In the past, Jordan had always been dismissive of so-called "Jordan successors" and would often mock them when asked about it. If he encountered them on the court, Jordan would definitely give them a lesson. Jordan is a very proud person, and to gain his recognition, one must first defeat him.

Therefore, in Jerry West's view, Hardaway is not a successor to Jordan but to Magic Johnson. Based on the all-around performance this young man has shown, he has the potential.

However, what is extremely embarrassing for Jerry West is that he has been seeking the possibility of trading for one of the top three draft picks, as he knows Hardaway will not fall out of the top three. However, neither the Magic, the Warriors, nor the 76ers, the three teams with the top three picks, want to trade with him. After all, the people in other teams are not fools. While the Lakers have good players like Vlade Divac, Byron Scott, and veteran James Worthy, they do not need them. At the very least, these players cannot compare to Webber, Hardaway, and Bradley, not even to Mashburn.

It can be said that the Lakers are now in a very awkward position. The team is not strong and needs to rebuild, but they cannot find an opportunity to do so. If they deliberately tank, it would be too embarrassing for a former NBA powerhouse. As a result, the Lakers' situation is very dire, and some people within the organization have even started to suggest that Magic should return to play once his condition stabilizes.

However, Jerry West is very clear that even if Magic returns, it will not really change the Lakers' current situation.

After tidying up his terrible mood and reluctantly putting down the scouting report, Jerry West sighed and got up to leave the training camp director's office. Wood immediately followed him.

"Wait a moment, the rookie scrimmage is about to start. Although it's hard to get my top choice, Hardaway, this year, I did find a few interesting players in the scouting report."

"Hey, Jerry, I didn't expect to see you here."

When Jerry West and training camp director Chris Wood arrived at the training ground, they unexpectedly ran into an acquaintance, the Jazz's head coach, Jerry Sloan.

"This grouping is quite interesting, take a look."

Facing West's surprised expression, Sloan smiled and handed him the sheet of paper in his hand. They were contemporaries and not unfamiliar with each other.

When West took the rookie grouping list, he saw the groupings and thought about the scouting report he had just read, and he also smiled.

"Truly testing that young man's ability. But if he really has such a big reputation, he must have the corresponding ability. It's going to be an exciting game, the best player leading a group of the worst players."

After laughing, West handed the sheet back to Sloan and refocused his gaze on the rookie who was now the center of national attention.

......

......

"Hahahaha, this is too funny, too funny, Anfernee, I didn't expect you to have this day."

In front of the bulletin board at the training ground, all forty-plus rookies who came to the training camp this year gathered here because the staff had just posted their groupings.

"Point guard Van Exel, shooting guard Lin Han, small forward Anfernee Hardaway, power forward Aaron Williams, center Antonio Harvey. Hahahaha, I didn't expect the top rookie, Hardaway, to lead such a team. This is too funny."

"Van Exel, the shooting guard, is known for his wild shooting. He averaged 30 points per game in high school, even surpassing Jordan, but no top college wanted him, and he is predicted to be a second-round pick. In this rookie training camp, he was grouped in the second tier, but he is the last one in that tier."

"Aaron Williams, with his height and physique, has no notable offensive or defensive skills. He is the last player in the third tier. Antonio Harvey, over 2.11 meters tall, is likely to go undrafted this year and is in the fourth tier, the worst."

"As for this Asian kid, is he even a professional player? Any group that takes him will be playing four against five. I didn't expect this trash to end up in Hardaway's group. We are so lucky, we should thank our top rookie."

"Hahahaha, no need to thank him. Maybe our top rookie can lead this group of strong teammates to victory. Hahahaha."

When all the players' groupings were announced, these young, talented rookies were almost all excited, but a few of them looked unhappy.

For example, the most talked-about players, Hardaway, Van Exel, Lin Han, and the two heavy-duty big men in their group.

"Trash? Are these guys calling me trash?"

Seeing these people pointing and whispering about him, Lin Han finally understood why he became the focus of attention when he arrived at the training ground today. His performance yesterday was really bad, but it wasn't that bad, was it?

"Shut up, just watch."

Just as Lin Han was about to confront the rookies who were mocking him, Bowen quickly pulled him back. This was not the right time for Lin Han to step forward. Clearly, although Lin Han and the other players were being mocked, the main target was the top rookie, Hardaway.

"You're George Lynch, I remember you. A top talent from the prestigious North Carolina, with exceptional physical gifts, one of the top five forwards in this year's draft, especially skilled in defense. I'm going to score thirty points on you, no objections, right?"

Faced with the criticism, Hardaway did not react, just coldly snorted and left. To Lin Han's surprise, it was Van Exel who boldly challenged the rookie who had mocked him the most.

Seeing the impending conflict, Lin Han was excited and ready to help the 'crazy' rookie who dared to challenge a group of people alone, but he was quickly dragged away by Bowen.

"Lin, the best way to prove yourself is to beat them on the court. Hardaway understands this better than anyone."