The Godfather of Basketball

Only about ten days before the All-Star Game, the Rockets went to Los Angeles and Orlando to play two games.

Pietrus is still out of shape, and it is impossible for Morrow to step up immediately. Coupled with the away game, the Rockets lost two consecutive games.

This is also the Rockets' first two-game losing streak this season.

Fans are worried that the team's players have also been affected.

Back in the morning training session in Houston, Tang Tian called Pietrus aside and chatted with him alone for a while.

The content of the conversation was almost the same as before, nothing more than to untie Pietrus' knot.

However, judging from the effect of the conversation, it is not very good.

It's impossible for Tang Tian to really open up and say that you are on a contract year, and I promise to give you a lot of playing time. If other players really hear it, his prestige as a coach will be wiped out.

In the end, he had no choice but to put the matter aside and go to the office to continue studying the game.

This afternoon, Morey was studying the team lineup in his office when a call from Memphis interrupted him.

Just after answering the call, he directly called in the team's deputy general manager Keith Jones and Mutombo, who was in charge of inside training.

"Darrell, is there anything urgent?" Jones was studying the matter of strengthening at the trade deadline when Morey hurriedly called over.

"You sit first." Morey didn't answer him immediately, but turned to look at Mutombo.

"Dikembe, how is DeAndre Jordan's training going? Is he capable of becoming the team's substitute insider?" Morey asked very directly.

"His training has improved a lot, and he should be able to help the team next season." Mutombo didn't know why Morey asked this suddenly, but he still answered truthfully.

"No, not next season, I mean now." Morey said directly.

"Now?" Mutombo was stunned for a moment, and finally thought for a while and said, "Very reluctantly, his defensive habits are still relatively poor."

"Barely? You can fight, right? That's fine, you go out first." Morey didn't explain anything at all.

Mutombo nodded suspiciously, and then left the general manager's office.

...

Tang Tian came out of the coach's office. He was worrying about Pietrus when he saw Mutombo walking from the other side of the passage with his head down.

Mutombo has been in charge of the team's inside training after retiring last season, and the two usually only meet in the training hall.

"Hey, Dikembe." Tang Tian called out.

Mutombo looked up and saw that it was Tang Tian, ​​put aside his doubts, and greeted Tang Tian with a smile: "Tang, why haven't you gone to eat yet?"

"Isn't this waiting for you, let's go together?" Tang Tian joked.

Mutombo was amused by Tang Tian, ​​nodded, and the two chatted as they walked.

"By the way, how is DeAndre's training going?" Tang Tian turned his head and asked.

Gasol Jr. is playing well now, and with the troubles coming one after another this season, he didn't have time to manage Jordan.

"Strange, why do you all ask this question today?" Mutombo muttered.

"What?" Tang Tian was stunned for a moment, "Who else mentioned it?"

"Darrell, he called me and Case over and asked me if DeAndre is capable of playing as an inside substitute." Is it weird that the GM cares about a rookie backup big on the team?"

Tang Tian was also taken aback for a moment, but his mind turned quickly, and he quickly guessed a possibility.

"You went in with Case?" Tang Tian asked.

Mutombo nodded: "What's wrong?"

"It's okay." Tang Tian waved his hand, didn't say anything, and then changed the subject to chat about other things.

But already in his mind he knew what was going to happen.

If Mutombo is simply called in, it is indeed a very strange inquiry, but if the deputy general manager of the team is also called in, this matter has a completely different meaning.

Morey, it is very likely that Gasol will be traded away!

...

After Mutombo left, Morey turned his head to look at Jones, and then said calmly: "I received an offer that I couldn't refuse."

"It has something to do with Marc Gasol?" Jones realized later, and probably guessed it.

Morey nodded. "Memphis offered to trade 2009 first-round pick plus Adonal Foyer for Marc Gasol."

"The first round next year!" Jones was a little shocked after hearing this.

The Grizzlies have an extremely bad record this season. They are now ranked fourth from the bottom in the Western Conference.

Unexpectedly, they would trade him out for a backup insider of the Rockets!

There is a high probability that the lottery will be the No. 1 pick, even a manager will be tempted.

"It's just a little risk. If Mark goes to the Grizzlies, if the Grizzlies play out, the value of the first-round pick will depreciate, and this deal will not be worthwhile." Morey continued. He has always been shrewd. Richie suffered a loss in things and became more cautious.

"The probability is very low. Although Mark is good, he still doesn't have the ability to turn the tide." Jones continued.

After hearing what Jones said, Morey knew that the latter was also moved by this trading plan.

"The question now is, what does Tang say? Now in his system, Mark is a very important role. If he doesn't agree, this deal will be difficult to go through." Jones said thoughtfully.

Morey frowned visibly after hearing this.

Tang Tian led the Rockets to win the championship for two consecutive years, and he, the general manager, only accepted it last season. The people below seemed to subconsciously regard Tang Tian as the most influential person in this team.

"Just now Dikembe said that DeAndre can play. If this is not done well, it will be a matter of Tang's own ability." At the beginning of this year's draft, he felt constrained whether to sign Matt Barnes.

Jones froze for a moment, then looked up at Morey, only to realize that the latter's expression was not very good.

"I think it's better to discuss it with Tang. After all, he knows this team better and..." Jones hesitated and said.

"Case, I am the general manager of this team!" Morey interrupted Jones directly.

Jones froze for a moment and didn't speak. He looked at Morey in astonishment, but slowly, he also knew the reason why the relationship between Morey and Tang Tian became more and more tense.

A head coach is used to having the right to speak, while a general manager wants to find a position that belongs to the general manager.

"I'll take care of it with Tang. Just say it's better than a deal. If it's feasible, I'll have a meeting later to discuss it." Morey noticed Jones' eyes and said in a relaxed tone.

"Well, from the perspective of the team's selection this year and what Dikembe said just now, I think it's worth doing." Jones gave his opinion.

"Okay, I see." Morey nodded, this was the only thing he wanted to hear.

...