During the 5th consecutive main period, there was a three-day rest period, and three days off from March 22 to 24, which was very helpful for the Supersonics.

On the 22nd and 23rd, the Supersonics coaching team did not arrange team training, and only arranged personal technical training on the afternoon of the 23rd.

Rest is important.

The coaching staff did not stay idle, nor did they leave several core players idle. After a day off on the 22nd, on the morning of the 23rd, Zhang Hao, Kassel and Ben Wallace were called to the stadium to discuss the next schedule together.

Yesterday, the coaching staff had discussed how to adjust next, but they still had to go through the three core players.

First, I analyzed the changes in the team and the progress of various adjustments in the past month.

Kassel said: "The help from Lamar joining us is really great."

Zhang Hao and Ben Wallace both nodded.

In the past 40 days, the Supersonics have played 22 games, from 39 wins and 9 losses to 54 wins and 16 losses, which means that the record during this period is 15 wins and 7 losses.

The record seems to be no big difference from before the All-Star weekend, but in late February and early and mid-March, the Supersonics' schedule is closer than in January, and the opponent's intensity is no worse than in January.

In this way, if you can stabilize your performance, first of all, you must at least keep up with the progress of the strong teams in the entire league. It is not easy to have personnel changes.

Moreover, putting aside the 6 games in the 10-day period when the All-Stars just came back on the weekend, there were 12 wins and 4 losses. In other words, after Odom gradually integrated, the Supersonics finally increased from the 23-game winning streak to more than 60% of the winning rate on February 20 to a game with a winning rate of more than 70%!

Odom works very hard, and has a chance to compete for the championship again in his contract. There are two old partners in high school, Artest and Zhang Hao.

In order to win three consecutive championships, the teammates worked very hard and actively cooperated with the team to adjust.

The coaching staff worked hard and wholeheartedly led the team to adjust.

Although a player who has joined the core style of playing is a substitute, the reconstruction of the overall style of the Supersonics is also a damaging level.

Again, these efforts are all due.

But even so, it was almost adjusted in more than 40 days...

If it is the beginning of the season, it will be a matter of completing adjustments through training camp and preseason, and more than a month.

But I played more than half of the regular season, and it only started to adjust later in the regular season. The progress was so fast that it could reach this level.

The main reason is not how hard the teammates work and how hard the coaches work, but how hard it is Odom's talent.

At the beginning, the teammates and coaches were quite subtle, but after a long time, it became - 'Lamar, you should do whatever you want here and there...'

You won’t make too much demand, after all, it’s equivalent to having to get it done immediately after you ask.

But since you need to make a request, it means that it is not something that can be done casually.

Teammates and teams need to adjust with Odom immediately, and others ask Odom on the basis of what they can do.

Then, Odom really did it!

On this basis, they have completed the victory rate from about 67% to 75%!

In the eyes of others, they now have 54 wins and 16 losses, with a winning rate of 77%. This "recovery" of the winning rate is not a particularly important thing.

Only they themselves know that this is not an easy thing.

Listening to the coaching staff analysis, listening to Kassel's praise for Odom, watching Odom's last 22 games, averaged 26 minutes per game, scoring 10.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1 steal and 1.1 block, 53.1% shooting percentage, 34.3% three-point shooting percentage...

Zhang Hao said: "We will definitely improve, and our direction is correct, but now we can only say that we have dispelled people's doubts about our introduction of Lamar. In the next 12 games, we have to do better and prepare for the playoffs."

In fact, if Odom is traded to another team that is willing to give chips and is willing to eat garbage contracts, it will not bring particularly high attention.

For the Raptors' more than three years, Carter and Odom are consuming the popularity brought by their talents.

During the years with the Raptors, there has been no additional improvement for the two.

It is because the team is the Supersonics and joins a controversial genius like Odom that there are so many topics.

...

The discussion in the morning focused on analyzing the gains and losses of the past 40 days, as well as the necessary adjustments in the following areas.

Parker's departure had a smaller impact than expected.

Arroyo is excellent, really excellent.

Although Arroyo does not have the potential to become an All-Star, he may not have the strength to start in the NBA. He may be able to start for one or two seasons at his peak, and most of the time he is definitely at the bench level.

But he is not bad!

If a team needs a point guard with a tough personality, a big heart, can break through and shoot, and can score six or seven points, three or four assists in each game, he can do a very good job.

There was no chance before, Parker left, the point guard position freed up a lot of playing time, Odom left part of it, and Arroyo also got more playing time.

After all, even if Parker is there, the Supersonics can't give the substitute point guard a lot of opportunities, so Parker left, and Arroyo really beat him on the offensive end!

As for defense, Arroyo and Parker are basically no different, both at the same level of loopholes, and they are not as good as Odom's defense and point guards, at least have height and confrontation advantages.

Of course, Parker's departure has made the Supersonics' future point guard position much less likely.

But for the Supersonics, the most important thing is to improve their strength as much as possible and seek three consecutive championships.

The morning meeting mainly involves the coaching staff communicating with the three core cores in advance, that is, notifications.

In the afternoon, Kassel and Ben Wallace went for personal training by themselves, and Zhang Hao was called to the office again.

This time, there are four people, Howard Schultz, Jordan, Larry Harris, and Alwan Adams.

After some nutritious openings, Jordan said: "Aix, there are a few days left to submit the playoff roster. We currently have 14 players and there is one position. Do you have any good candidates?"

Zhang Hao replied: "Yes, Finley, Miller, Jones, Hughes, Hamilton, all of them are OK. I can also accept Kobe, who plays very much like Mr. Jordan."

Jordan rolled his eyes, but could not fight back against Zhang Hao's words.

There is no way, I've been bragging so much recently.

After getting Odom in the trade, Jordan was a little arrogant. In this trade, he did a good job of communication with the Raptors.

So, before the trading deadline, he had a lot of fun and felt that anyone could trade back.

As a result, the transaction deadline came, and no one he imagined could trade came.

This was as expected by Zhang Hao.

It is not that easy for them to trade for ideal players this season.

Multiple reasons - the opponent's envy, jealousy and hatred, personal grudges, and team grudges...

Also, sometimes, even if you seem to have a suitable trading partner, you have to consider whether there will be a real improvement after the transaction.

If it is a transaction like Camp and Wen Baker swap, it would be better not to trade before Payton and Camp did not have an internal strife over salary issues, at least they have been partnering for a few more years.

Zhang Hao has played for so many years and has been the defending champion so many times. It is very clear that after the defending champion, there is no need to trade after determining the lineup for the new season, so it is best not to trade.

However, their SuperSonics have only 14 players on the roster. Greg Foster and the others didn't want it. Chris Anderson, Reggie Evans, and Jason Williams are all tight in playing time. How can they give Greg Foster? Now they have the 15th place, and it's still OK to sign a shooting guard or third point guard.

Ignoring Zhang Hao's poisonous mouth, Boss Qiao pushed a scout report in front of Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao looked at it and said in surprise: "This? Can he come?"

Jordan nodded: "Aix, if you call, he can come."

"I?"

"Yes, you have to trust your influence."

“…”

"Also, he is from the Colangelo family."

"Oh...that's that Cory has already contacted him? Do I need to give me enough face?"

"You don't have to say that directly..."

...

...

The three-day rest time passed quickly. On March 25, the 12th game lasted by the Supersonics came, with their opponents Grizzlies.

Parker went to the Grizzlies and was very happy, really happy.

Of course I am happy to partner with Gasol, the best inside player in European basketball today.

The most important thing is that he joined the Grizzlies and started!

After joining the Grizzlies, Parker played 20 games, averaging 14.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game, and performed very well.

Even if Damon Stodmeier returns, he can't steal the starting position from Parker again.

When it comes to the Grizzlies, what Parker wants, the Grizzlies can satisfy him.

The Grizzlies have played 68 games so far, with 18 wins and 50 losses, which is very miserable.

It’s not that the Grizzlies can turn around immediately if they have solved the problem of Damon Stodmeier’s collapse in form and there is no good point guard.

First of all, the impact of Gooden lasted half a season, and the Grizzlies' style of playing had long been chaotic.

Chaos doesn’t mean that troubles can be reversed immediately after solving them. It’s not that magical.

Parker's current strength is far inferior to Damon Stodmeier before his decline. Damon Stodmeier averaged 19+9 in the rookie season and 20+8 in the second grade. He was 22 years old when he entered the NBA. He is mature. Parker is only 20 years old now and has a long way to go.

However, the Grizzlies took advantage of the rookie contracts to solve the problem.
To be continued...