Pioneer Training Base.
"Morning."
Mo Ke was clearly not a suitable option.
He had also missed his most crucial years for development due to injuries.
Darius Miles was known as "Garnett 2.0."
Chen Yu had also prepared over a dozen scenarios to simulate various defensive environments.
Besides, this was also a contract year for him. If he didn’t perform as expected, they could just let him go next summer, which would free up seven million in salary.
And the scenario testing was just one part of it.
This whole series of tests completely exhausted Nowitzki.
His defense alone was worth that price.
As it turned out, Bird’s ability to hype players was on par with his talent for posturing.
This was only the first session.
Because of this, even Skiles was a bit tempted by the trade proposal.
And Marion’s scoring ability wasn’t bad by any means; his on-ball offense was just a bit weaker.
There were also numerous technicians adjusting cameras and tracking rails.
The goal for the day was to simulate, as accurately as possible, the in-game situations where Nowitzki struggled.
As for his injuries, Brian knew that Chen Yu’s side had already developed a brand-new cartilage regeneration technology. It was currently in clinical trials and could absolutely be used on Bender.
His appeal was especially huge for teams aiming for a championship.
This was a top-tier perimeter defender and an excellent on-ball attacker who could average nearly 20 points per game.
"No, they’re here to help you identify the problems."
Their plan was to trade Marion for Artest and the 5th pick from the ’99 draft, Jonathan Bender.
Artest, who had just recently returned to play this year, had requested a trade from the Pacers’ management. He wanted to leave the Pacers.
But he wasn’t the first one to get that nickname; Jonathan Bender was.
But they didn’t stop. When he got tired, Chen Yu would personally give him a massage to help him recover his stamina, and then they would continue.
After his comeback, he finally managed to play a full season last year, averaging 7.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.
His latest statements indicated that he was now considering the possibility of a rebuild.
And to ensure the sample size was sufficient and reliable, each scenario had to be attempted ten, even dozens of times.
That was why Skiles and Brian were discussing whether they should try to acquire Artest.
But back then, a guy who was taller than Garnett, could play like a small forward, and was able to dunk from the free-throw line was indeed astonishingly talented.
The facility was closed to the public. The testing began only after everyone was thoroughly warmed up.
Chen Yu needed to use technological equipment to gather concrete data and analyze why Nowitzki found it so difficult to play in these scenarios, why his shooting percentage was so low, and where exactly the problem lay.
This went on until well after four in the afternoon.
He even stammered a little when he greeted Chen Yu, pointing at Brown and the others to ask if they were here for adjustments and improvements, just like him.
By the end of it all, Nowitzki couldn’t help but remark that he felt like a test subject for some mad scientist in a movie.
He had a knee injury, an old one from his high school days.
In the ’99 draft, the Raptors selected him with the 5th pick, but the then-Pacers head coach, Bird, immediately traded Antonio Davis to the Raptors to bring the phenom to Indiana.
At the same time, his three teammates—Kwame Brown, James Posey, and Clifford Robinson—were also there, already warming up.
There would be a second, and a third, until the problem was completely analyzed and a suitable solution was found.
Just yesterday, the media had dropped a bombshell regarding the Indiana Pacers in the East.
In his senior year, he put up incredible stats, averaging 23 points, 15 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 4 assists per game.
Ewing, Oakley, Chip Engelland, and a whole host of other star trainers were all present.
Chen Yu treated him that time, too.
Even back then, Chen Yu was aware of his underlying problem.
In that year’s McDonald’s All-American Game, he exploded for 31 points to win MVP, breaking a record previously held by Jordan.
He was seven feet tall with a seven-foot-three wingspan, but like Darius Miles, he was a big man who could play small forward.
This wasn’t just good value; it was a steal.
But he never expected it to be such a massive affair.
Plus, with Little O’Neal ahead of him, it was difficult for him to get significant opportunities.
Chen had contacted him and told him to report in today, saying they needed to identify issues with his playstyle and find ways to adjust and improve it.
And it wasn’t just the players; the trainers were warming up too.
After giving all the players massages to help them relax, Chen Yu sent them on their way.
Therefore, it was possible that Artest would be traded.
Chen Yu was already there, along with about twenty trainers from Pioneer.
"What?"
This was also why they had to complete so many tests today.
Artest’s one-on-one defense was stronger, but Marion’s help defense was a bit better.
He twisted his left knee, tearing a ligament and missing the 2003-04 season as well.
As a result, after signing a big contract with the Pacers, he got injured again.
This player was worth talking about.
The trade chip they planned to offer was Marion.
Most importantly, his salary was less than 7 million.
Once Robinson retired, they would need to find a backup for Nowitzki anyway.
After lunch, once all the drills were completed, they proceeded to record all of Nowitzki’s technical movements.
On this high-tech court, which Chen Yu had spent nearly four million US dollars on, and with the help of high-definition cameras positioned all over, every one of Nowitzki’s movements was clearly recorded.
The Phoenix Suns’ management was in a meeting, discussing a certain matter.
Nowitzki went, still in a daze.
Bender had been a sensation in high school, making a name for himself across the country.
It was late November.
Nowitzki, with his bag slung over his shoulder, greeted the coaches and kids he passed on his way to the training center.
The coaching staff’s tactical coach, Frank Johnson, was also present. He had Nowitzki run through different offensive sets based on the Phoenix Suns’ current tactics.
But Chen Yu’s opinion was equally important, which was why they were asking him.
In Brian’s view, this would be a downgrade trade.
The issues with his meniscus and cartilage wear had only been treated conservatively and hadn’t been properly addressed.
Only then could they move on to the next step: finding a way to adjust and improve.
Chen Yu shook his head and motioned for Nowitzki to go warm up.
This cycle of testing and analysis continued for nearly a full month.
The entire facility was brightly lit.
However, over the past month, he had changed his tune.
Chen Yu had helped treat him.
The news sent shockwaves through the league.
At the start of the season, Bird’s public stance was that he hoped to keep the current roster and was looking forward to Artest’s return.
It’s just that before he could even adapt to the NBA, injuries came for him.
But the goal for the Phoenix Suns in making this trade was to downgrade and save on salary.
The sheer scale of the operation stunned Nowitzki.
Skiles’s voice pulled Chen Yu back from his wandering thoughts.
Furthermore, the media dug up that Artest had already had this idea at the beginning of the season but had been persuaded to stay by Bird.
A torn meniscus and severely worn knee cartilage.
A torn calf muscle caused him to miss most of the 2002-03 season.
Most importantly, his knee remained a significant injury risk.
Chen Yu sat up straight.
At the time, Bird had praised him lavishly, saying his talent exceeded that of everyone else in the league combined.
"Chen, what are your thoughts?"
They had to leave for an away game the next day.
He was startled the moment he walked in.
That year was a contract year for him, so he opted for conservative treatment.
"Sorry, I spaced out for a moment."
But considering his talent and draft position, that performance still wasn’t good enough.
He was still young, only 24 this year. Many older rookies were around that age, so he still had the potential to be developed.
This meant simulating scenarios where a power forward would body him up, and a small forward would rotate over to front him as help defense.
But Brian felt it was fine to bring him over.
Returning to the question, Chen Yu thought for a moment before giving his answer: "I don’t really agree with this trade. Shawn is a better fit for us."

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