NBA's King of Talking

Chapter 584 New Changes in the Second Lineup

The annual media open day has come to a close, and the following day, NBA teams began their season training camp.

The Clippers' overall championship-contending framework remained unchanged during the offseason; they added some players and lost others. The biggest change for this team next season compared to last season isn't in the starting lineup, but rather the second unit. The starting lineup will likely remain the same as last season. While this lineup isn't top-tier defensively and has defensive weaknesses (in the paint and rebounding), offensively it's excellent. It has ample spacing, a good three-point shot, can fast break, has multiple scoring options, and its big men can shoot and facilitate—a very modern lineup.

This lineup is perfect for finishing the regular season strong, maximizing the spacing advantage of the five-outside lineup to unleash a torrent of highly efficient offense. While the saying "defense wins championships" is true, even with top-tier defense, if the offense relies on defensive tactics, wins will be bumpy and inconsistent. This can lead to excessive strain on key players and increase the risk of injuries.

Last season, the Clippers' offense primarily relied on the pick-and-roll duo of Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell, with the high pick-and-roll being the initiator and the rest of the team playing a supporting role. This season will be completely different. It's widely expected that the Clippers' second unit will be led by Andrew Brunson as the primary ball-handler, supported by his college teammates Josh Hart and Michael Bridges, along with Dillon Danny and Ron Hammer. This lineup boasts defense, playmaking, and shooting ability, and is comprised of young players with a high ceiling and explosive power.

The current problem facing Coach Budenholzer is that there are too many capable players. Even with a 10-man rotation, five players will still be unable to make the rotation. This is a happy problem, but fortunately, the regular season is long, and some players will inevitably be injured or rested. Therefore, those players who usually struggle to make the rotation will not lack opportunities to play.

Aside from missing the entire 2015-16 season, Jia Fei has had virtually no major injuries in recent years. His physical endurance is phenomenal, even in the NBA. Perhaps only a muscular guy like Adam Levine can compare among top superstars.

Jia Fei is very grateful for this body that incorporates Iverson's physical attributes. Many people think Iverson's body wasn't durable and was prone to injuries. The truth is, he was too small, and his playing style relied heavily on penetration. The 76ers of that era had virtually no offensive space, constantly battling physically with the interior. Even the most durable body can't withstand that kind of exertion. Meanwhile, Iverson's average playing time was consistently among the highest in the league, leading to excessive strain and frequent injuries. But even with so many injuries and high levels of exertion, Iverson never suffered a devastating injury throughout his NBA career, which speaks volumes about his physical prowess.

The Clippers' training camp officially began on September 29.

Everyone trained very seriously. First of all, Jia Fei, as the team leader, set an example by training diligently, which motivated his teammates.

Brunson, Bridges, and Hart, three teammates from Villanova, chatted and laughed together, clearly familiar with each other. They never expected to reunite with the Clippers. Their only regret was that DiVincenzo, another key figure in Villanova's championship run, was currently in Milwaukee. If he were there, it would be perfect. They hoped the team could bring DiVincenzo over, so that the four Villanova brothers would officially reunite in Los Angeles, and their brotherhood could finally play together!

Many people have wondered why they traded White, who could defend and handle the ball. But Jia Fei knows that Brunson's ball-handling ability has a higher ceiling than White's. White wasn't a pure point guard, and Brunson is currently the only true pure point guard on the Clippers' roster.

Even if Jia Fei can orchestrate the offense, and even if others can, a team can't be without a point guard. Brunson can orchestrate and score, and he's extremely tough, excelling in high-pressure situations—exactly the type of player Jia Fei likes. Having him replace Lou Williams as the offensive initiator in the second unit will definitely not be a step backward compared to last season.

Brunson's performance after the start of training camp impressed the coaching staff. Previously, Jia Fei confidently told head coach Budenholzer that Brunson would be a big surprise for the team in the new season, but Coach Budenholzer was skeptical. Now, seeing is believing. This young man, who is not tall but has a particularly big head, has improved very quickly. After giving him more ball-handling experience, it was discovered that he can not only organize the offense, but also has excellent individual ball-handling and offensive skills, especially his shooting ability, which is simply incomparable to guards like Beverley.

The ability to handle the ball and score is crucial for a guard. In today's modern basketball system, simply being a playmaker is no longer enough for a point guard; they also need to be able to attack with the ball and have a shot. Only with these abilities can you have a chance to become an outstanding guard.

Coach Budenholzer had been worried about lacking an offensive engine for the second unit, and he had planned to have either JaVale James or Paul George lead it. However, seeing Brunson's performance, his concerns vanished. Isn't this exactly the ball-handler he's been searching for for the second unit? Compared to Lou Williams, Brunson is a better defender, stronger, younger, and has a more solid playing style, making him more suited to physical battles. As we all know, the playoffs are often about physical play, which makes it difficult for players with a regular season style of play to adapt.

Coach Buden admired Jia Fei even more, impressed not only by the superstar's exceptional basketball skills but also by his keen eye for talent. Brunson's draft position wasn't high, and his physical attributes were quite average. Even though he performed well in college, he didn't attract many teams, which is why the Clippers had the opportunity to acquire him with such a low draft position.

Now it all depends on Brunson's performance in the official regular season games. At least based on his performance in the team's training matches so far, this player is very promising.

Not only Brunson, but several other young players have also shown significant improvement after a season of training. That's the beauty of young players—they're highly malleable and have unlimited potential. This is also an advantage of young teams; even without bringing in strong reinforcements, simply developing from within and allowing players to improve can achieve the goal of strengthening the team.

Time flies, and it's already October.

On October 4th, in their first preseason game, the Clippers played the Rockets on the road.

Jia Fei's participation in the preseason was basically just a formality. Preseason results do not count towards the regular season record, so NBA teams don't take it very seriously and often give young players more opportunities to showcase their skills and gain experience.