After renewing Bowen's contract, the SuperSonics manager gave veteran forward Darle Ellis a low-salary contract.

Ellis is 201cm tall and weighs 95kg. He was selected by the Mavericks with the ninth overall pick in the first round of 1983.

The peak of his career was with the Super Sonics, averaging 20 points per game for four consecutive seasons from 1986 to 1990. In the 1988-89 season, he averaged 27.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.3 steals in 37.2 minutes per game, with a shooting percentage of 50.1%.

, shooting 47.8% from three-point range.

It is no exaggeration to say that Ellis was the best three-point shooter in the NBA in the 1980s. In his peak season, he averaged two three-pointers per game and made 162 three-pointers in a single season, one more than Larry Bird.

times. However, due to the team's poor record, that was his only All-Star season.

The 38-year-old Ellis's athletic ability has declined significantly, but he can still play a role as a small forward. He performed well in the Nets last season, averaging 12.2 points per game, shooting 46.4% from three-point range, and averaging 1.7 field goals per game.

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He chose the SuperSonics to return to his roots. He had good memories in Seattle. In addition, he hopes to win a championship ring at the end of his career. Yang Jian has the thickest legs.

The Sonics also signed a shooting guard, 34-year-old veteran Dell Curry, who is 193cm tall and weighs 86kg.

This is what Yang Jian suggested. The team should try to sign outside players who are good at catching and shooting. Curry also wants a championship. One signing is for two years, and the annual salary of 1.8 million for two years is considered a value-for-money contract.

Curry averaged 18.7 minutes per game for the Hornets last season, scoring 9.4 points and 1.3 assists. His role is relatively single, he can only score and cannot do anything else well. His shooting is accurate, and his three-point shooting percentage last season

42.1%, averaging 1.2 goals per game, and his career three-point shooting percentage is over 40%.

If the team insists on playing fast break, Curry can even assume the small forward position, and his confrontation ability is not bad.

The SuperSonics don't need to sign anyone else at Nos. 2 and 3, and the rookies have many choices. Rashard Lewis is too thin now, so he mainly plays small forward, and Cuttino Mobley is the main player.

Shooting guard.

The 36-year-old veteran Schrempf can still play a role this season. He is slow to move laterally as a small forward and is slightly worse on the defensive end, but he can play a guest role as a power forward. He is good at catching the ball and shooting, holding the ball in singles, and also

Can handle passes.

The most difficult position to reinforce is point guard. Good point guards are scarce in the league, otherwise Norris would not be poached at his level.

It was impossible for the SuperSonics to find a substitute of Snow's caliber. After screening, manager Wally Walker gave the 191cm-tall Damon Jones a minimum-salary contract.

Damon Jones was undrafted in the 1997 draft. He joined the Nets last season and played only 11 games before being waived. He is said to be a combo guard but actually cannot do both. He is too short to play shooting guard and has poor defense. He lacks organizational skills to play point guard.

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Damon Jones's style is very suitable for the SuperSonics, because his biggest specialty is catching and shooting, and he has a good mid-to-long-range shooting percentage. Playing in the SuperSonics, the team does not need Jones to be responsible for the organization, Yang Jian and Payton will hold the ball.

Insiders can also provide support.

Damon Jones is qualified as long as he can dribble the ball through half court without losing it. If he can't even do this well, it doesn't matter. Yang Jian and Payton have staggered playing times. During a certain period of time, Payton rests and Yang Jian plays point guard.

It took the SuperSonics five days to put together their 13-man roster for the new season.

Center: Anthony Mason Jr., Ben Wallace, Brad Miller.

Power Forwards: Detrev Schrempf, Osela Harrington.

Small forward: Bruce Bowen, Rashard Lewis, Dale Ellis.

Shooting guards: Yang Jian, Dell Curry, Cuttino Mobley.

Point guard: Gary Payton, Damon Jones.

As the defending champion, the SuperSonics have a small roster of only 13 players. However, this year's free market has opened, and the time for signings is limited. Every team is frantically grabbing players. If the SuperSonics want to dig out capable players, they have to pay a premium.

The owner of the Sonics is not a rich man, and he can't sign quality players over the cap if he doesn't want to pay the luxury tax.

It's good that the SuperSonics management can sign a few people who look capable and can help the team in a short period of time. Because they can only consider signing people cheaply and have no salary space.

There are also situations where veterans want to join the SuperSonics but are rejected. The unlucky guy inside is Antoine Kyle, the 8th pick in the first round of 1983. He played as a substitute for the Jazz for 4 seasons and was mistreated by the SuperSonics.

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He wanted to join after he couldn't beat him, but unfortunately the SuperSonics management didn't like him because he was too weak. Last season, he scored 5.7 points, 2 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 0.8 blocks in 16.5 minutes with the Jazz. At the age of 38, his offense and defense are average.

The Sonics also rejected two veteran point guards. They wanted height but not height, and speed but not speed. If they signed them, they would be a drag.

This lineup cannot satisfy fans. Basketball experts evaluate the Sonics and generally believe that their lineup depth is much worse than last season.

"Barkley's retirement has left the SuperSonics without an All-Star player, and they have not introduced players of comparable strength inside to replace them. In the new season, the SuperSonics lack players who can score in the low post, and their overall offensive power will decline."

"The SuperSonics' lineup has undergone a major overhaul, and many important rotation players left the team last season. It is inevitable that the SuperSonics' overall strength will decline, and the prospect of defending the title is worrying."

"Yang Jian hasn't practiced since the World Championships, and his condition is questionable..."

The media said that Yang Jian did not practice football, and many fans were worried about his condition.

Yang Jian himself is not worried at all. If his condition declines, the four basic attributes will decline. He can see it. The attributes have not declined, which proves that he will return to form after just practicing.

People who cheat have willful capital. If ordinary people leave the court for too long, their skills will definitely weaken.

At the media day, Yang Jian answered questions in a low-key manner.

He said: "I will try my best to lead the team to win and defend the title. It's hard to say what the result will be. Half of our lineup has left. It will definitely take some time for the newcomers to integrate into the team with tacit understanding."

The reporter asked: "You didn't practice in the summer. What do you think of this? Are you confident that you can perform at the same level as last season?"

Yang Jian laughed and said: "I represented the Chinese national team in the World Championships in the summer. In addition to the NBA last season, I played more than 100 games. I think I need to take a good rest after the World Championships. If I practice again, I might not be able to do it.

It’s a stress fracture, and the gain outweighs the loss.”

The reporter asked: "With your physical fitness, are you worried about this kind of injury?"

"My good physical fitness does not mean that I am indestructible. There will also be times of fatigue. I think that in order to become the first person in history, in addition to personal ability, the most important thing is endurance. For example, Magic Johnson won the 13th NBA Championship in 13 seasons.

5 championship rings. If he can play 20 seasons, maybe more than 5 rings, he missed the opportunity to become the first person in history."

Yang Jian was looking for a reason to maintain his condition for a long time, saying that he would maintain his health. In fact, he didn't maintain his health that much during the game. Basking in the sun can ensure that he has sufficient physical strength.

When he mentioned the need to rest, he was talking to his teammates. The new season is very difficult for everyone, and not everyone is as strong and resilient as Yang Jian.

The real reason why Yang Jian keeps a low profile is that he feels that the media generally downplays the Sonics, and the league is behind it. Yang Jian is an out-and-out villain this season, and 80% of the time he will be suppressed by the league. Stern definitely wants to see that

Other teams beat Seattle to win the championship.

The league doesn't even want the SuperSonics to break out of the Western Conference again, because the strong west and weak east are too obvious, and the Western Conference champion will almost lock in the championship.

The Western Conference teams highlighted by the media are the Spurs and Lakers. These two teams are most likely to pose a threat to the Sonics. The Eastern Conference teams highlighted by the media are the Heat, Pistons, and 76ers. These three teams have high-flying stars.

The overall strength of the SuperSonics has indeed declined this season. There are too many newcomers and they need time to train. Many teams are gearing up to defeat the SuperSonics, thinking that a good opportunity to compete for the championship has arrived.
Chapter completed!