Chapter 658 - 584: If It Really Doesn’t Work, Just Trade Him

Chapter 658: Chapter 584: If It Really Doesn’t Work, Just Trade Him

For the new season, the Pioneer planned to roll out a starting lineup of Milicic, Randolph, Darius Miles, Joe Johnson, and Nash.

Right now, the five of them were on the court, running through tactical drills.

A conventional tactical drill usually involves the coach explaining the play, the players walking through it slowly at first, and then picking up the pace once they’re familiar with it.

Once they’ve completely mastered it, they move on to 5-on-5 scrimmages to integrate it into a real game situation.

But with the help of Chen Yu’s team, running plays had become much more efficient.

The court in front of them had been renovated over the summer. Numerous sliding tracks had been installed on the ceiling.

Several spotlights ran along these tracks.

Driven by motors, they acted like stage lights and could be programmed to move and rotate along set paths, projecting corresponding circles of light onto the floor.

These circles of light were color-coded, guiding each player to their designated position.

The whole process started with the coach inputting the desired tactical program into a control console on the sidelines.

The spotlights would activate, indicating the spots on the floor.

Each player would then move according to the spot designated by their assigned color.

Moreover, the circles of light would also move as programmed, creating a running path to guide the players forward.

In this setup, where and how to run was perfectly clear at a glance.

At the same time, each player wore sensors that generated data. This data was then analyzed and compared by software to determine if the players had run to their predetermined spots as required.

If not, they knew they needed to improve.

This entire process was more intuitive and efficient. It also allowed for better data collection, making it easy to identify who was at fault when a play failed.

And in the vision of the company’s think tank, this was just an interim solution.

In the future, they envisioned replacing the entire court floor with an electronic screen that would directly display tactical diagrams. The players would just have to follow the diagram.

Combined with various pressure sensors integrated into the floor, it would also allow for even better collection of player data.

On the sideline, D’Antoni kept his eyes glued to the console screen. Each player’s movement formed a trajectory, and if someone made a mistake, the software would immediately flag it. It was incredibly convenient.

"Chen, this system is really useful." Seeing Chen Yu approach, D’Antoni patted one of the instruments and said with a chuckle.

In the past, running plays was exhausting for the players and for the coaches.

If someone was a bit slow and the play failed, the coaches had to go over and point out the mistake again and again.

They also had to watch constantly to see who was too slow or too fast.

By the end of a practice session, the players would be frustrated from all the running, and the coaches’ throats would be raw from shouting.

Now, with the equipment’s assistance, everything was clear at a glance. They just had to set the program and let the players run.

Plus, he could adjust the spotlights’ paths at any time from his console, completely eliminating the need to explain things to the players over and over.

It was convenient for the players, too. A quick glance out of the corner of their eye at the circle of light told them how to run. They didn’t have to mentally map out the tactical routes, which helped them develop better muscle memory.

They could also use the movement of the light circles to get a more comprehensive, at-a-glance understanding of their teammates’ positions and better grasp the play they were practicing.

And that was very important.

When running a play, the most crucial thing is spatial awareness.

When a play starts, as one part of it, you inevitably face two questions: how should you run your route, and are your teammates getting to their designated spots as required?

This transparent training method allowed players to get a better feel for their tactical positioning.

Once they truly mastered it, they could run to a spot and know where their teammates were without even looking.

That kind of coordination is the ultimate level of teamwork that every team strives for.

Chen Yu waved at the cameraman behind him, signaling for him not to film the tactical diagrams on the screen.

Chen Yu had hired a videographer to document the practical application of these training methods, which would be useful for promoting the business later.

"Has Zack’s issue been resolved yet? What’s your thinking on it?" Chen Yu asked after stepping forward to look at the data for a moment.

D’Antoni nodded, then said, "He’s still too slow. He can’t match the speed our system requires. So, after discussing it, we’ve decided to swap his and Darko’s positions."

Chen Yu had come to the Pioneer this time not only because the new season was about to start and he needed to create new training plans for all the players, but also because Randolph was a poor tactical fit for D’Antoni’s needs.

He couldn’t run the floor, which slowed down the fast-paced offense D’Antoni had dubbed "run-and-gun."

The solution they proposed was actually the same one Chen Yu had suggested last season.

Last season, Milicic had also been stuck in the low post, unable to leverage his agility, while Randolph’s effectiveness in the pick-and-roll was limited.

At the time, Chen Yu had suggested they swap positions.

As it turned out, the results were good.

But there was a problem: Randolph’s defense wasn’t good enough.

Although he had a short neck and an excellent wingspan, his height was still a bit lacking.

He had a poor vertical leap, averaging only a few tenths of a block per game, giving him virtually no ability to protect the rim.

His bulk was decent, but he lacked strength, so he wasn’t good at holding his ground in the post.

His lateral quickness was slow, and his help defense was also very poor.

Those things could be practiced, but with his physical gifts, there was no way he could ever develop the same interior defense as Yao Ming or Da Ben.

"That’s one option, but I actually have another proposal: start O’Ku or Samuel Dalembert, and move Zack to the bench."

Before coming here, Chen Yu’s team had also discussed this issue.

Randolph had many strengths. His low-post offensive skills were outstanding, his left-handed hook shot after making a move in the post was deadly, he had a decent mid-range jumper, and he could score with his back to the basket or facing up.

Chen Yu felt that if he were given enough touches, averaging 20-and-10 would be no problem for him.

But just scoring wasn’t enough; defense was still necessary.

The Pioneer’s goal was a championship, after all.

So, considering the Pioneer’s current roster, a logical choice would be to move Randolph to the bench and have O’Ku or Delembert take his place.

This was especially true for Delembert. He was tall with long arms and an excellent vertical. Last season, after becoming a starter for the Digital People, he averaged 2.3 blocks per game, ranking ninth on the blocks leaderboard.

He had the potential to become a defensive anchor in the paint.

O’Ku wasn’t a bad option either. His year with the Pistons wasn’t for nothing; he had a solid defensive foundation.

But starting either of them presented its own problems.

Delembert’s offensive skills were a mess; he could only score on easy buckets. When a play broke down and the offense stalled, he didn’t have Randolph’s ability to create a tough shot.

O’Ku’s role, on the other hand, overlapped somewhat with Milicic’s. His low-post skills were average, and he preferred to step out and shoot from the perimeter.

So, after thinking it over, the only option seemed to be moving Randolph to the bench to play a sixth-man type of role.

"Wouldn’t that be a bit of a waste?" D’Antoni immediately furrowed his brow.

With Randolph’s skills, give him a few touches, and scoring ten or twenty points would be no problem.

Just putting him on the bench really did seem like a waste.

Chen Yu shrugged helplessly. There was no helping it. Players were never perfect. If they were truly perfect, a force on both offense and defense, they wouldn’t be ordinary players; they’d be superstars.

After a moment’s hesitation, and with a glance at Rivers who was thinking silently beside him, Chen Yu said, "Actually, there’s one more option. We give him the ball, let him pad his stats, and then trade him before the trade deadline for a player we really need."

If they were afraid of wasting his talent and no other arrangement seemed right, then they might as well trade him for a player they truly needed.

Roster adjustments are always a process of making trade-offs.

Besides, this was a contract year for Randolph. If he really did put up 20-and-10 numbers, it was possible they could trade him for a ten-million-dollar-a-year player.