Chapter 95: New Reinforcement Arrives, Everyone Make Way
ESPN is looping Kobe’s Lakers highlights, with a glaring headline: “The End of an Era: Kobe Bryant’s Lakers Years”.
The screen flashes every classic moment of Kobe in the purple and gold jersey—the three-peat with Shaquille O’Neal, the 81-point night, the seasons as consecutive scoring champion. The final frame freezes on his back as he leaves Staples Center for the last time as a Lakers player.
Meanwhile, TNT’s expert panel is fiercely debating the Grizzlies’ gains and losses in this trade.
“Listen, Jason Kidd is already 35 years old!” Kenny Smith is practically roaring. “He’s no longer that player who could average a triple-double in the playoffs! The Grizzlies gave away their only All-Star player, their most talented wing, and their most accurate outside shooter, just for a past-his-prime All-Star guard and a wing with excessive weight and serious injury risks? My God! Memphis got robbed!”
Charles Barkley immediately counters: “Kenny, do you really know what you’re talking about? Kidd is still one of the smartest point guards in the league! He can make everyone around him better! Look at his performance in New Jersey last year! And they got Josh Howard—he has injury risks, sure, but he’s still an All-Star level forward! Plus the contract rights to that Spanish big man, who’s said to be doing very well in Europe!”
The two seem locked in dispute, so host Ernie Johnson chimes in: “Most importantly, they cleared out Rudy Gay, who couldn’t coexist with Eli, strengthened their weak guard line, added toughness to the wing, and got young forward Trevor Ariza as extra depth. For Eli, this is a new beginning, and a good one.”
Yes, it’s a good beginning—for many people.
After learning of the trade, Kobe is excited about the Mavericks’ championship prospects. As for Los Angeles?
“I spent the best years of my life there, and I’ll never forget it,” Kobe says. “I wish them good luck.”
However, Kidd’s parting with the Nets doesn’t look so amicable.
At least, the Nets aren’t even pretending.
General Manager Rod Thorn states that with the team in distress this season and Kidd’s obvious regression, he no longer seems like the man who brought them a “360-degree change” at the turn of the century, so the team had to trade him.
Thorn goes further with substantive criticism of Kidd: “As the season progressed, it became clear his mind wasn’t here anymore. He’s the kind of player—once his mentality wavers, he’s never the same. I could see he was checked out. That just doesn’t work.”
Kidd himself has made no public response.
However, the moment the trade was officially completed, Kidd proactively called Xu Ling.
Though the two had never exchanged contact info before, with Kidd’s deep connections in the league, getting a phone number isn’t hard.
Since the trade itself was somewhat sudden, their conversation didn’t last long. Xu Ling simply expressed anticipation and excitement about teaming up soon, and the call ended.
On the same day, the league also had a relatively low-key trade: the Cleveland Cavaliers sent young guard Shannon Brown and a future second-round draft pick to the Seattle SuperSonics in exchange for Delonte West, adding much-needed experience and depth to their guard line.
The next day, the players involved in the four-team trade passed their required physicals, and the trade faced no further obstacles.
On February 2nd, Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Trevor Ariza, and Vladimir Radmanovic arrived in Memphis.
Tonight, the Grizzlies host the Utah Jazz at home.
The four new additions won’t play; they haven’t had a formal practice session with the team yet.
But per regulations, the Grizzlies still hold a formal press conference to welcome the four new arrivals.
The press conference site is packed with reporters, flashes nearly blinding. When Xu Ling, West, and Iavaroni take their seats, a stir ripples through the crowd—Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Vladimir Radmanovic, and Trevor Ariza enter the room.
Kidd leads, calm and composed, as if this is just one of countless press conferences in his career. Howard looks a bit nervous, constantly adjusting his suit collar. Ariza is completely rookie-like, eyes wide, seemingly stunned by the scene. Radmanovic looks the most normal and relaxed, whistling as he enters.
West then formally welcomes them to the Grizzlies on behalf of the team.
Everyone takes their seats, and questions fly like snowflakes.
“Jason, the Grizzlies are seen by many as a team with uncertainty—what prompted you to agree to this trade?”
“Uncertainty? That’s just the outside view. To me, the Grizzlies are as ‘certain’ a team as it gets—like Eli is an undeniable genius.” Kidd pauses briefly, scanning the reporters. “I’ve faced Michael Jordan and gone up against Kobe Bryant. And just recently, I played Eli twice, and he led his team to victory both times. To me, he’s destined to be the next great Hall of Famer. I’m very excited to have the opportunity to play alongside him.”
This statement brings a smile to Xu Ling’s face and eases many local Memphis media reporters on site.
But as everyone knows, Kidd is no “nice guy”—in fact, he’s caused significant drama in every team he’s played for. And Xu Ling is similarly seen as a recognized “troublemaker.” This old-young pairing inevitably gives the vibe of “throwing a lighter next to a bomb.”
The questions then shift to Xu Ling.
“Eli, how do you view partnering with Jason Kidd? Will this change your role on the team?”
“I’ve long wanted someone to pass me the ball. You know, I’m not the type to dribble for twenty seconds. With Jason, I might not even get to dribble past half court—that’s perfect. From now on, I’ll just shoot, drive, and catch-and-dunk. If one day I break the rim at FedEx Forum, don’t be surprised.”
Laughter erupts on site; Xu Ling is just such an enigmatic figure—all who don’t know him say he’s hard to get along with, a bully, but this bully always brings joy off the court.
The questions then turn to another key player in this trade, Josh Howard.
Most people’s impression of him is “ugly,” and up close, no beauty emerges—instead, the ugliness is confirmed.
No way around it—anyone with the thickened lips of the Flower of Evil and the buckteeth of Bucktooth Pearl can never connect with beauty or handsomeness in their life.
“Josh, coming from a contending team to a growing one—does that create a drop-off for you?”
Howard’s answer is meticulous, almost textbook: “The Dallas experience was valuable, but I’m looking forward to starting a new chapter in Memphis. There’s a young core here, outstanding management—I believe we can do something special together.”
Overall, the press conference goes as smoothly as expected.
There’s no unfriendly atmosphere on site; after the players finish interviews, West shares the trade insider story publicly.
The insider story is interesting, but West isn’t always interesting, so a Memphis reporter asks: “Do you think this trade is ultimately the right one?”
This leaves West momentarily silent.
The silent moment stirs a hint of awkward atmosphere.
Then West breaks it gravely: “In the NBA, there are no absolutely right decisions, only decisions that must be made.”
“Now, we have the great Jason Kidd, the tough Josh Howard, and three other excellent players,” West says slowly. “But we also bid farewell to an era. An old era. We won’t look back wondering if it was right or wrong, because the new era has arrived—we just pray it will be better than the last.”
After the press conference, the team and media go about their business.
The Grizzlies will face the visiting Utah Jazz with a depleted roster, while the new arrivals get to sit courtside and watch how their new team plays.
Before the game, Xu Ling is preparing in the locker room when Kidd sits down at the locker next to him.
“Something up, JK?”
Xu Ling asks.
“Just wondering how confident you are about tonight’s game.” Kidd seems unconcerned about the outcome. “You have to face Utah with a depleted team.”
Xu Ling smiles and asks: “How confident do you think I should be?”
“50%?” Kidd says optimistically. “Maybe less.”
Xu Ling smiles, stands up, stomps his feet hard—everything feels normal; he’s in top form.
“Veteran.” Xu Ling casually gives Kidd a clichéd nickname. “You new guys just watch from the sidelines and learn how we welcome new friends in Memphis.”
“As for my confidence in this game,” Xu Ling shrugs slightly, “that’s the welcome gift I prepared for you.”
With that, Xu Ling pats Darko Milicic, who is praying for tonight’s game, and walks out of the locker room.
The Grizzlies’ new arrivals are still processing.
Veteran Eddie Jones chuckles: “Don’t mind him, Eli’s like that—he’s actually very easy to get along with.”
Vladimir Radmanovic, not yet dubbed “Ski Guy,” laughs and asks: “Would Rudy Gay agree?”
The locker room atmosphere turns cheerful again. In any case, as time passes, the story of Xu Ling kicking Rudy Gay out of Memphis will be retold by generations in increasingly bizarre ways—who was right, who was wrong, won’t matter; what’s important is it defined Xu Ling and serves as a reminder to the new Grizzlies arrivals.
In Memphis, there’s one person you can’t afford to offend: the No. 1 guy who bounces around promising a victory as a welcome gift.
