One Year Left to Play-Chapter 175 - 56: The Coaching Staff Wants to Go Crazy

It’s basically a gamble, otherwise, they wouldn’t have agreed to let Butch Baird choose Zhang Hao.

When asked to help as head coach to lead the team to tank, Butch Baird didn’t refuse, since the salary of a head coach is much higher than that of a scouting director.

It was also around that time that Randy Whitman transitioned from being Chuck Daly’s assistant to the chief assistant of Butch Baird, as taught by Chuck Daly.

Because only with the Brooklyn Nets could he, as an assistant, have such power; all tactics were his responsibility, and he could experiment with his strategies without worrying about the team’s record.

Initially, both were satisfied with such an arrangement, but now...

"Butch, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Why not? I think we can win some games, our players should also really want to win, to strive to win. Randy, don’t you want to see our players strive to win games?"

Using terms like striving to win, wanting to win.

Randy Whitman shook his head, but said, "Of course, I do."

For the players he personally selected, especially after convincing management to agree, there was always a bit of special fondness. Randy Whitman could easily understand Butch Baird’s thoughts.

Though never spoken, his actions always showed extra care.

Now when he says "our players," he practically only means Zhang Hao. If they hadn’t selected Zhang Hao, if Zhang Hao hadn’t shown such talent, if Zhang Hao hadn’t given him so much possibility, he would never have made such a change.

This could potentially cost them their jobs! If they affect the team’s tanking plans, the first to get axed is definitely the coaching staff, replaced with one willing to obediently take the fall.

Silent and speechless, after a while, Randy Whitman said, "I’ve suddenly become less interested in my current job, oh damn it, why would I want to go crazy with you? I still have to support my family!"

Listening to the management’s arrangements, doing their job properly, is also a way to get noticed by other teams. Following orders is a strength, this is where the Brooklyn Nets need them, as do many other teams.

In tanking, there has to be someone to take the fall, and the coach is most suitable for this role.

If they continue like this, maybe after this tanking journey ends, other teams might approach them for work; teams needing to tank will always want them, as long as they tank successfully.

But if they achieve something unexpected, it can also attract some teams’ attention, such as leading an underestimated team to win more games.

And if the benefits from the latter are greater, then the former is not as important, even if the latter involves risks, benefits always come with risks.

Another point, if a coach becomes famous for tanking, no team might want to hire them again, hiring them means openly planning to tank.

"Since you didn’t refuse, that means you agree."

"But it’s difficult, if our players lose a few more games, their momentum might quickly dissipate."

"That’s why we need to play well in the preseason. For us, winning any game is a win. I think you guessed who I want to help, but he really reignited my passion for basketball."

"Yes, I never thought our players would become so serious, so eager to win in a game, and it’s just a preseason game, just like his name, he’s truly an unpredictable factor, every time I see his expression before stepping on the court, I can’t help but get excited, even after all these years of retirement... but I never thought I’d go mad with a lunatic like you, from the moment you said you wanted to select a high schooler, I knew you were a lunatic..."

...

On the afternoon of the 13th, Zhang Hao followed the team to the next stop of the preseason. Tomorrow they will face the Bulls on the road.

The media’s sudden high praise for him in the news left him a bit dazed. He had expected his performance to draw attention, but he didn’t expect it to be this much.

A rookie’s stellar performance is always viewed very highly, often coupled with the word "future."

Feeling dazed, Zhang Hao had a bit of a headache about how to stay low-key.

He really wanted to keep a low profile, but it seemed that no matter what he did, he would end up being high-profile.

He really doesn’t care about these things; he would rather they didn’t exist.

Because he has experienced the benefits when opponents aren’t paying attention, when they overlook him, which means more time and opportunities to better adapt to NBA games.

From the airport to the hotel, he kept thinking about this, but when he got to the hotel and lay down on the bed...he realized these were all insignificant matters.

Indeed, in this city, his bit of fame is nothing.

Lying down, clearing his mind, thinking about nothing, the phone in his room suddenly rang.

He picked it up just in time, and before he could speak, Butch Baird on the other end said, "Aix, starting today, when playing away games, return to the hotel by 11 PM the night before the game. We’ll be doing room checks, so watch the time when you go out at night."

"Got it."

"Alright, I have more calls to make, I’ll hang up first."

Zhang Hao didn’t find anything unusual, just preparing to continue lying down.

Lying down is really comfortable; although lazy, laziness in itself is a comfortable thing.