In fact, in last season’s Pacers strategy, there was already an element of "small ball" play.
But at that time, young O’Neal hadn’t lost weight yet, and with Reggie Miller aging, they simply couldn’t maintain that lineup for long.
Now it’s different. With the addition of Dior and the return of Artest, along with young O’Neal and Su Wan, the Pacers have even more potential to play "defense counterattack." As for when this will be realized, it depends on how well the team can mesh together.
Su Wan couldn’t predict that.
He could only guide Rick Carlisle to study and develop as much as possible from the sidelines. After all, he was only a player, not the head coach, and he didn’t have as extensive a tactical reserve as Rick Carlisle.
The key was for young O’Neal to cooperate.
So far, the progress has been very smooth.
As for the remaining hidden dangers:
The conflict between young O’Neal and Artest...
Su Wan would also try to find a way to resolve it before the new season began.
After the party, Su Wan returned to his training.
By late August, Su Wan’s physical attributes had undergone noticeable changes over the past month:
"Upper Body Strength: 71→79 (84); Lower Body Strength: 72→80 (84); Core Strength: 79→84 (90); Coordination: 74→80 (84); Speed: 75→76 (78); Cross Movement: 75→77 (80); Explosive Power: 82→85 (90); Jumping: 85 (85); Physical Fitness: 78→82 (88); Injury Resistance: 90 (90);"
In one sentence:
Su Wan’s strength improved, his physique became more stable, his explosive power stronger, and his stamina more enduring...
He reaped a full harvest!
He was going through the autumn, while dear LeBron was weathering winter in Cleveland.
In early August, he officially fired the Goodwin Brothers, but problems followed. Richie Paul was smart, but he couldn’t just take over so many things at once; he needed some experience in big companies, meaning LeBron would still need to find an interim agent.
Many agents came forward, but LeBron needed to think it over carefully; for now, there was no answer.
Then there was the Cavaliers’ summer recruitment. He saw a lot of news, and Danny Ferry tried hard, but in the end...
Michael Red did not come; he remained the "Deer King" in Milwaukee. Deng Liwei and Prince also did not come; they stayed with their respective teams. In the end, the Cavaliers only signed Larry Hughes, who was last season’s "Best Defensive Lineup" and "Steal King."
There were still gains to be had.
But compared to the news LeBron saw, it was somewhat "more bark than bite."
"Cleveland is really too small; nobody wants to come here!" That’s what LeBron thought.
And about the coaching staff, Brandon Malone had voluntarily submitted his resignation after last season.
Everyone thought the Cavaliers would find a coach with a rich tactical reserve like Rick Carlisle, but the management searched high and low and ultimately settled on a "rookie coach" named Mike Brown.
Furthermore, Brandon Malone left, but he pushed his son, Mike Malone, into management, who was also green...
From his own agent, to the team’s reinforcements, to changes in the coaching staff, everything was far from what LeBron had originally imagined. The saddest part was that he realized how far the new season’s Cavaliers would go now depended entirely on Zhu Fangyu.
It was all about the surprises he could bring.
His current predicament was brought upon by Su, a Huaxia person. Unexpectedly, whether he could turn things around or not depended on another Huaxia person...
Ah, fate!