The strategic arms race among the teams had come to an end, and the executives in the front offices gradually fell silent as well.
But online discussion exploded even further afterward.
Fans passionately debated the Golden State Warriors' true strength, the futures of teams like the Suns and Timberwolves, why James had not left, and just how many wins the Knicks could secure this season...
After the dust settled on wave after wave of trade reinforcements, perhaps the people who needed the most time to accept and adjust to reality were the fans themselves~~
Time continued to pass, and February 9 arrived in no time.
Just as public discussion had quieted down somewhat, another announcement released by the League began a grand new round of hype for the upcoming All-Star Weekend.
Because today, they had revealed the participant list for this year's All-Star Slam Dunk Contest.
And the name "Chris Chen" was prominently listed on it.
Chen Xi was finally entering the Slam Dunk Contest!
Just when fans had thought all hope was gone and were preparing to accept that Chen Xi, like James, would refuse to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest throughout his entire career, Chen Xi suddenly stepped forward and gave them hope and anticipation once again.
Even though the other participants in this Slam Dunk Contest did not seem particularly high-profile.
Just seeing the names Chen Xi, Jaylen Brown, and Aaron Gordon on the list was already enough to excite the fans.
Perhaps this year's All-Star Slam Dunk Contest would be even more worth anticipating than the All-Star Game itself.
Unfortunately, fans still had to wait patiently before All-Star Weekend arrived.
There was still one week until the February 17 All-Star Weekend.
For many fans, that week would likely be rather agonizing.
The focus returned