Logo: Li Fei can replace O'Neal!

"SS?"

Scott Layden sounded surprised upon hearing this: "Did I hear you correctly, Karl?"

Although he knew that Karl Malone had given Li Fei high praise in an interview following that game.

But surely it shouldn't be to this extent?

Although the TNT newspapers wrote that Li Fei's draft template was Hakeem Olajuwon, the newspapers in the Bay Area even hyped Li Fei up as the next Jabbar, the next Bill Russell.

But draft reports are just that.

They are meant to be taken with a grain of salt.

They only indicate that Li Fei's characteristics are slightly similar to theirs, but can he really reach that height?

Do you really think a Jordan or a Jabbar pops up in every year's draft?

"Believe me, he will definitely be more than just an A-grade player in the future."

Malone continued his statement: "I have seen his talent up close, and it is far more explosive than it appears on video."

"Furthermore, Michael Jordan has retired, and the league no longer has a dominant guard. The only ones with true MVP-level strength are those few centers and power forwards."

"Our core opponents in the West for the Jazz are all led by centers."

Layden agreed with this point made by Malone.

In recent years, the league has been a battlefield of one superpower and many strong contenders.

And the "many strong" are primarily represented by the Four Great Centers and the Four Great Power Forwards.

If it weren't for the overwhelming dominance of Michael Jordan, this era would still be one where the interior reigns supreme.

Now that Jordan has left the NBA, barring any surprises, the Four Great Centers and the Four Great Power Forwards will clash violently over the next few years.

In the West, there is The Admiral, the Flying Pig Barkley, and the Reign Man Kemp.

In the East, there is the Gorilla Ewing, the Magic's Shark, and the young Alonzo Mourning.

Even Chris Webber, Vin Baker, the Worm Rodman, and the African Mountain Dikembe Mutombo...

Each one is a mountain that is difficult to overcome.

The future MVP will definitely be born from these names.

The league will return to an era where the interior is king.

Against this backdrop, although the Jazz have Karl Malone, Malone prefers the power forward position. His help-defense and rim-protection abilities as a center are not top-tier, making it very difficult to contend with The Admiral in the playoffs.

In the first round of the playoffs last season, they even lost to the SuperSonics led by the Reign Man Kemp.

This year, these Western teams will certainly continue to reinforce their interior.

"You're right."

Layden nodded: "MJ's departure has brought us a huge opportunity."

"If we don't reinforce our interior, we are very likely to fall behind."

Thinking of this, Layden looked at Li Fei's name in the newspaper.

He picked up a red pen and put a checkmark next to it.

"We will seriously consider Li Fei; he is at least our top candidate right now."

"The league is returning to the era of the center."

This has already become a consensus recognized by everyone in the league.

In order to compete for the championship in the year of Jordan's retirement, or rather, not to be eliminated by the tide of the era.

Many teams have begun to focus their reinforcement efforts on the interior.

"I'm afraid we won't even make the playoffs this year."

United States, Los Angeles.

In the Lakers' general manager's office at the Great Western Forum, the team's current general manager Jerry West felt a headache just looking at the Lakers' roster: "James Worthy just told me this is the final year of his career."

For the Lakers, the last few years can be described as a troubled time.

Two years ago, in 1991, the Lakers were at their peak. Even though they had just lost to Michael Jordan in the Finals, everyone thought that the two MJs would spark a Finals rivalry for at least the next three years.

But as it turned out...

Just a few months after the Finals ended, and having just married his wife, Magic Johnson was diagnosed with HIV and announced his retirement while at his peak.

Magic Johnson's private life was no less colorful than Wilt Chamberlain's, with countless conquests. For instance, he once rented an island with the Lakers' owner, where hundreds of women on the island were available for his pleasure. Magic even admitted to the media that he had been with over 2,000 women in his life; compared to Wilt Chamberlain's record of 20,000, this seemed significantly more plausible.

It was just that no one expected he would end up playing himself into such a situation...

Magic's departure and Worthy's decline caused the Lakers to plummet. The team didn't have a single player averaging over 15 points per game, and they only squeezed into the playoffs last season as the eighth seed in the West.

James Worthy's condition will certainly decline further this season.

The team began developing center Divac and guard Van Exel.

But with just these two things, could they really be expected to make the playoffs?

Whenever he looked at the Lakers' roster now, The Logo felt like punching someone.

He even started to wonder if that idiot Magic had contracted AIDS because he was sleeping with men.

"Michael's retirement should have been a golden opportunity for us Lakers to win a championship, but unfortunately, we happen to be in a rebuilding phase."

Mitch Kupchak, who was still the assistant general manager at the time, said, "Mr. Jerry, that young man from Lower Merion High School you've taken a liking to."

"I sent people to look into him; although he's only a sophomore, he is clearly a level above his peers."

"He still needs at least three years before he can enter the league."

The Logo had a sharp eye for talent.

The Showtime era of the Lakers.

The OK Duo.

And the future Death Lineup of the Warriors.

They were all masterpieces of The Logo.

Ever since Magic Johnson contracted AIDS, The Logo had been scouting for a new candidate.

And that young man from Lower Merion High School he had his eye on.

Was none other than Kobe Bryant.

"Kobe is still worth keeping an eye on, but he is not what we need right now."

The Logo pulled a newspaper from the stack beside him.

"I originally thought Kobe would be the successor to Michael Jordan, but with Michael retired, the most direct plan is to target a center for our rebuild."

"Are you talking about Shaq in Orlando?" Kupchak asked.

"Shaq is certainly strong, but Orlando isn't going to let Shaq go right now."

The Logo straightened the newspaper and pushed it in front of Kupchak: "Keep tracking this young man from the university for me."

"In him, I see the possibility of a budget replacement for the Shark!"

A budget replacement for the Shark?!

Mitch Kupchak looked at the newspaper in surprise.

In the center of the pictorial.

The man whose shoulders were nearly as wide as the frame was none other than:

Li Fei!!

(Please cast a gift, everyone. Just watching a free "Power for Love" video is fine. If any big spenders want to send a gift, I would be incredibly grateful!)

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