Madman: It's Okay, I Can Play as a Substitute!

That reaction caught both Van Gundy and Ernie Grunfeld somewhat by surprise. They had assumed Li Fei would prefer a position he was more familiar with.

"Yes, small forward."

Grunfeld picked up the thread. "If you play the three, your height and strength will be every small forward in the league's nightmare. Scottie Pippen, Grant Hill, Glen Rice... no one can match you physically. That would create an unprecedented mismatch advantage."

"I like that idea." Li Fei answered without hesitation. "I want to try a new challenge. And playing small forward means I can initiate more offense from the perimeter with the ball in my hands and have greater control over the game. Defensively, my wingspan will also let me help better and shut down passing lanes."

His answer was crisp and decisive, brimming with confidence.

A weight lifted from Van Gundy's heart, but another, thornier problem surfaced.

"Very good. Then if you play small forward, Donyell Marshall will be our starting power forward. Sabonis at center, Allan Houston at shooting guard. Now the question is, for the final starting guard spot, who do you think is more suitable between Larry Johnson and Latrell Sprewell?"

This was the real test of a leader's wisdom.

One was Grandmama, a veteran contributor to last season's championship, a respected voice in the locker room whose form had declined somewhat.

The other was the newly arrived Madman, immensely talented but hot-tempered—a ticking time bomb that could blow up the locker room at any moment.

Li Fei fell silent for a moment.

He knew this decision was more than a tactical choice; it concerned the team's chemistry and internal stability.

"From a tactical standpoint," Li Fei began slowly, his thoughts clear, "Allan is a pure shooter. He doesn't need the ball. We need an offensive