Pope of Basketball.

Summary

In this chapter, Yang Rui reflects on the potential of Aaron Brooks, a speedy point guard known as "Little Black Bean," who was drafted by the Rockets. Despite his impressive skills, including a 3.2-second sprint and a strong offensive performance in the 2009-10 season, Brooks struggled defensively and faced injuries that hindered his career. Yang Rui considers utilizing Brooks in a dual-guard lineup to enhance the Lakers' counterattacks. Yang Rui also drafts power forward Carl Landry, who had a successful college career but fell in the draft due to concerns about his height and injury history. Landry's scoring ability is seen as valuable for the Lakers, despite his limited skills and poor defense. The chapter discusses the Lakers' roster decisions, including releasing free agents like Diaw, while considering the team's depth in the paint. Yang Rui emphasizes the importance of having players who fit well together and critiques the outdated strategies of some NBA managers. He plans to provide a list of potential free-agent targets to Kupchak for further team development.

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