Pope of Basketball.

Summary

During the draft conference, the Clippers received trade proposals due to their surplus of perimeter players. Yang Rui decided to reject all trades until after the summer league, as they needed to finalize a roster of 15 players and could send those without game opportunities to the Development League. The Clippers applied to form a new team, the "Facebook Minions," in the NBDL, aiming to align with the league's expansion from 8 to 20 teams. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver seeks to have all NBA teams affiliated with a Development League team. Although playing in the NBDL can help players transition to the NBA, low salaries compared to the NBA may drive talent overseas. The NBDL has a fixed salary structure, with tiers ranging from $13,000 to $25,500, and a team salary cap of $173,000. Players see the NBDL as a stepping stone to the NBA, as demonstrated by Devon Booker, who felt nervous about potential trades and the Clippers' guard surplus. Yang Rui had specific plans for Booker, envisioning him as a backup to enhance offensive capabilities. After the draft conference, rookies were urged to prepare for the summer league, with performance determining their future. Yang Rui needed to find a new assistant coach after Tai Long Lu left for the Cavaliers. He chose Jie Te Li Ya Nuo, a seasoned coach with extensive experience but limited success. Yang Rui believed that Te Li Ya Nuo's past failures were not due to a lack of ability but rather the absence of strong teams. Yang Rui then traveled to China for a "China Tour," where he was warmly received by fans and media. He expressed intentions to develop Chinese basketball and improve the CBA league. In Shanghai, he met Yao Ming, who had retired and aimed to contribute to basketball development in China. Yang Rui's daughter, Shelley, was invited to cameo in a film, generating buzz due to their shared name. Throughout the tour, Yang Rui's fame and influence in basketball were evident, surpassing even that of past legends like Michael Jordan.

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