One Thousand Two Hundred and Eight: Another Lick

Link was a little surprised to receive a call from Dwight Howard.

After all, Howard can be considered one of Link's enemies. When Howard was with the Rockets, the two sides had problems.

Talking trash to each other on the court is considered minor, and Howard and Grizzlies players even had several physical conflicts.

At that time, Howard was very angry. Not only did he attack Link, but he also did not let go of Kobe, Garnett and others who were very high in the league at that time.

Link has never been a generous person, so he still doesn't have a good impression of Howard.

Therefore, even though the Grizzlies are in urgent need of a high-quality blue-collar center, and even if there is no one in the free agent market, Link and the Grizzlies management have never considered Howard.

I just didn't expect that Howard would actually come to my door.

Link was still hesitant to answer the call, but thinking of Howard's low profile this summer, he still answered it.

First listen to what he is going to do. If it doesn't work, just hang up.

"Hello?"

"Link, I thought you wouldn't answer my call, great!" Howard seemed very happy on the phone.

"What's the matter?" Link's attitude was still cold, which was completely different from his attitude towards Rose.

"Hahaha, I just heard rumors that you are looking for a center. Link, I can help you, really!"

"You can't help me, Dwight. Besides, recruiting is a matter for the management. You don't need to call me." Link curled his lips. This was indeed a "sales call."

"I know the Grizzlies front office won't sign me if you don't give me the nod. Let's meet, Link. Anywhere, I can come to you in Memphis. I can do anything, pick-and-roll, Defense, rebounds, I don't even need the ball. The person I was before is dead, Link, and I just want a chance."

Howard gave Link another good lick, which even made Link think that the person talking to him on the phone was not Howard.

What was Howard like before? Conceited, thinks highly of himself, and speaks harshly. Starting with the Lakers, then moving on to the Rockets, Hawks, Hornets and Wizards, he caused problems in every team's locker room.

Do you expect him to be able to talk to such a "cancer in the locker room"?

But at this time,

Howard kept his attitude extremely low.

These days, Link has also seen a lot of news related to Howard on the Internet.

He has apologized for the exchange of insults with Kobe back then, and said that now he just wants to focus on the game.

In short, the attitude has completely changed 180° from before.

But then I thought about it, this guy also has a bunch of illegitimate children waiting for alimony. If he can't find a job this season, he'll probably go crazy.

Has Howard really matured? Link didn't know.

But under the pressure of life, it is indeed easier for a man to mature.

"Link?" Seeing that Link didn't reply for a long time, Howard asked again.

"This is not a place for me to play happy basketball. Our goal next season is four consecutive championships. It's a tough goal. Guys who don't want to win can't find their place here. So, Dwight, go to an easier place." Memphis is not the place for you, I'm serious." Link ultimately rejected Howard.

The atmosphere in the Grizzlies' locker room has always been very good over the years, and this is the basis for the Grizzlies to build two dynasties. Link does not dare to risk breaking this atmosphere.

After Link finished speaking, he was about to hang up the phone when he heard Howard's deep voice: "I just want a chance for redemption, Link. I know you don't like me. If I want to go to a more relaxed place, I won't call." The call is for you. Believe it or not, I want to win now, and I understand Kobe now. In order to win, I can do anything. Really, if you don’t believe it, you can even sign a non-profit agreement with me first. A guaranteed contract, if I don’t do well, you can fire me at any time.”

Link, who was about to press the hang up button, suddenly hesitated. Howard's attitude was too low. As a former superstar, can he accept a non-guaranteed contract now?

Non-guaranteed contracts are generally signed by undrafted players and Development League players. Even a mediocre ordinary rotation player will never be willing to accept a non-guaranteed contract.

To put it bluntly, a non-guaranteed contract means that the team can throw you away like garbage whenever they want, and lay you off at almost no cost.

"I won't believe you until you prove it, Dwight. Ask your manager to contact the front office and they will arrange interviews and workouts for you."

"What!?" Hearing this, Howard couldn't restrain himself.

Link promised himself! ?

"Forget it if you didn't hear it, let's leave it at that." After finishing speaking, Link finally hung up the phone.

He didn't like Howard and still doesn't.

But Howard's mentality has indeed changed dramatically this summer.

Link believed that people would change, let alone a man in his thirties.

See what that guy can do, and it's not too late to make a decision.

Putting aside all stereotypes, Howard is indeed an excellent blue-collar center. Although his strength is far from his peak, his playing style is not suitable for this space-conscious era.

But after all, the foundation is there, and it’s good to do some dirty work during substitute time.

The key is whether Howard is willing to do the dirty work. This is the crux of the problem and the reason why he has been abandoned time and time again before.

They obviously only want to sign a high-level blue-collar player, but Howard regards himself as the core.

It's amazing that he can integrate into the team by doing this.

You're called to play pick-and-roll but you're not happy when you don't have the ball. Who's spoiling you now?

But what if Howard was willing to accept his role?

Link didn't continue to think about it. Anyway, let's see what that guy does next.

After all, there are almost no high-quality centers that can still be signed.

※※※

If you want to know what the real ups and downs of life are, then look at the experience of Dwight Howard.

In 2004, he entered the NBA as the last No. 1 pick out of high school students. In his rookie season, he played in all 82 games as a starter.

He immediately became a popular player due to his explosive playing style and lovable personality.

He faces everyone with a smile every day, even his own opponents.

Howard's popularity skyrocketed when he dunked as Superman in the dunk contest. Everyone likes this player who plays well, looks good, and has a funny personality.

In addition to his personality and popularity, there is no doubt about Howard's strength.

He once led the team to defeat James' Cavaliers and reach the finals. He is a man who personally destroyed 24VS23.

After leading the team to the finals that year, he was also known as the only player in the league who could replace James alone.

At his peak, he averaged 22.9 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. He was the best defensive player for three consecutive years and was selected to the All-NBA team five times.

During the period when Yao Ming and O'Neal disappeared, he was definitely the league's number one center.

Such a guy, according to the conventional script, should win the championship in a certain year and then reach the top of his life.

But this is not the case. After joining the Lakers in the 12-13 season, Dwight Howard changed.

Howard's ongoing injuries, his ups and downs in commitment, and the league's quietly occurring "small ball revolution" have caused him to gradually fall behind the ranks of the league's elite.

However, he has no clear understanding of this and still regards himself as a big-name football star. He was unwilling to put down his body and change himself, but instead blamed others.

After leaving the Rockets, he changed four teams in three years and lived a wandering life. His inconsistent performance has made many teams shy away from him. His poor relationships with his teammates meant he was tossed around.

In the end, after only playing 9 games last season, it was reduced to the point where there was no ball to play.

This is Dwight Howard's career, which perfectly illustrates what is meant by falling off a cliff.

To be honest, Link didn't have any expectations for Howard. He thought that the guy was licking her so badly just to find a cash cow so that he could continue to earn support for his illegitimate children.

However, when Howard came to FedEx Arena for personal training one afternoon in advance, Link found that the guy seemed to be serious this time.

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