Chapter 599: 599
Karaby found out he was being traded when he saw the reports on the news .
Karaby might have felt slighted, but he was used to it . The 35-year-old had completely fallen out of the team's rotation last season . Even during unimportant games, the head coach was not willing to give him too much playing time . He had only played 24 games the entire season .
Karaby had been brilliant when he was younger . He was 6 . 9 feet tall and had a wingspan of 7 . 5 feet . Everyone thought he was born to play basketball
Karaby had entered the NBA as a model player . He received was named the blocked shot leader just two years in . Although he was never on the All-Star team, he was named blocked shot leader four times, won NBA defensive player of the year award, and the best defender twice . Looking at the honors that he had received, Karaby was definitely one of the best defenders in the NBA .
Karaby was capable in scoring and he could even make three-pointers . However, due to his defensive ability, he never had many chances to shoot .
As a player that played inside the three-point line, he was relatively light . He was only 235 pounds . Many players on the frontline were stronger than him . For this reason, he was more vulnerable to injuries . This greatly reduced his overall performance in an otherwise brilliant career .
However, it was because of his lightweight that Karaby's movements were flexible and quick . With his excellent wingspan, he could guard against the smaller players and also supplement the team's defense . These features were suitable in an era where the small ball style was popular . However, all this was only relevant when Karaby was younger .
The aging of basketball players who had larger physiques was much more serious than the aging of smaller players . Five years ago, Karaby was named the NBA's blocked shot leader . Now, the only thing he had left was his wide wingspan and his vast experience in the NBA . Due to his age, his body was no longer as nimble as it was . It was not possible for him to jump like a young man . He had also never been a strong player inside the three-point line . He wasn't even fit to act as a human shield underneath the basket .
The Nuggets gave Karaby a five-year contract for $55 million . For a 35-year-old, this was the last contract before his retirement from his professional basketball career . However, Karaby deteriorated faster than the Nuggets expected . As he aged, his injuries became more frequent, reducing Karaby's effectiveness on the court . Eventually, he was taken off the team's rotation .
Karaby's current two-year contract for $23 million was not very high, but for a player who couldn't get on the court and had to sit on the sidelines, it was garbage .
Karaby knew that this contract was basically his pension, so he was not planning on competing with the younger guys . As long as he could live comfortably, finish getting his pension, and then retire from the NBA, he was satisfied .
. . .
Karaby's agent contacted him for the first time after the transaction,
"I can't believe the Nuggets actually traded you to the Clippers . There weren't any rumors about this . I only saw when I watched the news," the agent complained .
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"That's how I learned of it too . The Clippers haven't contacted me yet," Karaby said . "I am hesitating whether or not I should go to Los Angeles to report in . "
"The deal is done . You have no power to refuse," the agent said .
"No . I mean I don't know if it's worth it to go to L . A . " Karaby sighed depressingly . "I think the Clippers will dismiss me . I just saw the Clippers' roster . They already have 17 people . This means they have to dismiss two people . I will be one of them . "
"It is a possibility . Ronny and the Clippers have already fallen out because of the contract renewal . That's why the Clippers used Ronny to trade for a draft pick . Your current contract has no value . There are still two years left . If they wanted to free up their finances, they would have to wait for a year . It's better to dismiss you straight away," the agent said . He was not considerate to Karaby at all .
"I am waiting for the news of my dismissal from the Clippers . I thought I would be playing for another two years before retiring . Now it seems that I won't even get to play this season . I have to retire in advance," Karaby said, sounding helpless .
After he ended the call with his agent, Karaby sat alone in his living room and recalled the glorious moments in his career . It was as if he was saying goodbye to basketball .
His phone suddenly rang . The number on it was odd but Karaby did not think much about it . He answered out of habit .
"Is this Karaby?" The person on the line asked .
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"Yes, I am Karaby . Who are you?" Karaby asked in a neutral tone .
"I am Dai Li, the head coach of the Clippers . You probably know who I am, right?" the person on the line said .
Karaby was shocked .
Is the Clippers coach, Dai Li, going to inform me of my dismissal personally? Karaby thought .
However, Dai Li said, "I think you already know that you have been traded to the Clippers . When will you come to Los Angeles to report in?"
"Go to Los Angeles to report in?" Karaby was surprised again .
From the sound of this, they might not dismiss me, Karaby realized .
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Dai Li then said, "If possible, I hope that you can come to Los Angeles early . I have developed a training program for you . It may help you to restore you to your youthful state . "
. . .
"There will be a total of six months this regular season . From November of this year to April of next year . The playoffs will end in June next year . That means that a team has eight months of competition from the start of the season to the end of the playoffs . "
Dai Li wrote an "8" as he was speaking .
According to the calculations of the age-reducing card, to last for eight months, he needs to be five years younger . Karaby is 35 years old, and if he becomes five years younger, he will have the body of a 30-years-old . If I remember correctly, Karaby was the blocked shot leader in the NBA five years ago!
Dai Li couldn't help but laugh when he thought this .
The current Karaby would be useless . However, if Dai Li used the age-reduction card on Karaby and made his body five years younger, Karaby would be back at his peak . He would be the blocked shot leader in the free-throw lane, just as he had been in the past .
Everyone thought that my biggest gain in the deal with the Nuggets was the first-round draft pick . In fact, Karaby is my biggest gain!Please download our sponsor's game to support us!