The mid-season trade deadline is a different kind of NBA carnival celebration for fans and media. There are shocking gossips, rumors of merging the league's giants and various rumors. Many people may still be there one second before the trade deadline. Pull down the screen to see if there are any updates. However, players have a completely different mood during this period when it comes to seeing their names appear in reports or trade packages. The next second they may have to pack their bags and travel to a team thousands of miles away, or even to a game. Being suddenly notified of the trade in the middle of the game is like Harrison Barens, who was still with the Mavericks in the 2018-19 season, and was at a loss when he was notified of the trade in the middle of the game.
The significance of the transaction to the fans or the media is just a movement of the strength map, but for the players and their families, it means leaving their families and familiar cities, and they can only stay temporarily in hotels arranged by the team. During this period, Not only do you have to adapt to the new environment and team system, you also have to face various adjustments to your emotions and mentality.
Jitters before the trade deadline
When NBA whistleblower Adrian Wojnarowski wrote about the former Pelicans star on social mediaAnthony DavisThe moment they shouted "Sell me", the Lakers became the most active buyers, using the four young players as their main bargaining chips. Various rumors and rumors circulated every day. All the young Lakers players were more or less in a state of panic. They looked at the constantly updated reports in major sports media and were worried that they would appear in the package at any time. "This is my first experience. Although I know this is the business model of the NBA, I also know that I need to show the professional attitude of a player, but I just can't help but think about it. I feel anxious as soon as I turn on my phone." Kyle Kuzma said, "I told myself to be calm. What is most needed now is professionalism and maintaining performance." Lonzo Ball said .
Further reading:Modern-day beast Anthony Davis Top 5 peak moments of the Pelicans era
The Lakers are no stranger to this situation, because an almost identical plot happened more than two years ago. In order to recruit superstars in the summer, the Lakers actively sold young players before the trade deadline, including Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. .Waiting, Andrew Bogut, who was still playing for the Lakers at the time, believed that the team's almost public handling of the situation made the players very frustrated. "The team's momentum is almost gone. Everyone knows that the trade will happen, but the waiting period is always very frustrating." Restless." For the experienced Bogut, this is just the business operation of the NBA and should not be allowed to affect the state of the game, but it is a big challenge for young players. "It is difficult to tell this group of talented young people Don’t think too much, but facing pressure and external noise, you can only survive through self-adjustment.”
Compared with the anxiety of the Lakers' young players, the Celtics' young players, who are also involved in the Anthony Davis trade, are more stable. On the one hand, the Celtics have to wait until the summer vacation to operate, and on the other hand, the mentality is different. According to ESPN reports,Jayson TatumHe doesn't care about being traded to the Pelicans. "He believes that players with quality can play their role wherever they go, and he has already proven his ability in the playoffs." Brian Windhorst mentioned in his blog, and the same Terry Rozier, who appeared on the trade list, also seemed to be old-fashioned. When interviewed by the media, he said that what he needs is an opportunity, "I don't particularly care whether I will be traded, nor am I worried about it, but I need playing time and performance. Chance."
Further reading:Boston's new core - Jayson Tatum's top 5 career moments
According to most players, it is an unwritten rule not to discuss trade rumors in the locker room. "We will not discuss trade news. Everyone will know these rumors, but no one will discuss them." Dorell Wright, a retired star with 11 years of NBA experience, said Rashard Lewis believes that trade rumors will not affect the team atmosphere, but they will indeed affect an individual's mental state. "When you find your name appears in rumors, you are walking on thin ice every day. Your professional attitude tells you not to think about it, but in fact you can't." Remove it from your mind."
The Knicks have a dismal record this season and have also encountered many "atmosphere" problems within the team. The Knicks were reported by the media to conduct aggressive auctions before the trade deadline in order to make room for locked-in big-name stars. Former Knicks general manager Coach David Fizdale believed that the players' moods were ups and downs during that period, and the team's state at that time also fell into an unprecedented low, suffering an 18-game losing streak. "Many players' minds were not on the court. Many people were more concerned about WOJ's Twitter than winning. Update." Compared to the Knicks, the management and coaches brushed aside any trade rumors and declared that they would focus on the playoffs. The Thunder only lost 1 game in 10 games before the trade deadline. "Don't worry about the trade, we can fully focus on it. On the court, focus on winning," Paul George said.
