He always valued Curry’s killer instinct to make three-pointers in crucial moments.
And Bernard King, as an old-school forward, his offensive skills have become outdated.
As a small forward, his long-range shooting has always been inadequate.
He can only play in fast breaks and mid-to-close range collaborations in set plays.
Not to mention, Bernard King’s defense has always been a major flaw.
In the 90s, with increasingly higher defense levels and stronger confrontations, King is destined to find no place for himself.
But as a friend, a promise made must still be attempted.
If it succeeds, it succeeds. If not, it can only be left to fate.
The next day, the entire Trail Blazers team took a bus to Philadelphia, preparing for a game against the 76ers.
Gan Guoyang mentioned Bernard King to the accompanying team general manager Jerry West.
"Bernard? I don’t think he’s up to it," West shook his head.
Then he analyzed the reasons.
As Guoyang had thought, the issues were with his playing style and defense.
In recent years, the Trail Blazers have always been at the forefront of the league.
They are the team with the best spacing and strongest long-range shooting in the entire NBA.
Many times, the Trail Blazers were a cross-generational blow to other teams.
Generally, strong teams couldn’t last more than three rounds against the Trail Blazers in the playoffs.
"And our roster is full. If we want to sign Bernard, we need to trade away a player."
"February 25th is the trade deadline, and we currently have no trade plans."
February 25th is today. After finishing the game against the Knicks, the trade gate will close by midnight.
If the Trail Blazers don’t move anyone in their current lineup, there’s no spot for Bernard King.
Gan Guoyang shrugged and said, "I’m just asking for a friend. The decision isn’t mine."
Jerry West was noncommittal, his face calm and expressionless.
No matter the situation, he mostly had this expression.
Constant thinking, constant calculating.
Perhaps at this moment, his mind was evaluating everything.
Even if he didn’t agree to sign Bernard King at face value, in the NBA, overturning past conclusions is not uncommon.
At night, Eastern Time, 7 o’clock, the Portland Trail Blazers challenged the Philadelphia 76ers away.
After Dr. J Irving retired and Moses Malone left, the 76ers completely fell apart.
A series of trades and drafts they made were all unsuccessful.
They even made many bad choices, leading to the team getting worse and worse.
In the new era, these traditional teams were all sinking.
The solidification of thinking, outdated management methods, and nepotism in the management were causing these once-old powerhouses to fall behind.
This season, the 76ers’ record is bottom in the Eastern Conference, naturally no match for the Portland Trail Blazers.
However, playing at home, the 76ers still gave their all to maintain a bit of the old powerhouse city’s glory.
In situations where skills were inferior, the 76ers inevitably played with increased intensity, utilizing the home whistle advantage.
In the third quarter of the game, Petrović called for a pick-and-roll.
Davis came over to screen for Petrović, and the 76ers players were sticking closely.
In the process of trailing defense, Jose Hawkins stretched out his leg and tripped the penetrating Petrović.
The referee called a defensive foul on Hawkins, who raised his hand to acknowledge it, not wanting Petrović to squeeze past easily.
But it wasn’t that simple. After falling, Petrović clutched his knee and couldn’t get up.
After his teammates helped him up, he tried to walk a few steps but was in unbearable pain.
On the advice of the team doctor, he had to withdraw from the game and return to the locker room.
Jerry West no longer cared about the game’s result, turned around, and also returned to the locker room.
Gan Guoyang led the team to finish the rest of the game. The Trail Blazers defeated the struggling 76ers 109-101, securing their second road win in the Eastern Conference journey.
However, at this time, no one cared about a single win or loss. After the All-Star Game, the Trail Blazers entered a sprinting state.
Any injury to a player is unfavorable for the playoffs.
The team doctor conducted a simple check on Petrović’s injury in the locker room and believed it was a ligament issue in the knee.
It might be a knee ligament strain, and rest for one to two weeks should suffice for recovery.
However, the Trail Blazers’ cautious medical system determined that no conclusions could be easily made.
Jerry West asked the doctor, "Are you sure it’s a ligament strain and that just a week’s or two’s rest would suffice?"
The team doctor shook his head, saying, "On the surface, yes, but the actual situation requires a check in Portland to know. Personally, I guess the situation might not be optimistic, and we should be prepared."
West understood how fragile a person’s knee could be, needing to make two preparations.
Decisively, West immediately called several teams, selling Mark Bryant.
The trade chip was simple, a second-round draft pick and some cash.
West wanted to free up a signing spot.
If Petrović’s injury turned out to be serious, the Trail Blazers could sign a backcourt player in the free market.
The Trail Blazers already had enough players in the post, with PJ Brown, Davis, and Kossie able to step up.
Mark Bryant was somewhat redundant, and trading him away wouldn’t be a loss.
Soon, a team agreed to the trade, the Philadelphia 76ers.
Mark Bryant was initially going to leave with the Trail Blazers to the next city, Washington.
Now, with the trade completed, he didn’t have to go; he could stay directly in Philadelphia.
Jerry West quickly notified Bryant in the locker room, "Mark, sorry, you don’t have to go to the next stop. Stay here; you’ve been traded to Philadelphia."