Chapter 6 Successfully Signing with the NBA Team

Manager Ernie Grunfeld was not one to dawdle. Following the discussion, he promptly phoned his assistant, started the contract drafting process, and prepared to sign with them.

The New York Knicks could not afford to wait. The Summer League would commence in early July, and it would be laughable for the head coach to lead the team personally to scout fringe players and search for reserve talent.

There was an unwritten rule that it was always an assistant coach who led the team in Summer League, scrutinizing both players and assistant coaches.

The Summer League was a haven for free agents. Teams could sign contracts with anyone from the free market, invite international players to join. They were only responsible for providing accommodation and meals. If players didn't end up signing with NBA teams, they had no right to question. Their injuries were simply unfortunate events.

Some players participated in the Summer Leagues in Las Vegas, Orlando, and Long Beach. They aimed to play more games, showcase their abilities, and pursue a basic salary.

Tom also got a contract. Jeff prefered his defensive philosophy.

As for Ken, he was ruthlessly passed over. A person slow on tactical discussions couldn't work well together. A good assistant was brave enough to share the burden with the head coach; if they couldn't even articulate their thoughts, what value did they bring?

Three days later, Jerry and Tom reported to the general manager's office together and received their contracts.

The content wasn't complex. They were to participate in the team's daily training, tactical discussions, and accompany the team to away games, with a contract duration of one year.

Unless an individual held a prominent position as an assistant coach, they would begin with a standard salary and secure long-term contracts, usually as a result of active recruitment by a team.

No matter how impressive Jerry had been during the interview, he had to start like any newcomer in the industry, with an annual pre-tax salary of $150,000. Tom was set to earn even less, $120,000.

The offers were fair, because Tom couldn't stay with the struggling Philadelphia 76ers, and Jerry had no experience at all. If they proved themselves, the management would consider renewal; otherwise, they were just transitional coaches.

Tom was disgruntled that Jerry, relying on his interview performance, was made the team's lead assistant coach. Seeing him sign the contract calmly, Tom became curious about Jerry's background.

An annual salary of $100,000 was absolutely high in the United States. Why didn't Jerry seem to care?

This was because Jerry came from a time after the big NBA boom, when many assistant coaches made a million annually from 2015 onward, and player contracts were astronomically high. Jerry was not in it for the money but for a platform.

Jerry felt exhilarated. In his past life, his parents were no longer with him and he had nearly no contact with distant relatives; he was an orphan. In this era, without any hesitation, he only wanted to give everything a shot.

After signing the contract, Jerry received a check for a $10,000 advance—a hardship payment for the Summer League. He promptly quit his job at the restaurant and officially departed from poverty.

After that, the New York Knicks finalized another assistant coach, Billy Sharman, including the original fitness trainer, Chris Jorgensen, to form the new coaching staff.

On July 1st, the NBA's free agency market opened, and the New York Knicks' management convened a ‘suit group’ meeting.

Suit meant business attire, and the “suit group” referred to the combination of coaches and management. Manager Ernie welcomed the new members first, then organized the assignments for July.

"Jerry, Tom Tom, you are to lead the team into the Long Beach Summer League for five games. Jerry, there's some good news. your first match will be against the Chinese Men's Basketball Team," Ernie announced with a smile.

"That'll be interesting." Jerry realized his joining had caused a butterfly effect.

The previous year, the Chinese Men's Basketball Team had trained in the United States, playing against the Los Angeles Lakers. In Jerry's past life, the team was supposed to play against the Lakers this year as well. In 1998 they contested a match with the hastily assembled "Magic All-Stars".

The so-called all-star team was actually comprised of the retired point guard "Magic" Johnson and a group of other retired players. Johnson, at 39 and seven years into his HIV diagnosis, was so out of shape that he was mistaken for Shaquille.

But Johnson wasn't the heftiest among them. One of his teammates resembled a Michelin man, so overweight that it was comical. That match was broadcasted on Chinese television, and Jerry remembered it vividly.

Facing a group of weakened opposition that included the aged, the Chinese players held a physical advantage. Finally, the game unfolded with an anticlimactic 88-112 loss for China.

The Chinese Men's Basketball Team had been bewildering in the past two years. This time their goal was to warm up for the upcoming Asian Championship. If history maintained its course, they would be upset by South Korea in the semi-finals, securing only the third place and missing out on the World Championships for the first time since 1982. Their strength was very poor.

Jerry was delighted; he had never been a coach in his past life. He only had the memories of this life to refer to and needed some time to adjust. Had his first match been against a strong team, the pressure would have been immense. Facing the Chinese team posed no significant challenge.

The atmosphere during the meeting was somewhat peculiar. Aside from Ernie and Jeff, everyone was curious about how Jerry had become an assistant coach, let alone the nominally lead assistant coach.

Was finding a job with an NBA really that easy?

He seemed too young, barely looking 23. Could he be the illegal child of the owner and a Chinese person?

The slightly overweight white Vice Manager, Glen Walsh, inquired, "Jerry, you appear hopeful, but have you ever been involved in the Summer League? Are you familiar with the protocols?"

"I have some idea. It's about inviting free agents to form a temporary team, right?" Jerry replied with a light smile, looking toward Ernie. "Manager, when it comes to inviting players, may I propose some candidates?"

"Of course, you can discuss it with the Mr. Dick and Mr. Scott. They will contact the players or their agents to send out invitations, but there's no guarantee they will accept."

Dick Maguire, a renowned New York Knicks scout, at the age of 72, was still uncovering talent for the team. His assistant happened to be his son, Scott Maguire.

"Do we have a detailed list of free agents?" Jerry inquired.

"There's a list with basic information such as age, height, and weight of the players, but it lacks specifics on their technical skills, because most have never played in the NBA," Scott responded.

"That will do. I'll require a list post-meeting," Jerry said nonchalantly.

Glenn's first impression of Jerry wasn't too favorable. He found him arrogant, and he said coldly , "Mr. Jerry, what results do you think the Summer League team can achieve? Are you confident about selecting potential players?"

"I don't know," Jerry said bluntly.

"What?" Glenn frowned.

"Of course, I don't know. I haven't seen a single player yet, and I have no idea about their quality, and can't discuss tactics with them. So, after selecting the players, I can give an answer,"Jerry said.

Glenn hoped to catch Jerry bragging, to use it against him later, but his opponent didn't take the bait.

"Mr. Walsh, any more questions?" Jerry paused for five seconds, seeing no response. He smiled. "Please continue. I will comply with any arrangements."

Compared to Tom's restraint, Jerry's every move exuded ease and confidence. The elder statesmen in management noted this, becoming more puzzled.

‘Are all young people so impressive now? He wasn't intimidated nor reckless.’

‘Perhaps this young man had deservedly become an assistant coach.’

‘Could he bring some surprises in this year's Summer League?’ he thought.

Jeff grew fond of Jerry. He remembered how nerve-wracking it was to stutter during his first team meeting. At that time, he was 27 years old.

Jerry had the audacity and readiness to assume responsibility, which reflected well on Jeff's judgment.

The Knicks had kept their core roster, and the weakest link happened to be the coaching staff. Jeff hoped for a standout performance from Jerry. Even if the contract was only for a year, he had no desire for an inept assistant, and he bore the burden alone.