Li Feng joined the Pelicans, the Pelicans sold out the package tickets for next season at once, and Li Feng's jerseys were also in short supply, and even some Pelicans jerseys also collected Li Feng's jerseys in the Grizzlies and Knicks, because that was also Li Feng's memory.

Tickets are sold out, but the Pelicans don't have enough people to play next season, the players they originally had contracts with were young players, and they sent away 7 people at once, and the other players are completely free agents, and there is no value, and now the Pelicans only have 5 players under contract, Li Feng, Derrick Rose, Victor Oladipo, Al Thornton, John Henson, just form a starter.

Of course, the Pelicans have an advantage, that is, in order to get Li Feng, many teams have not signed free agents, and now there are many free agents who have not signed in addition to Paul Howard and Josh Smith, such as Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap.

Originally, the Pelicans wanted to get Cousins and Monroe from the Knicks, but Blackdolan did not renew the contract, but wanted to use the sign-and-trade to trade Cousins and Monroe, and Blackdolan naturally did not want to see Cousins and Monroe strengthen the strength of the Pelicans, and he still would not do this kind of behavior of the enemy.

Because the Pelicans only have two cap salaries, Li Feng and Rose, the Pelicans still have more than 20 million salary space, in addition to pursuing full free agents, they can also pursue restricted free agents.

Derrick Rose's situation is different from what the outside world speculates, many people think that Rose is useless, in fact, Rose's recovery was very good at that time, and he can return early in the playoffs, but the doctor let Rose continue to recuperate for his career, and now after the latest medical team examination of the Hornets, Rose has completely recovered.

Rose and Li Feng can occupy a position, especially Li Feng can swing between power forward and small forward, and can also play center if necessary, so the Knicks' reinforcements are very flexible, and the inside line renews the reinforcements. One person or two main players can be, and the outside line only needs one main force because Oladipo has good combat effectiveness, so the Knicks' goal is to be an inside powerhouse and an outside line, of course, the bench also needs to be vigorously recruited.

Originally, the biggest target of the Knicks was Stephen Corey of the Warriors, and the Pelicans could give Corey a maximum salary, even if the Warriors matched the Pelicans' offer, but Corey could also test the pressure on the Warriors if he wanted to leave, but Li Feng and Corey found out after contacting him. Corey is loyal to the Warriors, and he wants to be teammates with Li Feng, but he is reluctant to leave the Warriors.

There are a lot of free agents this year, and the inside players who have not yet signed are Andrew Bynum, Nikola Pekovic, Al Jefferson, Tiago Split, Elton Brand, JJ Hicks, Paul Millsap, Brandon Wright, Andre Bradge, etc.

There are a lot of outside lines, and there is no home so far. For example, Andrei Iguodala, Li Feng's former teammate Andrei Kirilenko, Little Cannon Matt Webster, Cory Brewer. Ronnie Brewer, Mike Dunleavy, Manu Ginobili, O.J. Mayo. Tyrek Evans, Kevin Martin, Monta Alice. J.R. Smith, Tony Allen, Brandon Jennings, Jose Calderon and many more.

The Pelicans only have 5 players, so there is a shortage of people both in the main team and on the bench.

The Pelicans' goal at shooting guard is a strong player, because Victor Oladipo is this year's top star and has a bright future, and many people are optimistic about him, a position that the Pelicans exclude big-name stars like Monta Alice and want to pursue functional players like Cory Brewer, Ronnie Brewer, and Tony Allen.

And the point guard, learning the lesson that the Knicks only had one bench before, and also to prevent another injury, the Pelicans also decided to sign a good point guard and a qualified role bench.

Because Oladipo can also play the starter, the Pelicans' top priority is still to strengthen the interior.

Although Li Feng is no worse than the small forward position in the big forward, but now the league's interior twin towers are like clouds, not to mention the Bulls' Howard and Okafor, other teams such as the Nets, Warriors, Pacers, and Spurs are all strong teams on the inside, and the Pelicans want to make a difference, especially in the Southwest Division of the West, they must strengthen the interior line.

Their targets are focused on Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap.

Al Jefferson is a stocky interior player with a strong ability to attack the basket, solid footwork, and excellent power and reach to help him not suffer in the restricted area. One of the three interior players of the 2004 rookie, Jefferson only burst into the thick of the '06-07 season, a year in which he hit a double-10 and made him one of the league's top interior players.

Later, Jefferson and Garnett were traded to the Timberwolves, and Jefferson played 20+10, just to make way for Love, and Jefferson went to the Jazz, and the number dropped slightly, but Jefferson's skills became more and more mellow.

The current Al Jefferson can be said to be the strongest and most comprehensive player in the league's interior singles, Kevin Love is only a few strong, and everyone knows the actual combat ability.

The Pelicans' offer to Jefferson is not low, 62 million for 5 years, although it is not the maximum salary, but this contract is very sincere, if Jefferson joins the Pelicans, regardless of whether he can bring in another big-name insider, Li Feng or Henson can partner with Jefferson on the inside.

In addition to Jefferson, the Pelicans also targeted Paul Millsap, another big name on the same previous Jazz team, whose prospects this summer are worrying, and only the Hawks are more objective in their offers, which are only 19 million for two years.

In fact, Millsap is a far underrated player, although Millsap is registered to be 2.03 meters tall, according to some people who know him, his actual height is only 2.01 meters. With such a height, it is not suitable to be a big forward in the NBA, where there are many people, and his feet are not fast enough, his ball control ability is weak, and it is impossible to be a small forward.

Therefore, in the Jazz, he can only be used as a power forward, giving Boozer plenty of rest. After Boozer was traded, Millsap was given more playing time, making up for his lack of height with a lot of agility that a short big forward doesn't have, while making him a key part of the Jazz's playbook with his accurate mid-range jumper.

Height is indeed a deficiency of Mishen, but because he can partner with Li Feng, he can change the defense according to the opponent at any time, as long as it is not a team of two super forwards, basically there is not much pressure, and on the offensive end, Millsap is very comprehensive. In terms of offensive level, he has far surpassed the previous Knicks' Cousins and Monroe, and he has also developed three-point ability.

The Pelicans' interior reinforcements mainly revolve around these two former Jazz insiders, Jefferson grabbed a little bit and gave 62 million for 5 years, and Millsap, the Pelicans also gave no less than 4 years and 40 million, and the contract given to Millsap is the highest given by the current team.

The inside signing went well, and after the Pelicans made an offer, no team offered a higher price, and the Charlotte Bobcats were also interested in Jefferson. But they are only willing to pay 41 million for 3 years, and for Jefferson, who is about to 30 years old, a long-term contract is the most attractive.

On July 19, ESPN broke the news that Al Jefferson would join the Pelicans, with whom he has reached a five-year verbal agreement of about $62 million. USA Today's Sam Amick reported that the total value of the contract is $61.8 million.

Jefferson will be the Pelicans' starting center for next season, and it is understood that the fourth year of that contract is a player option.

The Pelicans finally made their first big move after introducing Li Feng. They don't have many players under contract in the first place, and after trading Li Feng and Rose, they only have a few rookie contracts to create salary space for Jefferson to sign.

NBA's official website reporter David Aldridge later reported on July 20. The two parties will officially sign the agreement.

Last season, the 28-year-old played in 78 games for the Jazz, averaging 17.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.

Jefferson didn't make any contact with any other team this summer except the Bobcats and Pelicans, and the Jazz politely informed Jefferson at the start of the free agent market that they were not interested in re-signing him. In this regard, Jefferson said:

"They called me and said they wouldn't sign me again. I'm not surprised at all, I've been telling my teammates all season that if the Jazz sign me, the Jazz are fools, and they've got Enes Kante and Derrick Feves and they're going to be really good. ”

On July 20, the Pelicans held an official press conference to announce the official signing of free agent Al Jefferson, in which Jefferson showed off the No. 25 jersey for the new season, and said excitedly:

"It's great to join the Pelicans, we've got the T-Rex, we've got Derek, we've got the credit we deserve, and I'm going to fight for the team!"

As for the Pelicans' offer of a big contract even when no other team is a good fit, Jefferson said of his dinner with the Pelicans:

'It made me feel good because there was a team that believed in my ability to play so much that I wanted to make a deal and then we talked about money and then my reaction was 'oh my God' and it was the icing on the cake.

Al Jefferson joined the Pelicans, which also shocked the league a little, because they had Li Feng, no matter what, last year's Knicks almost single-handedly won the championship by Li Feng, and now that Jefferson is here, even if Derrick Rose may not recover as the Pelicans say, the Pelicans will change the landscape of the West.

Just when many people were worried about the Pelicans' strength, on July 21, the New Orleans Guardian broke the news that the Pelicans were pursuing another Jazz forward, Paul Millsap, if nothing else, the Jazz's two interior lines last season were packaged by the Pelicans, and the two sides have reached an agreement.

"Damn, what do the Pelicans want to do, Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap, this combination is stronger and more mature than DeMarcus Cousins and Greg Monroe, is this true, God, I can't believe it?"

This is the exclamation of a San Antonio Spurs fan in an interview with reporters.

Since the news has not yet come out, it is just rumors, some experts believe that Paul Millsap's market this summer is too low, and the contract he has been awarded is far less than his value, but the Pelicans do this, and maybe there are other teams that come out to cut the beard.

"They have already used most of their salary to sign Jefferson, they can't possibly give Paul Millsap more than $12 million in contract, and I doubt the authenticity of this news"

A columnist for Sky Basketball said.

Just when people were speculating about the Pelicans' moves, on July 22, the New Orleans Sports News made a headline, "Mishen joins the Pelicans and will form a super inside group with Jefferson and Li Feng"

Immediately afterward, many newspapers and media reported that Paul Millsap had joined the Pelicans.

The Pelicans' official website also reads, "The team reached an agreement with free agent Paul Millsap to sign a five-year, 4,500 contract"

With 45 million for five years, the Pelicans and Millsap's contracts and expectations have changed, and Millsap has a player option in the fourth year.

"Paul is a very powerful player, he and Al have been working together for a long time, we dream of getting such an interior combination, I can't believe it's true, the Pelicans' interior line in the new season will shock all teams, Paul can play singles inside, can grab rebounds, can defend, and even three-point, just like Li Feng, he can do anything, the Pelicans' current frontcourt combination will not be worse than the year's 'Robert Parish + Kevin McHale + Larry Bird'!"

At Millsap's signing press conference, Liu Qiyu high-mindedly compared the Pelicans' frontcourt to the Celtics' once-golden frontcourt.

"A lot has happened this summer, I didn't expect to come to New Orleans, let alone continue to be teammates with Al, thanks to the Pelicans for their trust in us, I will do even better in the new season!"

Millsap is also full of confidence.

For the Pelicans' two signings, it was almost a praise.

"It didn't cost a player at all, they only used the salary space that they didn't use and wasted, they became two All-Star level insiders, I can only say that the free market is too crazy this summer, and the Pelicans are too smart, or too lucky, and the goal they pursue does not have too many competitors, the most important thing is that such a goal is still the most suitable target, even if there is no Li Feng's trade, I will play A+ for the Pelicans' operation"

ESPN expert Charlie Ford commented.

"Al Jefferson only spent an annual salary of 10 million, wow, wow, much cheaper than Howard, but he can do a lot of things that Howard can't do, Paul Millsap is lower, God favors the Pelicans, or God also sees that Blackdolan is unhappy, with these two interior giants, the Pelicans' hopes of competing for the championship next season have greatly increased, and the same, hey, Blackdolan has the hope of winning the championship in the NCAA again!"

Former Knicks point guard Starks quipped. (To be continued......)