Preseason Games Begin

"Wade?! No way!"

"System, are you kidding me?"

Jay Sun couldn't believe his luck. He had watched Dwyane Wade's final season with the Miami Heat and remembered it vividly. Despite being in his twilight years, Wade had still put up respectable numbers: 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, with a field goal percentage of 43.3%. The only downside? A shaky 33% from beyond the arc.

But Jay wasn't worried—he already had a reliable three-point shot!

What excited him most was Wade's physicality. Even in his last season, Wade remained one of the strongest guards in the league. He might have played fewer minutes and slowed down a bit, but that was due to stamina issues, not capability.

Jay chuckled to himself. LeBron just left Wade, and now he gets another version of him. Life sure is ironic.

"System, open the attributes panel!"

Player: Jay Sun

Layup: 65 (80)Dunk: 55 (60)Three-point: 80Mid-range: 75 (78)Ball Handling: 75 (77)Passing: 73Perimeter Defense: 80Steals: 70Blocks: 37 (40)Rebounds: 45 (50)Interior Defense: 40Height: 195 cmWingspan: 203 cmDynamic Physical Potential: B (B+)

New Badges Unlocked:

Slasher (Silver): Moderately boosts effectiveness in euro steps, cradle moves, jump stops, spins, and half-spins to break past defenders.Relentless Finisher (Bronze): Slightly reduces impact of contact on shot accuracy and increases success rate of layups and dunks through traffic.Acrobat (Bronze): Slightly improves success rate of adjusted layups and reduces defensive impact on shot accuracy during acrobatic finishes.Catch and Shoot (Bronze): Slightly improves stability and resistance to contests during catch-and-shoot attempts.

"Jackpot!" Jay exclaimed. Seeing Wade's stats and badges, he could only think of one thing: Let's goooo!

System Notification:

Detected duplicate-level Catch and Shoot badge. Upgrading badge...

Catch and Shoot (Silver): Moderately improves stability and resistance to contests during catch-and-shoot attempts.

"Wait, System, badges can be upgraded?" Jay asked, pleasantly surprised.

System Explanation:

"When the host possesses badges of identical levels, they will automatically upgrade to the next tier. If the host has the same badge at different levels, the higher-tier badge will gain a star enhancement: Bronze adds one star, Silver adds two stars.

"Note: Badges cap at the Purple tier, after which no further upgrades or star enhancements are possible."

"Got it. Stars are essentially upgrades in disguise. Once enough stars are accumulated, the badge levels up," Jay thought, grinning from ear to ear. The starting shooting guard spot is mine for the taking!

The next day, Jay eagerly hit the training ground to test out his new skills. His teammates were surprised at his enthusiasm.

"Maybe he's just putting on a show," someone joked.

But after observing him, they found that his game hadn't changed dramatically yet—progress takes time, after all.

LeBron, however, nodded approvingly. He loved hardworking teammates. The more effort everyone put in, the easier it would be for him to lead them to a championship.

LeBron even considered using Jay as a role model for the team:

"Look at Jay Sun. Look at how dedicated and hardworking he is. If everyone follows his example, I promise I'll... uh... get you guys a ring!"

Despite his initial approval, LeBron had legitimate reasons to like Jay. The Cavaliers were still searching for a solid starting shooting guard, and LeBron wasn't impressed with Dion Waiters.

The issue wasn't just Waiters' talent—it was his fit. LeBron's vision of a perfect backcourt partner didn't include someone with an unreliable three-point shot.

Jay, on the other hand, was exactly what LeBron needed: a knockdown shooter, a willing defender, and someone who didn't demand the ball.

Waiters could then move to the bench as a sixth man. If that didn't work, a trade was always an option.

LeBron glanced at Jay with growing satisfaction. He's Chinese too. That means a huge fanbase. Imagine the potential endorsements if he succeeds under my wing!

The more LeBron thought about it, the more excited he became.

Meanwhile, Jay caught sight of LeBron's beaming expression and shivered involuntarily.

After practice, Tyronn Lue gathered everyone for a pep talk. With preseason around the corner, the regular season was fast approaching.

"Gentlemen, I trust these past few days of training have made one thing clear: this season is about one goal—winning the championship," Lue declared. "If anyone stands in our way, we'll knock them down. Let's work together and make it happen!"

LeBron followed up with a few words of encouragement, and the team rallied together for a quick chant.

Jay joined in, keeping a low profile. Now wasn't the time to stand out too much.

Back at home, Jay fired up his computer.

No, not that kind of video. He queued up Dwyane Wade's game footage.

Thanks to previous experience with Gary Payton and Ray Allen's cards, Jay knew there were hidden benefits to studying their gameplay. Sure enough, he quickly picked up new techniques. He began incorporating euro steps, spin moves, and other advanced finishing techniques into his game.

By the time the preseason opener arrived, Jay could already execute these moves fluidly in practice. Game situations, however, were a different beast.

October 5, 2014 – NBA Preseason Begins

The Cavaliers announced their preseason schedule back in August. The second game, against the Miami Heat, was already generating buzz as LeBron's first matchup against his former team.

But first, the Cavaliers faced Maccabi Tel Aviv, an Israeli powerhouse and former team of David Blatt, who was notably absent from both sidelines.

Jay didn't start the game. Despite Waiters' lackluster fit, he had been with the team for two years. It wasn't realistic to bench him right away.

Jay's debut came midway through the second quarter, with Kyrie Irving subbed out to rest and LeBron still on the floor.

Jay adjusted his shooting sleeve and stepped onto the court, ready to make his mark.