47 points, 17 rebounds!
55 points, 22 rebounds, 7 blocks!
35 points, 28 assists!
Game after game of team scrimmages, Zhou Yuan kept putting up stats that defied belief.
Sure, scrimmages weren't as intense as even a preseason game. They were mostly for running sets and maintaining rhythm.
But without absolute skill, nobody could string together numbers like these.
Head coach Mike D'Antoni found himself facing a happy dilemma.
If Zhou Yuan played inside, he was a monster in the paint—crashing the rim, cleaning the glass, orchestrating from the post, all at a league-leading level.
If he played on the perimeter, he dominated the ball, raining down impossible jumpers and lethal threes.
As a playmaker, he elevated everyone, breathing life into the whole offense.
What position should Zhou Yuan actually play?
Even after long thought, D'Antoni couldn't decide.
He was the master of "Seven Seconds or Less." Back with the Suns, he had led the league's first small-ball storm.
They never won the title, but the power of small-ball had already begun to show itself.
And as a transmigrator, Zhou Yuan knew exactly what was coming—
In just a few years, the NBA would be ruled by small-ball.
So D'Antoni leaned toward using Zhou Yuan as a point guard, the engine to launch a new small-ball revolution.
But there was one problem: the Knicks roster was far from settled.
Before the regular season even began, the team was headed for a major shake-up.
D'Antoni prepared multiple lineup options, ready to adapt depending on trades and signings.
Still, from owner James Dolan, to GM Glen Grunwald, to D'Antoni himself, they all agreed on one thing:
Build around Zhou Yuan.
Unless a once-in-a-generation superstar like Kobe or LeBron suddenly became available, the Knicks were making Zhou Yuan their cornerstone.
And management even listened to Zhou Yuan's suggestions on potential trades and signings.
He had four main targets in mind—realistic, but crucial.
The NBA was a ruthless business; rivals weren't about to hand over stars out of charity.
But with his knowledge from the "previous life," Zhou Yuan intended to construct a deep, dangerous roster.
First target: free agent Trevor Ariza.
A bench piece for the Lakers, but a solid 3-and-D player.
Active defender, tough on the perimeter, with a reliable spot-up three.
Exactly the kind of role player championship teams crave.
Second: free agent Patrick Beverley.
Undersized, average skillset, but an absolute bulldog on defense.
Yes, a little dirty, but tough as nails, with a serviceable outside shot.
With Zhou Yuan's passing, 3-and-D guys like these could feast on catch-and-shoot looks while hounding opponents on defense.
Of course, those two alone weren't enough to chase a title.
Third target: 2009 #1 draft pick Blake Griffin.
Drafted by the Clippers, Griffin hadn't played a single game, already sidelined for the season.
His athleticism was unreal, but constant injuries made him look like glass.
The Clippers still wanted to build around him… but there was doubt.
Sensing an opportunity, Grunwald swung big.
He traded away or let go of starters like Wilson Chandler, Chris Duhon, Jared Jeffries—
collecting four first-round picks and three second-rounders, plus freeing up cap space.
With two firsts, two seconds, and a few filler contracts, the Knicks pried Griffin away.
It helped that Griffin had just gotten hurt again in practice, sidelined another month.
To the Clippers, he was a lottery ticket they didn't want to scratch.
So they took the Knicks' high-value protected picks and let Griffin go.
Now, the Knicks had a promising core: Zhou Yuan, David Lee, Griffin, Ariza, and Beverley.
On the bench, a recovering Tracy McGrady.
Still too young, too raw? Maybe.
But Zhou Yuan's fourth and final target could change everything.
Carmelo Anthony.
That summer, Melo had refused Denver's extension, already eyeing the exit.
The Nuggets knew that if he walked in free agency, they'd get nothing, so they were guaranteed to shop him at the trade deadline.
If the Knicks looked strong enough, Melo would come running.
After all, not long ago, his close friend LeBron James had made the "Decision," taking his talents to Miami to join Wade.
That move had rocked the league, and Melo felt the pressure—if his brothers were chasing titles, he wasn't staying stuck in Denver.
And Zhou Yuan, with the foresight of the future, was certain he could lure him to New York.
With Melo at his side, the Knicks' ceiling would skyrocket—
and their championship odds would soar.