The Lakers' stretch of favorable games came at exactly the right time, successfully stabilizing their position in the standings.
Inside the practice facility, the team's daily workout was winding down. A few players stayed on the court, getting in some final shots.
"Link, hold up a second!"
On the other side of the court, assistant coach Brian Shaw called out to Link, who was about to start some extra shooting. Shaw looked genuinely intrigued.
Holding a marker, Shaw tapped a simple setup drawn on the whiteboard. "That play you used during your tryout was really interesting. Can you walk me through it in more detail?"
A few teammates gathered around as well—among them a curious Sasha Vujačić and Lamar Odom.
Link's heart skipped a beat. As his three-point shot became a more reliable source of offense for the team, maybe—just maybe—the coaching staff was ready to design plays specifically for him.
This was an opportunity.
Right now, his role was basically to space the floor. But if he earned a place in the playbook, it meant the team officially saw his three-point shooting as a real weapon.
Link took the marker and clearly sketched out the initial positioning of the classic "elevator doors" play on the board.
"Coach Shaw, the key to this play is the timing and decisiveness of the off-ball screens," Link said calmly and confidently, pointing to the two screening spots.
"The shooter cuts inside, then flares back out to draw attention. That gives the big men time to set the wall—and at the exact right moment, they slam the door shut."
As he spoke, Link demonstrated the movement paths and the screen-closing action with the marker.
"This play requires a high level of chemistry and discipline. If it works, the defender chasing the shooter gets completely sealed behind the screens, and what's left is a wide-open shot."
Brian Shaw studied the board thoughtfully, then asked with curiosity, "Did you come up with this movement yourself?"
Link's hand paused for just a moment.
He'd expected the question. A player from a lower-tier league coming up with something this refined did sound hard to believe.
Link smiled modestly and answered honestly. "Not entirely, Coach."
"This set isn't actually that complicated. Strictly speaking, it comes from the Princeton offense. I noticed it while studying game film in the past."
A flash of appreciation crossed Shaw's eyes. "That explains it… Link, your basketball IQ is outstanding. I'll recommend that Phil add this play to our playbook."
"Thank you, Coach," Link said gratefully.
---
After the regular practice ended, Link stayed behind for extra work.
[Mission: Catch-and-Shoot (Intermediate)]
Objective: Choose shooting spots freely and complete 6,000 quick catch-and-shoot attempts from beyond 20 feet.
Progress: 727 / 6,000
Link decided to continue sharpening his catch-and-shoot ability, refining his strengths to the absolute limit.
He trained for a long time. Sweat soaked through his practice gear, and only when his arms were burning with fatigue had he completed less than one-sixth of the total requirement.
---
That evening, Andrew drove Link in his slightly beat-up used car to an upscale neighborhood on the west side of Los Angeles.
Compared to their old, noisy apartment building, this place was quiet, clean, and surrounded by trees.
A real estate agent greeted them enthusiastically and began introducing the apartment.
"A single-floor unit with four bedrooms, plus a gym, rooftop pool, and a studio space," the agent said. "It balances comfort and functionality perfectly."
"And it's less than a twenty-minute drive to the Staples Center—no issues getting to games."
The agent had clearly recognized Link already and was all smiles.
NBA players were premium clients.
Andrew stared in disbelief. A place like this was something he'd never even dared to dream about.
"For Mr. Link, we're offering a special rate—just $80,000 for one year."
Link was extremely satisfied. The apartment was fully equipped, making it convenient for both managing their work and doing additional personal training.
The rent was steep, but considering his current contract and future prospects, it was worth the investment.
Without much hesitation, Link signed the lease.
Holding the keys to the new place, Link and Andrew stood in the spacious, sunlit living room. Outside the window, the swimming pool shimmered gold in the setting sun.
"Man… this is incredible," Andrew said, so excited he could barely form a sentence.
Link smiled and shared the plan he'd already thought through on the drive over.
"Andrew, I want this place to be our team's headquarters. You and Amy should move in too."
"Oh my God, Link! You're my best friend!" Andrew nearly tackled him in a hug.
That night, Link and Andrew returned to their old apartment and told Amy about the decision.
After listening, Amy fell silent for a long moment.
She understood Link's intentions. This invitation didn't just solve her immediate problems—it was also a formal acknowledgment of her professional role.
After a moment, she looked up at Link and Andrew, then gave a calm but resolute smile.
"Alright. For the team, I'll move in. Thank you… my teammates."
"Yes! Team Link is officially assembled!" Andrew cheered, pumping his fist. "We need to start packing ASAP—the new place—"
Watching Andrew bounce around with excitement, Link and Amy exchanged a smile, a quiet sense of understanding flowing between them.
"Alright, future star agent," Link laughed, cutting him off. "Take it easy."
"No rush. To celebrate finding our new home, I say we go out for a nice dinner tonight—my treat."
"I'm 100% in favor of that idea!" Andrew said immediately.
Amy smiled and nodded. "Sounds good."
The three of them went to a well-reviewed Italian restaurant nearby.
Warm lighting, soft music, and the aroma of tomatoes and herbs filled the air.
At the table, Andrew was still buzzing with excitement. "Link, tomorrow I'm setting up the studio. I need a filing cabinet, and I should get some business cards made…"
He went on and on, while Link nodded occasionally.
"Link," Amy said, cutting into Andrew's enthusiastic monologue and drawing both their attention.
Her expression shifted back to the focus and precision she had in the lab.
"Since we're officially a team now, and my role is your health advisor, there are some professional observations and recommendations I think we should start discussing right away."
Both Link and Andrew grew serious and looked at her attentively.
Amy opened her folder and pulled out more than a dozen charts she had drawn herself, along with several printed reports.
"I've carefully studied your performance over the past dozen games, along with the physical testing data you shared with me earlier. I have a preliminary assessment."
She slid a chart toward Link, densely marked with notes in different colors.
"Your rate of improvement… is honestly terrifying," Amy said, taking a deep breath as if searching for the right words.
"Generally speaking, once someone reaches adulthood, their physical capabilities are mostly fixed. Major improvements are rare. But you're different."
"Your movement speed—according to the data, the growth curve is almost exponential. That's extremely abnormal."
She looked at Link the way someone might look at a scientific anomaly.
Link rubbed his nose awkwardly.
After all, there was no way to explain something like a system to her.
"But I've noticed that during lateral movement, you rely heavily on your knees and leg muscles," Amy continued, pointing to a red-marked area on the chart. "Your dynamic stability isn't great."
Link frowned slightly. He had felt it too—during full-speed sprints or heavy contact, he sometimes struggled to control his center of gravity.
"That's because your core muscle group isn't strong enough, and your force application mechanics are flawed," Amy said seriously.
She picked up a new sketch, showing a simplified diagram of the body's force chain.
"More precisely," she continued, "your strength and speed are increasing very fast—but you're not fully utilizing them."
She handed Link a stack of documents.
"Link, if you don't have anything scheduled tomorrow, I'd like you to come with me to UCLA's Human Performance and Biomechanics Lab."
"With 3D motion capture, we can see exactly how every muscle activates during movement, and how much load each joint is taking."
"That's the only way we can help you use your body in a truly scientific, efficient way."