Before Chen Yu could answer, Ron Kap spoke again, answering his own question. "Whether it's income or career development, there's just no reason for you to do this."
NBA players are heaven's favored sons, with salaries ranking at the top of the four major leagues in the United States.
But those are the players.
As a member of the team staff, Ron Kap's income as a full-time team doctor wasn't actually that high.
Of course, this so-called "not high" was still quite a bit higher than that of other regular employees.
He was a doctor, after all.
But it was probably just a little over two hundred thousand US dollars a year.
That was a salary Chen Yu could easily earn after working for just a few years.
Not to mention career development.
A team doctor is a team doctor, and always will be a team doctor.
What, are they going to make you the general manager or something?
The day you become a team doctor is the day you hit your career ceiling.
But it was different in a hospital. In Ron Kap's view, with Chen Yu's resume, his future potential was enormous. After a few years, he might land a position as the head of orthopedics. From there, he could do some research, win some awards, and have a chance at becoming a renowned leader in his field.
In terms of both income and social status, that would easily eclipse being a team doctor.
"And our work is exhausting, too."
Ron Kap added with a grumble.
As he said this, he instinctively placed a hand on his lower back.
As the head of the team's medical staff, while he wasn't required to travel all over the country with the team for every away game, it was still a frequent occurrence.
To be honest, the workload was anything but light.
In Ron Kap's opinion, only middle-aged doctors who had no more room for advancement within the hospital system would consider becoming a full-time team doctor.
"So, why?" Ron Kap looked at Chen Yu, his expression serious.
Chen Yu was already prepared for this question.
"Passion, I suppose. The reason I went into orthopedics is because I love sports, and I'm dedicated to developing my career in sports medicine."
Chen Yu answered with a smile.
Ron Kap studied Chen Yu intently. Although Chen Yu's gaze was sincere, he had a gut feeling that Chen Yu might be hiding something.
But it didn't matter anymore.
"I'm sorry, Chen, but I'm afraid I have to turn you down."
"We can't afford two full-time team doctors, and with your credentials, making you a physical therapist or an athletic trainer would be a waste of your talent."
NBA teams have limited budgets for team doctors.
After all, most of the time, when a player gets hurt, the team doctor is mainly responsible for on-site injury assessment. The final treatment is still handled at a partner hospital.
Therefore, teams don't have particularly high requirements for a team doctor's professional skills. Management doesn't expect the in-house doctor to perform surgery on players; that would be irresponsible to the players.
So, apart from famous or wealthy teams like the Phoenix Suns and the Lakers, who can afford to keep more doctors on staff for the sake of their players' health, most ordinary teams will only employ one full-time team doctor.
They'll be supported by a physical therapist and an athletic trainer who helps players maintain their conditioning.
Besides, Ron Kap was very satisfied with his team and was unwilling—and had no need—to hire another person.
"Mr. Kap, I actually..."
Chen Yu started to explain that he had actually come here hoping to join Ron Kap's team.
But it was now clear that Ron Kap had misunderstood, thinking that he wanted to compete for his position.
But just then, a young man pushed the door open from the outside.
"Ron, Little Anthony says his shoulder is a bit sore. You want to go check it out?"
Ron Kap nodded, handed the resume back to Chen Yu, and said with a sincere expression, "Young man, if I were you, I would reconsider my choice."
With that, he walked out quickly.
However, he stopped after walking out the door, turned back, and said, "Oh, right. Today's our season opener. Stay and watch the game. I'll have Miss Raven get you a ticket near the front."
Then he hurried away.
Chen Yu sighed, picked up his resume, and stood up.
In truth, Chen Yu knew this wouldn't be easy.
Unlike hospitals, which are always short on doctors, every spot on these teams is filled.
'If I were Randy Pufand, I wouldn't easily fire a team doctor I'd worked with for years to hire a rookie who just graduated, either.'
Besides, Ron Kap had clearly misunderstood him today.
Chen Yu decided to stay. He would find a chance to talk to him again after the game.
Miss Raven was the receptionist who had slipped Chen Yu her card earlier. She got him a staff pass directly and even offered to give him a tour of the American Airlines Arena.
Chen Yu declined. He went to the concession area, bought a hot dog to fill his stomach, and then, when it was about time, he ambled toward the court.
Tonight's game was at seven o'clock.
But the team usually started preparations two hours in advance.
It was now a little after five, and players were already arriving in groups to warm up.
This wasn't the team warm-up right before the game, but rather individual warm-ups that players did based on their own needs.
So the arena floor wasn't open to spectators yet.
But Chen Yu had a staff pass, so he should be able to get in.
Chen Yu wanted to observe the medical team at work.
He took a service corridor. Since it was underground and branched out in all directions, and this being his first time here, Chen Yu was navigating purely by feel.
As he walked, he found that he had somehow ended up on the visiting team's side.
It didn't matter, though.
The visiting team must have already arrived.
From a distance, Chen Yu saw that young superstar from the Magic who had just signed a massive contract with the team over the summer: Tracy McGrady.
This year's fifth-overall pick, the rookie Mike Miller, was with him. They emerged from the visiting team's locker room, laughing and chatting as they headed for the court.
Chen Yu followed basketball, but due to his busy work schedule, he didn't actually watch many games. Still, he knew of some of the big stars and promising rookies.
Just as he was about to head over, another person walked out of the visiting team's locker room behind them.
Grant Hill!
Chen Yu recognized the superstar, once hailed as Jordan's successor, at a glance.
'Right, I think he went to the Magic this year.'
Chen Yu recalled seeing news over the summer that Hill had left the Pistons and joined the Magic.
The media was fantasizing about him and Tracy McGrady forming Orlando's new dynamic duo.
Hill was in a tracksuit, but he wasn't heading for the court. Instead, he was pacing back and forth in the corridor, deliberately moving his left foot.
Chen Yu remembered that Hill had sprained his left ankle during the second round of last season's playoffs—against the Heat, if he recalled correctly.
'He should have had surgery, though. Could his recovery not have gone well?'
Chen Yu's gaze fell on Hill's left foot.
He silently activated his system's Eye of All-Seeing skill.
This was the only passive skill Chen Yu had received after obtaining the "Sports Medicine Master System."
[Eye of All-Seeing: Grants you a god's-eye view.]
At that moment, Chen Yu's eyes became like an X-ray, piercing through Hill's skin, layer by layer. He saw the dense network of tendons in the ankle, the three bones that form the ankle joint—the tibia, the fibula—and the injured talus, which had a metal plate attached to it.
It was real, vivid, and perfectly clear—more powerful than any medical imaging equipment.
Chen Yu frowned.
He saw several problems, such as an inflamed peroneus longus muscle and minor capillary ruptures in the tibionavicular ligament.
'This guy must have twisted his ankle again.'
Most troubling of all, Chen Yu saw that the talus, which was fixed with a metal implant, had developed new, microscopic cracks.
'He probably had his ankle surgery in early May, which was about 180 days ago. For this to happen, it means either his post-op rehab wasn't good enough, or he reinjured it.'
'Of course, the damage is so minor that it would be difficult to detect even with medical equipment.'
'That's why Hill can still walk around and move normally.'
After a moment's thought, Chen Yu walked over.
"If I were you, I'd sit right down and stop moving that left foot."