NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 580: Too Big to Fail (Daily Chapter)

On Monday, June 2008, 6, 16 days before the draft, sports reporters had already arrived in Manhattan to interview the newcomers.

Ever since the Chicago Bulls got the No. 1.7 pick with a % chance, the Heat's defense has been broken. They played like crazy, but still lost out!

This is indeed a very outrageous draw result. In the long history of the NBA, only the 1993 Magic team was more unpopular than this one.

That year, the Magic got the No. 1.5 pick with a % chance, a result that no team has surpassed to date.

A group of media people vowed at the time that this would be the last time of "manipulating the draft", but history is a circle, and the "same story" will always be repeated over and over again.

If the finals weren't so popular, the news that Pat Riley blasted the draft results would have received more attention. Now that everyone has come to their senses, no one cares about the final result.

As for the Bulls' choice, basketball critics can guess that they will definitely select the core guard of the University of Memphis - Derrick Rose.

As a native of Chicago, Rose received a lot of attention before he entered the league. Many Bulls fans even regarded him as the hope for the team's revival!

The alliance seems to have this idea, this gimmick is great! Just thinking about the corresponding script makes people feel excited
The kid who grew up in Chicago witnessed the regrettable defeat of the 98 Dunk team, and then vowed to lead the Bulls to a revival, overthrow the dominance of the aging Knicks, and finally win the sixth O'Brien Cup in team history!

If this happens in the future, the traffic will definitely explode, and old fans will go crazy. There is no better "hero plot" than this.

Adidas has set its sights on Derrick Rose. Not only are the players competing against each other, the brand is also preparing to launch a new round of "war."

Before the draft even started, some sports brands started waving checks to Rose.

China's sports media arrived earlier, and Yao Ming returned home early to prepare for the Olympics and called for donations for the earthquake disaster.

Li You did not take this as a conspicuous thing. His personal foundation donated 200 million US dollars together with Yao Ming. Many players also responded and the fundraising went very smoothly.

Another reason for paying attention to the draft is to get trade information as early as possible. The Bucks seem to be planning to give up on training Yi Jianlian, and trade rumors have been circulating for almost two months.

Fans on the other side of the ocean are paying close attention to this transaction. If possible, they also hope that Yi Jianlian can play in a big city.

After watching CCTV's "Yao Yi NBA", many fans feel that the city of Milwaukee is not suitable for Yi Jianlian and does not receive enough attention.

This season, the NBA's influence on the other side of the ocean has been expanded again, and the ratings of the games between Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian once set a record.

Many American sports journalists were shocked. Compared with the sluggish market in North America, the love of fans on the other side of the ocean for the NBA is really too scary.
After the end of this year's finals, some Chinese fans also broke down. After so many years, only the die-hard fans remain, and Kobe's performance failed to live up to everyone's expectations.

However, although Kobe's performance in the finals was poor, the highlights were still very good. Every point he scored in the running game was a difficult goal. On the contrary, many of Li You's rounds looked mediocre.

In the case of outdated versions, no advanced data, no Excel, after emphasizing Kobe's persistence and hard work, die-hard fans stood up again:

"Wo Ke tried his best. It's not his fault for the loss! 1v5 on the court, scoring 20+!"

"."

Professional sports journalists chose to ignore the abstract remarks on the Internet. This time when they came to New York, Chinese reporters were more concerned about Joe Alexander!

The rookie was born in Taiwan Province and went to school in BJ. He and his brother were the first foreigners to win the MVP in the BJ High School League and are currently ranked high in mock drafts.

What further increases his favorability is that this newbie can speak fluent Mandarin. Therefore, after Joe Alexander came to New York, a large number of Chinese reporters have been gathering around him.

The Knicks have the Suns' first-round draft pick this year. Although the Suns won 53 games in the regular season, the teams in the top half of the Eastern Conference have surpassed the Western Conference in terms of record.

This pushed the Suns' draft pick up to No. 24. In response to this, a New York columnist believes that there is a high probability that the team will select another "Tayshaun Prince" this year!
After living in the United States for many years and thoroughly understanding the sports environment in New York, China's sports media has also reluctantly adapted. However, they rarely report in this way, and the versions are outdated. Young fans prefer "competitiveness".

With the championship parade to be held on Thursday this week, passers-by wearing gray and blue championship T-shirts can be seen everywhere in Manhattan.

Tourists also participate in the annual carnival, and with the participation of many sponsors and businesses, the whole city is in a state of joy after the finals.

Joe Alexander followed a group of new players to New York for a tryout in early June. Thanks to the attention of a large number of Chinese media, the Knicks agreed to let him join the filming and, by the way, spread the championship experience to the other side of the ocean again!
The team's general manager Donnie has been very busy recently. According to the collective bargaining agreement, the Knicks must offer contracts to restricted free agents as soon as possible, and also decide whether to match offers from other teams.

As an old hand who has been in the league for many years, Downey has received inside information from his network that old Buss has been very active recently and some teams intend to compete maliciously.

These days he is still just arguing with his agent. Before the deadline, trouble will soon arise. The premium contract is like a time bomb, and no one can predict the future dynamics of the players.

The players performed well and the general manager had a good vision, but the game plummeted after they signed a big contract, and the general manager took the blame.

If the Knicks' record fluctuates because of a bad contract, James Dolan won't have to make a statement, as New York sportswriters and fans will "rebel" and fire him on behalf of public opinion.

Downey, who was entertaining a group of people at the Tarrytown Training Center, looked a little tired. The management was "passing the buck", and contract renewal was his job. As the offseason was approaching, he couldn't help but become anxious.

Joe Alexander, who has become close to Chinese sports journalists, said excitedly in Mandarin while accompanied by staff:

"There will be a big community event here on Thursday afternoon, with players from the Rangers and Yankees players in attendance. It will be a sports extravaganza!"

"Li also invited many people from New York trade unions to participate in this event. It is said that there will be surprises!"

"It's great for a rookie to witness this kind of scene! I have always wanted to play in New York, and experiencing the Finals in Madison Square Garden is the dream of every young person."

Joe Alexander, who has black curly hair, kept communicating with the reporters around him, and the staff also cooperated to introduce their preparatory activities. There is no doubt that this is a big project.

"If nothing unexpected happens, Patrick Ewing will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in September, and many players who once played for the Knicks will also be present at this year's championship parade."

"This is how the winning culture is passed down! Lee helped the Knicks reach another level!"

Donny Walsh, who was wearing a black suit, interrupted at the right time. The old man wore glasses and looked elegant, but his subsequent words were a bit "arrogant":
"None of the championship banners in this arena is a fluke. Compared to Los Angeles and Boston now, New York can be called the best team in NBA history!"

“And we won’t stop.”

Old Downey's bragging made everyone nod their heads, but most Chinese media found it difficult to understand the Knicks' team culture.

From past essays, we know that during the Bulls dynasty, Michael Jordan constantly motivated his teammates, "ruled with high pressure", trained hard to win, and laid the foundation for Chicago's winning culture;

This stereotype was broken by the Knicks. There were news reports about Lee Yoo's hard training during his rookie period, but soon the relevant news disappeared completely, and all that remained was that he trained on time. Compared with the most familiar Rockets, New York seems to attach more importance to data and never hides it, from the high-level data analysis after each game to the advanced data after the end of the entire season.

As the staff introduced the players' performances based on the data, everyone could not help but feel surprised again:

"We also have the data model provided by reference.com. Of course, they still have some work to do, but these advanced data can be very helpful to the team!"

"In Game 1 of the Finals, Kobe Bryant's plus-minus was negative, and his single-game rating was lower than Duncan's. Lee was more than 5 points ahead of his opponent. The calculation method of single-game rating is still being perfected, but the gap is bigger than people think!"

"."

Watching the post-match analysis played in the media room, everyone was a little surprised. The data was too detailed. Some people also doubted whether it was useful. After all, data is sometimes not as good as chicken soup.

The interview with a group of people continued, and Joe Alexander looked tangled when facing the camera:

"I love playing in New York, but I also want to fight with Yi in the Bucks! These championships inspire me."

The preparations for the championship parade were more complicated and troublesome than everyone imagined. In the footage captured, the staff kept circling around Old Downey, and sometimes disputes broke out between scouts.

Such a "professional" situation also made Chinese sports journalists feel that the trip was worthwhile.

However, outside the camera, which cannot be filmed, Downey Sr. took the initiative to send a text message to Li You's agent before leaving get off work. No matter what the staff thinks, they still have to ask the core in the end.

To some extent, Li You is the key to deciding whether to stay or go. This "unique" environment makes old Downey sigh secretly.

Jeff Nix, who was in charge of scouts, had gained weight in the past two years. Seeing the old man's tired look, a smile appeared on his chubby face. After entering the office, he took the initiative to comfort him:

"Lee never makes a wrong choice! This makes our job easy. Provide the list and let Matt contact the players. As long as they are willing to play for New York, we will sign them!"

"The same goes for contract renewal. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Let's go have a drink together after get off work."

The seemingly easy "screening work" essentially takes away some power, but the entire team has acquiesced in such behavior, and a tacit understanding has been formed after years of development.

The guard selected last year, Petri Koponen, will most likely not land in the NBA next season. Downey has made a wrong choice, and this year he has to start compromising:
"Maybe you're right. Old Smith would only make demands of me, but he wouldn't dare let his son provoke Lee in the locker room."

"That's it! In fact, this is the secret of Grunfeld's success back then. We all know that Lee played a bigger role in it. He knew which players he needed."

Jeff Nix hugged the old man and laughed again. From doubt to certainty and then to lying down, everyone has become accustomed to such an environment.

More importantly, every time Matt Bartelstein signs a player with the help of the team, everyone can get a share of the profits. This has become the industrial chain of the Knicks.

If Donny doesn't take the money, how can they make progress!

The Sina Sports reporter did not join in the excited discussions among his colleagues when he boarded the Knicks team bus.

Forbes magazine was just published in the middle of the month. According to previous issues, most of the content is predictions about the future of the financial industry and business news, but this time the content and cover are very different.

"Billionaire baby!"

This was the first time that Ivana, dressed in professional attire, appeared in this magazine, and the related content made several reporters secretly gasp in amazement.

The blonde who became vice president of the Tangard Group is expected to top this year's young women's wealth list. Li You will also appear in the annual special issue in September, and Cyrus has become a "billionaire baby."

Li You’s current family situation will not be reported on the other side of the ocean, but in the United States, Cyrus, who is over one year old, and other little ones have frequently appeared in the public eye.

"Maybe Lynch Hunter is right. After I finish filming, I still want to interview Kobe."

After hearing these words, everyone who was passing around the magazine agreed. They felt unfamiliar with Li You's huge wealth, but they felt more at home with Kobe's hard work.

At 16:, Li You, who had accompanied Scarlett to complete the examination, returned to the townhouse in Manhattan with the pregnant succubus.

After standing on tiptoe and kissing Li You, the succubus with a bulging belly moved to the kitchen with the help of the housekeeper. Under her careful care, Scarlett became much rounder.
Sitting on the sofa in front of the TV, Milinda, who was only wearing a large T-shirt, waved to Li You. The fierce confrontation on Father's Day made her even more lazy. When she squeezed next to Li You, she said in a soft voice:

"It's about to start. Do you think Lehman Brothers' stock price will fall again after this show?"

Li You hugged the big-breasted girl with a smile in her eyes, and curled up on the sofa. He heard the voice of Neil Cavuto, the host of Fox News Channel, and said in a relaxed tone:

"I think they will go bankrupt sooner or later. Have you investigated the CFO who left?"

"Of course, the show Your World needs this story!"

Melinda blinked her big eyes and stared at the TV with anticipation. After Ax Capital shorted the other party, BlackRock's assistance over the weekend caused Lehman Brothers' stock price to rise again.

This is not the first time the two sides have clashed. BlackRock President Robert Capito even publicly criticized Axis Capital on Bloomberg on Sunday, and the two sides have completely torn their faces apart.

"Some old investment banks have become rotten. Last Christmas, Irene Callan, a Harvard graduate who worked as a lawyer, suddenly became the CFO of Lehman Brothers after working there for a few years!"

"I didn't see her impressive record, and Ms. Callan failed to save the investment bank, and within six months, she was fired."

"Let me review the personnel changes and losses of Lehman Brothers in the past six months. BlackRock cannot cover up these numbers."

"."

Bobby, dressed in a black casual suit, appeared extremely confident on the show. Shorting this century-old investment bank will make him an "opinion leader" in the current environment. In the coming months, the US dollar is already beckoning to him.

"It looks like he's doing pretty well!"

Milinda smiled and kissed Li You. The plan seemed to be going very smoothly. Lehman Brothers, which was known as "too big to fail", could no longer hold on:

"Wait a little longer, our profits will just begin."

(End of this chapter)