NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 665: Basketball Makes People "Crazy" (No Protagonist Chapter)
Monday, June 2009, 6: The news that Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest last Friday is still sweeping the mainstream media.

Fans spontaneously went to Los Angeles to mourn the King of Pop, and the number of followers of related personal social media accounts skyrocketed in the past few days.

It wasn't until Monday that the discussion began to decrease. In addition to the daily reminiscing on ESPN's morning programs, news about the Lakers once again sparked discussion among sports fans.

After returning to coach the Lakers, Phil Jackson led the team to the finals for two consecutive years, proving his worth as a championship coach. However, the old man from KFC announced a surprising news over the weekend:

"The 09-10 season will be my last year coaching the Lakers. I still love basketball, but my body can no longer support me to continue coaching."

"."

The news was first revealed by the Los Angeles Times on Saturday. It was thought to be fake news to attract attention, but unexpectedly, Phil Jackson himself quickly confirmed it.

Not only did he announce that he would be leaving the coaching bench, the old man even designated his successor. In an interview, he praised the Lakers legend and current assistant coach Rambis:
"Kurt has been making tactics for me a lot of the time. Whenever we have to play away games this season, Kurt has done a good job of taking on the responsibility of head coach."

"I don't want to hide it. The Lakers management understands my body. We have been trying two-man coaching, and 67 wins are the best proof of that."

The relevant column article is not exaggerated. In an interview with ESPN, Phil Jackson also confirmed this and took the opportunity to talk about his own bitter history and expectations:
"I want to see the Lakers win the championship again under my coaching, and I want to see Tim Duncan hold the O'Brien Trophy!"

"Tim is better than you think and he deserves a trophy. For this, I will do my best to help him next season. This is my last hope."

Tim Duncan, who won the title of "Sixth Runner-up", seems to be following in the footsteps of Lakers legend Elgin Baylor. The old man from KFC really wants Duncan to hold the trophy.

Most of the commentators regained their composure after the finals and gave relatively fair evaluations of this outstanding big man. The fans of the Lakers even felt sorry for the core player and recently invented a conversion formula:

"6 runner-up titles equal 2 championship titles!"

A die-hard fan created a "losing rule" based on the "overflow theory". After conversion, Duncan has two "champions" and Kobe has 2.7 "champions".
As everyone was reminiscing about the King of Pop on social media, the Lakers fans' remarks still brought more joy to sports fans.

Although the conversion was good, when fans heard that Phil Jackson was going to bid farewell to the Lakers, they all sighed, and some even blamed Li You for the departure of the old man from KFC:
"Lee has ruined the Lakers! He has destroyed our winning culture and made us experience what it was like to be a 'ancient' fan."

When asked about the trade issue that fans are most concerned about, Phil Jackson did not give a positive answer, but took the opportunity to ask back:
"Can we find a better shooting guard on the market than Kobe?"

In fact, every sports fan knows the answer in his heart. Although Kobe is not very strong, that is when he is compared with Li You. If you compare him with someone else, Mamba is still very strong.

After the draft, there were several notable trades. The Lakers were unable to send Kobe away because Mamba had issued a personal statement through his agency team:

“I’m not leaving Los Angeles!”

Kobe, who has the right to veto trades, is truly not for sale, but the Black Mamba Vince Carter was sent to the Magic by the Nets in exchange for Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee.

This deal has Carter's family factors, but it still loses a lot of its dignity to see a big star being "sold off" like this.

Tracy McGrady is also about to leave the ranks of superstars. Rockets general manager Mo Gou has already given a positive answer that the outdated "second man" will no longer be in the Rockets' plan.

Once the free market officially opens, the Rockets will listen to offers, and the countdown to McGrady's departure has begun.

The reason why they were so determined to sell was mainly because McGrady was injured again. After the waist injury, he also had problems with his shoulder. The Rockets were not optimistic about his health and chose to trade him this time.

Another out-of-date superstar who was traded was Shaquille O'Neal. Although the old Shark's popularity increased greatly thanks to his younger brother, Suns general manager Steve Kerr was determined to sell him.

Yahoo Sports first broke the news that O'Neal is expected to return to the Magic to join forces with Carter, and the old Shark plans to retire directly after the last year of his contract.

However, there are considerable conflicts between O'Neal and the Magic management, and it has not yet been officially confirmed whether he can return to his parent team this time.

After ESPN's morning Sports Center show ended, Lakers fans found out that Tim Duncan had updated his status on Twitter. They were shocked and started to watch:
“In this third season of giving it our all, hopefully we can lift the Larry O’Brien Cup together.”

After coming to Los Angeles, Duncan officially opened his Twitter account this season. It is usually managed by his wife Amy. It is similar to Kobe's account, and daily updates are all advertisements.

This is a rare update of his personal status. There is no doubt that Duncan is supporting Phil Jackson and Kobe, while also putting pressure on the Lakers.

This offseason, the Knicks are facing contract renewal issues, and so are the Lakers. Ariza asked for a big contract very early on, and as the free market is about to open, the team has not released any news about contract renewal.

Duncan would naturally not interfere in the transaction, but seeing that the team's lineup depth was tending to collapse, he could not sit still for a moment. He changed his previous low-key attitude and actively gave his response.

Before the free market officially began, the Lakers were no longer in turmoil because of the statements made by Phil Jackson and Duncan, and the Buss family once again declared that they would fight for the championship.
Ever since the Lakers' championship number was surpassed by the Knicks, the Lakers' status as a top team has dropped a lot, and the pre-sale of season tickets has also been affected.

Fortunately, they are on the West Coast, and the Clippers next door have no competitiveness. Far away from New York, they can still maintain their basic base. In comparison, the Celtics' situation is even worse, and fans have already protested.

On Monday afternoon, the Celtics finally updated the situation. The team reporter posted a photo with Garnett on social media and updated the tweet again:

"Kevin is recovering very well. After the mini training camp, the team's physical trainer and medical team will follow him to Los Angeles to help Kevin get back to his best physical condition as soon as possible."

No reinforcement plan was revealed because the Celtics had no money and the team owner did not want to pay too much luxury tax.

Paul Pierce, who has always been a loudmouth, has been silent since Li You announced that he would "play for another 7 years", while Ray Allen returns to his family during the offseason every year and allows the commentators to comment on him at will.

Marbury is very active. Not only does he actively participate in the mini training camp organized by his old teammates, he also promotes his own sneaker brand on social media and actively expresses his loyalty to the team.

Unfortunately, Danny Ainge didn't seem to take Marbury's contract seriously and didn't even talk about an early contract extension.

On Monday night, YouTube surfers were surprised to find a video that went viral. In the video, NBA star Marbury looked excited, shirtless, pointing at his knees and shouting:
"This is the price I paid for the championship! I sacrificed everything, and all I got in return was pain!"

"You have no right to laugh at me, especially New Yorkers. You shouldn't laugh at me. I always wanted to return to my hometown to play basketball, but you rejected me."

"In order to fight against Lee, I am even willing to overdraw my body, and now Boston wants to abandon me!"

"."

While Marbury was complaining about his grievances, he also revealed what technology he had used to win the championship this season. The spectators were stunned. Is it possible to say this out loud?

At the end of the video, Marbury seemed to be crazy, shouting with a ferocious expression:

"Everyone is the same! The superstars you like are all the same as me, they are just good at acting!"

"I'm just not lucky enough. God has abandoned me. God only loves Lee. He took away everything from me. I should play in New York. I should win the championship in New York." There were not many abstract performances in 2009. Marbury jumped and danced in his home, cursing the team as if he was high, and cursing the star players who took drugs, which made the netizens who were surfing the Internet call it outrageous.

As for Marbury's later words of jealousy towards Li You, they were mocked on the spot. Knicks fans who love to compete for the game forgot about the son of New York. Most of the comments below the video were the same:
"The Knicks don't need you. We don't want to see you take the team to the lottery. You're just a clown who's jealous of Lee."

"."

June 6th, the last day of this month, Marbury’s abstract performance went viral last night, and the big star seemed to have mental problems.

The relevant video was blocked this morning, and the NBA league intervened. The technological issues that Marbury complained about caused quite a stir. This thing cannot be talked about, as it will affect the brand image.

The hashtag "Marbury is crazy" became popular on Twitter last night. Careful fans can easily find that as Li You wins more and more, many big stars have developed psychological problems.

The retired Iverson has been photographed by fans getting drunk in nightclubs in Philadelphia more than once, and from time to time there are news reports that he is receiving treatment from a psychiatrist.

Although Tim Duncan is strong, he went straight to the player tunnel in this year's finals. Combined with the tears he shed in the past few years, he seems to be on the verge of collapse.
As for Kobe Bryant, many people have long believed that Mamba has gone crazy. Not only did he steal Carter's title, he also added adjectives to himself every year and insisted on self-hypnosis at 4 a.m. every day.

After the discussion, it is not difficult to find that Kobe is on the verge of "madness". After the Marbury incident, many die-hard fans began to worry about their idol, fearing that Mamba would also give an abstract performance.

None of the league's veterans have spoken out about this matter, and Lynch Hunter's words seem to have already revealed the truth, and more and more people are beginning to believe the veteran's point of view.

At 10 o'clock in the morning, the Tarrytown Training Center welcomed three new students.

Serge Ibaka has ended his contract with the club and will officially join the NBA next season. He has acquaintances on the Knicks team, and Gasol can help him integrate into the team. D'Antoni also visited him last year.

A smile appeared on his black face. Ibaka was a little reserved, but his face was more of an expectant look, which made Donnie Walsh behind the desk nod secretly.

He looked at the physical test just now. This big guy has amazing talent, but his skills are a little rough. However, as long as he can run and jump, he can solve the problem of insufficient height at the No. 4 position next season.

Danny Green, with a shaved head, was in a daze after arriving at the training center. He even performed poorly in the physical test that had just ended due to nervousness, which made him worry that he would be "returned."

There was nervousness on his face. The last pick in the first round had a guaranteed contract, which was better than he expected. Danny Green didn't want to hear that he was rejected.

Wesley Matthews, who was selected with the 60th pick, was also a little nervous. Although he tried hard to control his emotions, a complicated look flashed across his black face from time to time.

The physical test performance was also not very good. Matthews is not worried about the contract because he got in through the back door.
Old Wesley was very worried about his eldest son getting a good job. Although he won the championship with the Lakers in 87 and 88, he was politely rejected when he wanted to join the Lakers.

After some connections, Li You's agent Matt Bartelstein finally promised that if no one else picked him, the Knicks would pick Wesley Matthews with the 60th pick.

The price of taking the backdoor is the Development League. Just like Ewing's eldest son, the incompetent second-generation ball player can only throw in the towel in the championship team. The newbie has already received advice from his father about this.

"Don't worry about the contract. You are all included in the team's plan. There will be a small training camp before the start of the summer league on the 10th."

"You will train with other young players, coach Mike Malone will guide you, and Knicks fans hope to see the team bring the championship back to New York again."

Donnie Walsh pushed his glasses and slowly spoke about the arrangements for several people. After getting the guarantee, the three of them breathed a sigh of relief, and Danny Green completely relaxed.

“Can we see Lee? I’m in the Parade of Champions.”

Ibaka's English was still not very good, and he asked the question stumblingly. The two people beside him also showed expectations. Donnie Walsh smiled and shook his head, and then responded seriously:
"I want to tell you the first thing to know when you join the Knicks: life is bigger than basketball!"

"You can see Lee in the New York Times. He should be playing golf recently. He should be attending the Las Vegas Desert Classic and darts competition in a few days. Sky Sports invited Lee."

"."

After the translation, Ibaka scratched his head subconsciously, and then the three of them looked at each other. Having seen Kobe train until 4 a.m. and get injured after the finals, they were really not used to Li You's lifestyle.

After briefly chatting with the three new players and seeing that they were completely relaxed, Donnie Walsh suddenly asked Danny Green:
"Danny, has Lee paid attention to North Carolina's games in recent years?"

North Carolina won the NCAA championship this year, so the championship members naturally received attention, but unfortunately, Danny Green was not among them. No agent contacted him last year.

Danny Green had played in college for four years, but he had never heard of or witnessed Li You coming to watch a game. When he heard the general manager's question, he was a little confused for a moment and couldn't help but respond a little stiffly:

"Um, as far as I know, there shouldn't be any, sir! Maybe I missed some information."

"Li is very optimistic about you. Don't mind the physical test just now. Opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared."

Donnie Walsh nodded and encouraged again, which made Danny Green look confused. After the three of them left the office, Wesley Matthews asked in a low voice with excitement on his dark face:
"Bro, do you know Lee? It's great to go to school in North Carolina. Marquette University doesn't get any attention at all!"

The chattering newbies made Danny Green a bit overwhelmed. At 22 years old, he was considered an older rookie, and his talent was not outstanding. He had no intersection with Li You:

"It could just be a wonderful misunderstanding."

Wesley Matthews didn't believe it at all. He heard that the Knicks consulted Li You for his opinion. He didn't care if the newbie didn't admit it. He actually felt a little more comfortable. After all, they all got in through the backdoor.

Accompanied by the staff, the three began to visit the training center in detail and experience the championship culture.

We were too nervous during the previous physical test, and when we came to the training hall again, we noticed that there were flags of division champions and overall champions all around and in the sky. The newbies all took a deep breath, there were just too many!
Rajon Rondo and Raja Bell were also here. The two of them were talking in low voices. When they saw everyone, they greeted them. Before they could say anything, Rondo started talking:
"Maybe one day I will come back here. Now I will leave with the experience of a champion. When we meet again, we will be rivals."

Several teams have already made offers. Rondo is still considering it, but he has already decided to leave. Raja Bell will also enter the free market and has also received an offer. Injury caused him to lose his starting position, and he is also considering it.

"Don't pay attention to this guy. Just perform well. Playing next to Lee is the easiest thing. Coming to the Knicks is already halfway to success!"

Raja Bell encouraged a few people and then prepared to talk to the general manager with Rondo. As members of the championship team, they have the right to make their own choices without the need for agents to persuade them.

At this time, Donnie Walsh was chatting with Jeff Nix, who was in charge of scouting. Thinking of this year's draft, he couldn't help but ask again:

"Li always chooses the best players for the team?"

Jeff Nix, who has gained a lot of weight, shrugged his shoulders. Before, Donny failed in the last round of the draft. This year, Li You will "guide" again. He and the management are very confident about this:

“Yeah, man, God is really looking out for Lee!”

(End of this chapter)