NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 738: A new era finally begins. (No protagonist chapter)

On Thursday, June 2010, 6, while New York was celebrating its 17th championship in team history, trade rumors about Kobe Bryant swept the sports media.

According to sources within the Lakers, Jim Buss is ready to meet with Mamba, and the All-Star who has played for the team for 14 seasons may not be in the team's plans in the future!
Once the news was confirmed, NBA fans were shocked, and basketball critics also expressed shock:
"Is Buss crazy? Does he want to destroy the winning culture of this top team?!"

If Kobe continues to play for the Lakers, there is no doubt that he will have the second highest salary in the league in the future. The high salary is also one of the reasons for the trade rumors.

But in the opinion of industry insiders, the trade is mainly because there are really big-name players in the free market, and the Lakers' desperate effort at this point is indeed the right choice rationally speaking.

The reason why professionals are so sure is mainly because of the signals released by Li You, James Dolan, David Stern and others at the awards ceremony:

“A new era has begun”

Whether the NBA will manipulate the market has always been a hot topic among the public, but many fans have forgotten the nature of the league. The competitive attributes of a commercial league have always been secondary.

"Entertainment" always comes first. The league needs to provide high-quality game content for advertisers and broadcasters. In other words, basketball needs someone to "buy in."

NBC ran away because it was not optimistic about the development of the league. Fortunately, ESPN and TNT took over and completely survived the trough. Currently, the league is thriving!
This year's finals G5 attracted 3180 million viewers. Although G6 declined, the number of viewers also exceeded 3000 million.

This viewership level almost matched the record of 93 million in Game 6 of the 3210 Finals!

After the peak period in the 90s, the NBA finally ushered in its second peak in viewership. In this regard, David Stern has emphasized the future development more than once recently, and even expressed his wishes in front of the media:

"I hope to see LeBron James stay in Cleveland, which is what we have always advocated for, and he can win with the team like Lee did."

Because the management team of The Chosen One was too active, the president was worried that James was going astray and took the initiative to send out signals.

Fans previously thought that this was an over-interpretation by the commentators, but after watching the award ceremony of the finals, it was not difficult for the careful spectators to find that the Knicks team has definitely "disintegrated"!
TNT welcomed the last finals show of the season in the afternoon. Social media was full of discussions about trades and the "new era", and the trio naturally would not miss this hot topic.

The director replayed the award ceremony from the night before. Under the sky full of blue and orange ribbons, Li You held up the O'Brien Cup in the center. Everyone at the scene shouted happily and raised their hands to celebrate.

Ignoring the commercial praise, when presenting the FMVP trophy, David Stern handed the trophy to Li You and said with a smile:
"This is the greatest moment in NBA history! In the competition among 30 teams, Lee led the Knicks to create miracles one after another. This is the era that belongs to New York!"

Many Knicks players cried until their eyes were red. In contrast, Li You seemed to have been certain that he could win the championship. He just smiled brightly when he received the trophy, and finally laughed and joked about himself:
"The great era will eventually come to an end. I am very happy to present wonderful games to the fans. The future belongs to the young people!"

"."

Although Li You claimed in Doris Burke's question that he would not give up the pursuit of the championship, the commentators firmly believed that this was just empty talk, the Knicks would definitely disintegrate, and a new era had arrived.

It sounds like the league is manipulating the game, but both the commentators and the fans are happy to accept the result.

Eight consecutive championships is already the limit. If there hadn't been the injury drama this year, the ratings wouldn't have been ranked third in history. Fans in Philadelphia and Boston were delighted to see the news, and many people began discussing the championship issue.

Almost all teams started moving the day after the finals. The offseason hasn't officially arrived yet, but the trade news is extremely hot.

The relevant sports reporters were all grinning from ear to ear, and many of them wanted to send 20 tweets a day. The suppressed market completely exploded, and young players entering the free market were also speaking out.

In the studio, watching the moment when Li You and the older kids raised their glasses, Charles Barkley did not speak first as he usually did, and Big Mouth suddenly fell silent.

As a true insider, it is difficult to comment on the league's "I'm done pretending, I'm going to show my cards" behavior. This is not the first time David Stern has done this, but it is still unexpected to be so "naked".

"The upcoming luxury tax may cause the defending champions to reorganize, but they are still the most successful team in NBA history, no doubt about it!"

Ernie Johnson knew that his two partners did not like the president's interference in operations, but as a practitioner, he thought it was a good thing. A basketball game without suspense would hardly attract more attention.

The relatively calm Kenny Smith will naturally not sabotage. TNT's ratings have been declining in recent years, which has a lot to do with the Knicks' winning streak.

Before Li You won a huge victory, he could still be "criticized" in the show, and his mediocre performance could also be ridiculed.

But ever since the Knicks won their eighth consecutive championship and Li You completed his second three-peat MVP, the quality of the show has plummeted, because "blackening" and "ridicule" would turn them into clowns.

Since 03, the Knicks have won 70+ games four times, and the worst record was 05 wins in 63, which is an outrageous result!
During these years, it was obvious that Li You was slacking off, showing no aggression in certain matches, and throwing balls around randomly, but all the commentators had to follow suit after the games, and they were even at a loss for words in the end.

This year, it is even more outrageous. The New York media has been "winning every day". They don't even pretend to be "numbed by winning". Before the game even starts, New York fans are celebrating the victory.
Thinking about the situation in recent years, Kenny Smith suddenly felt that the disintegration might be a good thing. At least the new topics can attract more audiences:

"I agree with Ernie. The Knicks are still a hot contender after the reorganization, but they may be quiet for a while in the next few years."

"It's obvious that entering the finals for many consecutive years is a huge drain. This year's wave of injuries is the best proof of this. Kobe is almost covered in injuries. Both teams really need to stop."

Charles Barkley, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up, facing the camera, and asked with a serious expression:

"Why doesn't anyone think about this? In the future, Lee may be able to continue to dominate the league with a group of rookies."

"Paul Gasol will get a maximum salary contract, but he is only 30 years old and can still maintain a good condition in the next four years."

"I know other players on the Knicks may receive big contracts, but as long as they maintain their dual core inside and outside, I still don't think highly of the young people now."

The two partners were almost speechless. In the end, Ernie Johnson smiled awkwardly, spread his hands and said to the camera:

"Lee is already 32 years old. I believe he will win another championship in the future, but it will be difficult for the Knicks to maintain such absolute dominance."

"The championship window is here, man, that's the reality, and maybe we're going to have the most exciting offseason in NBA history."

Kenny Smith also didn't want to talk about this topic any more. Whenever he thought about Li You continuing to win, his scalp tingled. He subconsciously changed the subject and said:

"Kobe, who is about to turn 32, is still the best shooting guard in the league. With the right to veto a trade, I think it will be difficult for the Lakers to push for a deal."

"Kobe's biggest problems right now are injuries to his fingers, shoulders and knees. He looks stronger this season, but injuries have ruined his efforts."

"I still think Kobe has a chance to win the championship, maybe the Lakers should be patient."

"."

Kobe remained silent most of the time when he attended the post-game press conference the night before. Mamba seemed to be autistic. He did not mention his injuries or future championships. He looked very depressed.

Since Phil Jackson has long revealed that he will leave basketball and officially retire, many reporters are also concerned about who will be the next head coach of the Lakers.

When asked about the relevant questions, Kobe remained expressionless, neither regretting the departure of the old man from KFC nor welcoming the new head coach in the future:

"I don't care about these. I'm still thinking about basketball issues. I don't rule out ending my career early in the future." This part of the interview did not attract much attention. After all, Iverson retired on the spot that year. Mamba can't compare with the Son of Philadelphia in this regard.

No blessings, no response, Kobe's performance at the press conference made fans worried. Mamba may have psychological problems, and if he is traded again, it may be all over.

After the director reviewed this interview, Charles Barkley kept shaking his head. He sympathized with Kobe, but when it came to the Lakers' championship issue, he criticized them as usual:

"Kobe has proven that he can't carry the team. Although I don't like Shaq, the Lakers do lack an MVP like Shaq!"

"Tim Duncan was great, but offense wins championships, and the Celtics have the same problem."

"Kevin Garnett can build a system with his defensive ability, but in the return phase, he can only defend."

"I agree with the changes made by Kupchak. If Kobe wants to pursue the championship, he must leave."

The trio also discussed the Lakers' potential trading targets on the show. As long as Mamba agrees, LeBron James and others are likely to come to Los Angeles through multiple transactions.

It is also very important to be able to plan your career reasonably. Although the highest honor "One Person, One City Award" is good, the championship is the foundation. Everyone accepts the situation of young people banding together.

-

The TNT program was discussing the issues of the new era, and Michael Wilbon also revealed his own gossip on ESPN's PTI sports talk show in the evening:

"The Knicks are indeed trying to find a way to deal with future luxury tax clauses. This is the consensus of the players' union and the owners. The league must make changes!"

"I have confirmed from people close to Lee that Lee fully supports the players' union and agrees with his teammates pursuing big contracts."

"."

No one on the Knicks team who were still celebrating the championship responded to this topic, and the always picky New York fans did not sing a different tune. The rich experience of playing 5 against 8 made everyone aware of the problem.

With the arrival of the championship window, the biggest beneficiaries are the "big fish" in the free market. James and his team in Manhattan are almost blown up by calls, as they are finally enjoying the "protagonist" treatment.

At 20 p.m., Jay-Z's 40/40 Club also celebrated. Diddy and others held a welcome party for Carmelo Anthony, who visited here for the first time during the offseason.

Since the wedding was going to be held during the off-season and Lala was also present, the party was relatively simple, but the atmosphere was very lively.

When Lala said that he hoped Anthony would come to New York to play, Diddy's followers shouted loudly, and Jay-Z even said pretentiously while smoking a cigar:

"The Nets will soon move to the Barclays Center. Brooklyn is our turf, and Melo will definitely be welcomed to play here!"

"Did Stan Kroenke call you? Ignore that white vampire. New York is the best basketball city."

As we all know, Li You and Stan Kroenke have a close relationship and they have even collaborated in the Premier League. Jay-Z and others can't actually say a word to him, but that doesn't stop them from talking nonsense.

Anthony felt a little embarrassed at this time. In fact, the boss ignored him. Only George Karl hoped that he could stay. He didn't want to completely break up with the team. In the end, he could only smile and perfunctorily say:
"Yee, New York or Los Angeles, anyway, that's my goal"

As James' agent, Leon Rose has been receiving calls non-stop these past two days. Wesley has also mobilized his own connections to frantically build momentum for the Chosen One.

He can't come to New York, but it would be great to go to Los Angeles. However, there is a prerequisite for going to the Lakers, and that is to send Kobe away. James is not interested in partnering with the Mamba.

Wade is naturally aware of how popular his friend is recently. Even if James doesn't go to a big city to play and stays in Cleveland, he can still achieve something.

In contrast, the Heat, which has been eroded by the championship forward, has a feeling of having a bleak future. After receiving instructions from Pat Riley, Wade took the initiative to initiate this party in order to find out his friend's inclinations.

"Bro, have you been contacted by Los Angeles yet? Or have you decided to stay in Cleveland and make the big bucks!"

Amid the rhythmic rap, Wade and James clinked glasses. The latter smiled slightly, a smug look on his face, and pointed at his agent and said loudly:

"You know, Leon has been busy with this matter these past two days. We have already made a condition. As long as Kobe leaves, we can continue the discussion."

"But I think that guy will definitely use the trade veto. It's not bad to stay in Cleveland. Maybe next year I can break the championship curse."

"."

Obviously, good friends are the Lakers' first target. Wade feels jealous about this because the Lakers did not contact him immediately. Currently, only the Bulls are the most sincere.

Diddy, who was swaying his head to the music, didn't care where the two of them were going to play. While everyone was almost drunk, he immediately stood up and greeted them:

"Damn it Lee finally finished the championship game! Come on! It's time for us to start the second stage!"

The slim black girl brought Wade back to his senses and the atmosphere became increasingly heated, which made the Flash put his worries behind him. At worst, he could just go to the Bulls to play hometown basketball.

The high-spirited James cheered loudly, his time has come, he wants both the "One Man, One City Award" and the championship!

-

On Friday, June 6, there were more and more news about LeBron James. In order to keep the chosen one, local fans in Akron spontaneously organized a "Love James Event".

Everything was going in a good direction, and David Stern's "script" seemed to have succeeded again, but TMZ's revelations at noon were shocking.

Goodwin, the former agent of the Chosen One and Dwight Howard, contacted TMZ and broke the explosive news:
"Delonte West and Gloria had a close relationship, and many people on the Cavaliers knew about it, and eventually management issued a gag order."

"."

Goodwin even revealed that Howard also knew about this matter. James's agency team slandered his brother. He had been keeping the secret for the agent, but was eventually betrayed and fired by the "Happy Beast".

The Associated Press and other media outlets followed up immediately. The news was so explosive that it became more and more outrageous. Cavaliers owner Gilbert had to accept an interview and severely condemned it:

"Goodwin is making up facts that don't exist! He is trying to destroy our friendship with LeBron"

West immediately denied the incident on Twitter, but the news was still spreading and Goodwin insisted that the Cavaliers were hiding it.

When New York reporters caught up with James at the airport, the Chosen One had a long face and no smile on his face at all. He left quickly under the protection of his entourage.

Before Leon Rose could speak, James couldn't hold it anymore and cursed in anger:
"Damn news!!"

(End of this chapter)