NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 740 "Second place is worthy of praise!" (No protagonist chapter)
On Wednesday, June 2010, 6, the day before the draft, the heat of the lottery picks was completely sucked away by the annual drama in Los Angeles!

As early as after the end of Game 5 of the Finals, rumors circulated within the Lakers that Kobe would not be in the team's plans and Jim Buss planned to rebuild the team and strive for the championship next season.

This news was first revealed by a sports reporter from the Los Angeles Times on Twitter, but most sports commentators didn't believe it at the time, and the reason was very simple:
"Kobe Bryant is still the best shooting guard in the league!"

Putting aside his performance in the finals, during the long regular season, although Mamba was not stable, his mental attributes were full and it was common for him to fight with injuries.

Look at Kobe's finger injury, knee injury and shoulder injury. Mamba, who gained weight again, experienced a trough this season, but in the end the Lakers still won the first place in the Western Conference. This is a strong proof of his ability to lead a team!
Although Kobe's regular statistics are mediocre and his advanced statistics are all poor, his results do not lie. The Lakers must be crazy to trade such a cornerstone!

After Duncan announced that he would leave Los Angeles, everyone thought Kobe would definitely stay, but Jim Buss and Kupchak made a big move and announced the team's plan in a high-profile manner:
"The Lakers will usher in a new era!"

This is what Jim Buss talked about yesterday when he was on the PTI Sports talk show. Originally, they were discussing rookies, but the Lakers had already given away their picks, so the topic eventually became trades.

What Kobe fans can't accept the most is that Jim Buss has no respect for Mamba, who fought with injuries and gave everything for the team. When talking about the losses in recent years, he euphemistically found an excuse:

"We had a win against the Knicks, and Shaq was totally dominating the paint."

"After that, we returned to the finals, but now it seems that there is a problem with the team's construction ideas. It is difficult for our core players to play the same dominance as in the past."

"The Lakers are already behind the Knicks, we have to catch up, this is the team's only goal!"

Many Lakers fans are very dissatisfied that the 12 championships can still be surpassed. In the past, ranking second was certainly commendable, but ranking third is not the case, which has greatly reduced their status.

The finals also caused some sponsors to run away, and with Duncan announcing his departure, the Lakers' season ticket sales had some minor problems before the new season even started.

In this regard, Jim Buss directly put the blame on Kobe. He firmly believed that the Mamba would gradually decline, and he could stop the loss in time by taking action early!

PTI Sports Talk Show has a huge influence. After the half-hour show ended last night, news was dug out that Jim Buss had contacted James' agent Leon Rose and Wesley and others.

Just when some people thought that the two sides would part ways amicably, an insider revealed that Jeanie Buss had different opinions on the relevant transaction.

Phil Jackson has decided to retire. After leaving the coaching position, the old man from KFC cannot enter the management. However, on the issue of the trade, he supports his girlfriend and publicly criticizes Jim Buss's choice:

"Trading a core player who has played for the team for 14 seasons is the stupidest choice!"

"Kobe is the core player who has experienced the most finals among active players. Lee is the best outside player, and Kobe ranks second. It is difficult to understand how to trade such a core player."

The old man at KFC who said this in front of the reporter showed a sad look on his face, and finally added praise:
"7 Finals, that's an amazing accomplishment, even though Kobe only won once, he still surpasses most of the league's players."

“We always praise Lee for his achievements, but second place deserves respect too!”

The old Shark is no longer at his peak and will most likely retire next season. As the core of the Lakers, Kobe is undoubtedly the second one in Phil Jackson's eyes. The old man from KFC supported his disciple before he left.

This morning, ESPN reported the "fraud" within the Lakers. In fact, as early as 04, conflicts arose between the two successors.

Back then, Kobe forced the management to write a short essay on his official blog. The matter was ultimately handled by old Buss, which was considered a loss of face.

Now that Jim Buss has taken over the power, the onlookers think this is an alternative form of "revenge", but Jeanie Buss does not seem to intend to back down after her boyfriend retires, and she strongly supports Kobe in this year's trade.

On the afternoon's First Take show, Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith both wanted to eat melon, but Magic Johnson, who was invited, was very cunning.

Whenever the two of them brought the topic to trades, Magic Johnson would face the camera, show his signature smile, and cheerfully perfunctorily answer in an ambiguous tone:
"I do know some news, but I won't let the key information come out of my mouth!"

"Jim led the Tim Duncan trade, which I always think is the best trade in recent years, but within the team, Jenny also contributed a lot, and we all love her!"

"Give the Lakers some time, I think the two will reach a consensus. As for Kobe, I agree with Phil that the second place is equally commendable."

If we look back at the Lakers' history, losing in the finals consecutively is a tradition, and praising the second place is actually a routine operation.
Skip Bayliss stared at what he heard. His cunning partner didn't reveal any important news. His peers were too active recently, and he didn't want to fall behind at this time:
"Why is Kobe No. 2? In the playoffs, I think LeBron James and Dwyane Wade performed better."

"If Jim can recruit these two young guys, the fans will definitely accept Kobe's departure."

Stephen A. Smith nodded exaggeratedly, shaking his head in agreement, adding fuel to the fire:

"Whether it's team performance or personal data, LeBron James has performed better than Kobe in recent years. I think James is the real second."

"Kobe has been completely crushed. His leadership has huge problems. Every year, the Lakers locker room has bad situations."

In terms of Excel, not only LeBron James, but Dwyane Wade also surpassed Mamba. The reason why people don’t have much respect for Kobe is mainly because his statistics are really weak.

"How many finals have these youngsters experienced? They have never proven themselves on a real big stage!"

Magic Johnson simply spread his hands and asked with a wide grin, leaving the two men speechless for a long time, because James and Wade's best result was the Eastern Conference Finals.

"The Finals and the Conference Finals are completely different feelings, man, believe me, 7 Finals, it's harder than you think."

"Lee has been to 13 finals, which is an incredible achievement!"

"Even if Lee's form declines in the next few years, I will still praise him because he has achieved the ultimate and no player will surpass this record in the future."

Magic Johnson, who was blocked from both ends, almost left Stephen A. Smith speechless. If Kobe is held to the GOAT standard, then Mamba is indeed not up to the mark.

But when it comes to the second person, Kobe really has something to say. Although he doesn't have MVP and FMVP, Mamba has rings and has reached the finals more times than the old Shark.

"I still don't think Kobe will win, but I agree with some of your views. Lee does need a rest, which is why we are discussing who will win the championship."

Stephen A. Smith insisted that Mamba was not worthy of the honor of "second man", and Skip Bayless stopped dwelling on the topic of the Lakers' internal struggles and suddenly asked curiously:

"Let's not talk about Kobe's trade. Who are your targets this offseason?"

"LA always recruits great big men, man, I still need to keep it a secret!"

Magic Johnson grinned again and tilted his head, as if he felt the news was not explosive enough, and then reminded again:

“Showtime is about to start again!”

"."

Kobe, who was awarded the title of "Second Man", smashed the TV at home to pieces in the afternoon. Vanessa has moved out with her daughter. Mamba has become more and more irritable recently.

The nanny case has not yet ended, and the divorce lawsuit has come up again. Vanessa has issued a final "ultimatum". If she cannot change her mind in these few months, she will go to court to file for divorce at the end of the year.

The knee injury prevented Kobe from concentrating on training in the gym. Not only was his training affected, but he was also unable to participate in the Men's Basketball World Championships.

Kobe, who lacked the O'Brien Cup, had planned to "overtake on the curve" through international competitions, but his body did not live up to the expectations.

This mansion in Newport Coast was the couple's "love nest" at the time. Although there is traffic jam on the way to Staples Center, Kobe has always loved living here.

Now that Vanessa and the daughters are gone, Mamba, who lives in a big house, is not happy with everything, and he also doesn't look good to his agent Pelinka. Seeing Mamba having difficulty walking, Pelinka didn't care about his employer's attitude and took the initiative to explain the news of the past two days:

"Kobe, we need to get rid of the label of loser. Nick Harrison and I have made a detailed plan. We will shoot several creative advertisements in the next few months."

"After the surgery, some well-known talk shows are waiting for you. If you are interested, I suggest you write another book!"

Halfway through the conversation, Pelinka noticed that Kobe's face was getting darker and darker, but these plans could not be delayed, and being the "second man" was always better than being a loser:

"I've talked to Jenny about the trade, and I'm sure you'll stay on the team. Even if Tim leaves, there will still be an All-Star big man next season!"

I was about to question those boring business operations, but when I heard about the Lakers' personnel changes, Kobe immediately perked up, stared and asked in a deep voice:

"Who do they want to trade over?"

"Amar'e Stoudemire! Jim Buss has contacted him. This will be a three-way deal that will send Tim back to San Antonio."

Pelinka, who was sitting on the sofa, leaned forward and tried to paint a rosy picture to encourage big employers, but he didn't expect Kobe to curse as soon as he heard the name:
"Shit! Another player from the Knicks?! What do they want to do?"

"."

Pelinka was totally confused as he didn't expect the Mamba to react like this. This is an All-Star level violent forward. There is no doubt about Stoudemire's strength, and his offensive attributes are maxed out!
In this era where offense wins championships, Jim Buss's move was completely correct. Even Pelinka raised his hand in favor of this signing, minimizing the impact of Duncan's departure.

"I think this is a good deal, Kobe. We can't use the trade veto again. I will talk to Jim about your misunderstanding again."

The labels on players are very important. Pelinka does not want Kobe to offend the league's owners. Staying in Los Angeles is the best option. He does not want to see big employers leave big cities.

After a long silence, Kobe always felt that Stoudemire's arrival was not a good thing. When he thought of someone spreading championship experience in the locker room, Mamba couldn't help but twitch his eyes and took the initiative to change the subject and said:
"Don't let me hear those 'second-man' comments again! Damn success!"

-

On Thursday, June 6, Adrian Warneros of Yahoo Sports suddenly broke the news of a blockbuster deal in the morning:
"Amar'e Stoudemire, Andrew Bynum and Tim Duncan will swap clubs."

At this time, Stoudemire had already started looking for a house in Los Angeles. The championship forward did not hide it. After being blocked by sports reporters at the Toyota Center training hall, he generously admitted that he was indeed considering playing for the Lakers.

When asked about his choice as a free agent, Stoudemire smiled and immediately shared his championship experience:

"The Lakers are a great team, but after watching this year's Finals, I think they've reached their limit."

"Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant are both excellent, but they failed to lead the team to create a true winning culture. I don't want to comment on Duncan's actions. Basketball shouldn't be like this!"

"If I join the Lakers, I will share my championship experience without reservation. I learned how to lead a team correctly from Lee very early on, and these experiences can help the Lakers locker room."

With a smile on his dark face, Stoudemire became more and more confident as he spoke, and at the end he did not forget to show off his championship T-shirt. Several reporters then discovered that it had Li You's autographed blessing on it:
"My little brother is a natural leader!"

Showing his "Lee Yoo Recognition Award" and looking at the surprised eyes of several reporters, Stoudemire said proudly:
"My experience with the Suns has made me more mature. Shaq has shared a lot of Kobe's stories with me. Next season, I will take him back to the finals."

"."

After the interview, a Los Angeles sports reporter immediately updated his Twitter account, not only repeating the content of the interview, but also adding fuel to the fire:

"The Beastly Champion forward will lead Kobe to the championship! It's time to come up with a nice name for this new duo!"

Barnes has exercised his player option and will continue to play for the Lakers next season. He immediately retweeted the relevant tweet and also @Stoudemire:
"Bro, blessings from the New York gang! #newera #Knicks championship forward #GOAT recognition"

Kobe, who had installed a new TV in the afternoon, also saw the interview clip on ESPN. Hearing the familiar remarks and seeing Stoudemire's smug smile, Mamba immediately broke down:

"Fuck! These damn bastards! Bullshit championship experience!"

"."

The Mamba, who was yelling and cursing, almost smashed the newly bought TV. Fortunately, Pelinka was quick-witted and prevented the new TV from falling on the spot.

At 19 p.m., ESPN continued to broadcast this year's draft. In the Madison Square Garden Theater, the newcomers in the audience all looked nervous. Although it was a small year for the draft, the competition was equally fierce.

After "Spearmaster" Arenas was suspended, the Wizards completely disintegrated. Fortunately, they won the No. 1 pick this year and the team can rebuild immediately.

When David Stern announced with a smile that the Wizards had selected John Wall from the University of Kentucky, cheers immediately broke out at the scene, and relatives and friends hugged each other.

After taking the Wizards' cap, John Wall shook hands with the president, faced the camera, showed his white teeth, and smiled happily.

Although the Wizards are a bit rotten, the big contract is already in hand. There is no need to talk about "loyalty" these days, and the newbies are ready to stick together.

The 76ers selected Evan Turner from Ohio State University with the second pick, and the swingman, who was highly praised by the Chicago media, also smiled happily in front of the camera.

Although he failed to play for his hometown team, Evan Turner is ready to run away. If he really becomes famous, there will be better options in the next city.

DeMarcus Cousins, also from the University of Kentucky, was selected by the Kings, Aminu from Wake Forest was selected by the Clippers, and the Pacers selected Paul George from Fresno State University.

As the names were read out, new players took the stage one after another. When David Stern read out the 30th pick, the New York fans in the theater who were watching the show started to cheer loudly.

".The New York Knicks select Lance Stephenson from Cincinnati with the 30th pick"

Many first-round picks at the end of the draft would not choose to be present, but Lance Stephenson was different. Not only was he present, but when he heard his name, he was so excited that he stood up and cried on the spot.

With the cooperation of the New York fans at the scene, this newbie with a bad reputation suddenly became the protagonist of the scene.

ESPN's interview session was also very respectful, allowing Lance Stephenson to enjoy the treatment of a lottery pick. Facing the camera, the newbie couldn't stop crying and excitedly expressed his opinion loudly:
"I'm a kid from Coney Island, Brooklyn, and playing for the Knicks has been my dream since I was a kid!"

"I'm so excited. This is a dream come true. I can't wait to go to the Tarrytown Training Center to see those championship banners. I want to show my loyalty to Lee this new season. I'm willing to give everything for the team."

"."

John Wall, who had just finished an interview, saw this scene and looked helpless. The atmosphere on the scene made the New York rookie the protagonist. He felt the "traffic" of the defending champion.

Having won the New York Basketball Player of the Year award in high school, Lance Stephenson attracted the attention of New York fans very early on.

Even if his physical talent and personal data are not worthy of the 30th pick, the Knicks will still choose him because this is what the fans want to see.

Watching the draft on TV, Jeremy Lin, who was expecting to be selected, was very disappointed. His hometown team, the Warriors, failed to make a move for him, and the Knicks did not select him with the 60th pick.

Seeing the concerned looks from his family, Jeremy Lin forced a smile and consoled himself:

"everything will be fine!"

(End of this chapter)