NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 745: The Spring of Veterans? (No protagonist chapter)

On Friday, July 2010, 7, the free market became completely active, and the highly-anticipated Heat signed several free agents in one go.

The young "Big Three" did not attend the ESPY Awards ceremony, and none of them were nominated. While old Denis was partying, the young people were secretly cheering him on.

After Ilgauskas' contract expired, the Cavaliers did not offer him a contract. The good big brother followed the little brother to Miami and continued to protect James with a minimum salary!
2 years and $800 million, under the call of Pat Riley, Randy Foye, who finished his rookie season with the Wizards, successfully joined the team;
Mike Miller, who was traded to the Wizards from the Timberwolves, made the same choice as his teammates. At the invitation of James, he joined the Heat for 3 million for three years.

At this point, Pat Riley has completed the reconstruction of the Heat. Haslem and Joel Anthony's combined salary is only 330 million US dollars. Relying on his personal charm, the slicked-back Pat successfully got everyone to take a pay cut.

At the beginning of the month, the NBA announced that the salary cap for the 10-11 season is 5804 million US dollars, of which the luxury tax line is 7030 million US dollars.

Last season, David Lee and Artest's combined salaries were over $2000 million, and with Wade's $1500 million, the core three would be cheaper than the current "Big Three";
From the perspective of salary, the Heat have successfully upgraded, but the pick-and-roll between David Lee and Wade is completely gone. The two have just established a chemistry, and now they can only hope that Bosh will take over the responsibility.

The young "giants" are still very attractive. Eddie House and Eric Dampier accepted the minimum salary to join the team, and James Jones also accepted a "bargain price" to stay with the team.

Taking into account Carlos Arroyo's low-price contract, the rebuilding Heat team doesn't have to pay taxes!
The championship configuration has become "cheap", but no one on the Heat team complained. The 37-year-old Juwan Howard explained the reason in an interview with a local Miami reporter:
"You know, we veterans can only express our gratitude and thank the Heat for giving us a chance to pursue a championship!"

"."

The veteran's remarks actually have a somewhat sarcastic tone. As we all know, the defending champion Knicks rarely accept veterans. Mutombo and Michael Finley are exceptions.

After Ewing officially retired, Li You and D'Antoni would rather take in a rookie than accept the old Deng, which made many veterans complain:

"They're all throwing towels, why can't they accept us?"

The Heat are now operating normally, filling the salary cap and relying on minimum salaries to strengthen the team. This is also the reason why they are so appealing in the free market. After all, the veterans don't have much time left.

Although the "Big Three" did not go to Los Angeles, the three followed the team to Las Vegas. In addition to vacation, they can often be seen at the Thomas and Mack Center.

Since all members of the Knicks attended the award ceremony, even "Little Ewing" went to Los Angeles, only rookie Stephenson was still working hard to perform in this summer league.

The team was no longer led by the chief assistant coach Mike Malone, so the championship was naturally lost. The last two games no longer attracted the attention of basketball critics like in previous years.

In comparison, the Heat enjoyed the treatment of being the protagonist. Although there were development league players and undrafted players, most sports reporters chose to come here to watch the game.

The Knicks' Tyson Chandler and Tayshaun Prince both chose to exercise their player options. Although Matthews, who performed well, received an offer, he did not respond and seemed to be still waiting for a big contract.

The same goes for Gary Neal. There are many teams interested in him, but no one is in the mood to deal with these things at the moment. After all, there is still plenty of time in the free market.

With no trade information to dig up, sports journalists focused their attention on the "Big Three."

A few days ago, LeBron James praised Patrick Beverley, who had been playing in the Development League last year, in an interview, and the rookie became popular overnight!
The Heat's opponent today is the Bucks. With half an hour left before the game starts at 19:30, the Thomas and Mack Center is already full of spectators. The ticket prices are not expensive, as everyone is here to see the "giants".

When James, Wade and Bosh appeared in the stadium wearing white T-shirts, cheers and boos sounded at the same time, and the scene immediately became lively.

Although the "Decision" has a mediocre influence, it also has a good side. There are not so many fans blaming young people for forming groups, and most people are indifferent to their choices.

The three of them were relieved, but also a little frustrated. They had joined forces, and most commentators predicted a maximum of 2 championships. As for 4 consecutive championships to establish a dynasty team, no one was optimistic.
Bosh is used to not being able to find anyone to blow X's mouth at. After all, when he was playing for the Raptors, he was the object of ridicule by New York fans. He, "spaghetti" and "sore center" were all favorites of the funny people.

The "sore center" is Jermaine O'Neal. After being sent to the Raptors, he was always injured and his request for a trade was rejected. In the last year of his contract, he simply gave up and did not play because of pain every day.

In addition, Bosh also suffered an injury at the end of the season, and was ridiculed by both Toronto and New York basketball critics.
In the six years since entering the league, Bosh has always been underestimated and never favored, but James and Wade are different. The Chosen One and the Flash were given a lot of expectations before, but as a result, their reputation has reversed after they joined forces.

The two don't like being ignored, so after some discussion they decided to try to make their presence felt in Las Vegas. That's why they dragged Bosh to watch basketball every day. The effect is good so far, with more and more sports media discussing them.

"Bro, I don't know how to thank you enough for giving me this opportunity"

Beverly showed excitement on his face. He came to the sidelines and greeted James and the other two. In front of the reporters, the rookie almost cried. It was the first time he was recognized.

Anyway, the base salary of rookies is cheap, and they will be laid off if they don't play well. James is also willing to do a favor and show his voice in the team. Outsiders need to establish "prestige":
"Don't be nervous, man. Just try your best. I see great potential in you!"

Witnessed by numerous reporters, James displayed his leadership qualities with a smile on his face and took the initiative to fist-bump the rookie to offer encouragement.

Beverley was so excited that he patted his chest. He signed a two-year contract with the Heat last year. He thought he would get a chance if the other side bought him from the Lakers, but he ended up playing in the Development League for a year.

Wade didn't even say a few words to him, but James directly took a liking to him, for which Beverly was grateful.

After the game started, the arena became more and more lively. Bosh enjoyed the attention and whispered to his friends from time to time. Wade watched for a while but lost interest in the game. Beverley had difficulty scoring and organizing the offense:

"Bro, if there is a chance, we have to continue to recruit veterans. It's hard to rely on rookies in big games."

Wade covered his mouth and gave his advice. He was still not interested in paying attention to the rookie with no talent. James on the side shook his head and shared his own championship experience:

"Bell told me that the Knicks are the team that runs the most distance in the league. We need more energy!"

Hearing this reason, Wade didn't care. Artest and David Lee were not so "diligent" after joining the Heat. The former even refused to train, and the latter just punched in on time.

The two champion forwards boasted that one was as good as two, and they were invincible when they formed a gang. Even an honest man like Haslem couldn't stand it. Wade would not believe in the so-called "championship experience":
"I trust Pat Riley more"

James didn't care about his friend's opinion. The oily-head's idea looked good, but he was really unsure about the center launching an attack from outside the three-point line.

During his years with the Cavaliers, he had become accustomed to Howard's "low-post beast". This system really didn't work, so James made up his mind to optimize the lineup.

"It would be great if we could wear our championship rings to the ESPYs!"

Bosh was still thinking about Wednesday's awards ceremony. What shocked him was that when Li You took the stage to accept the award, the Knicks team members had so many rings.

Even Old Deng and role players whom he had forgotten had several rings. The scene was simply a "championship ring exhibition". Almost all the championship rings since 98 were on display that night.

More than 10 years of championship history have made the Knicks the best team in NBA history. In the eyes of industry insiders, the Celtics have long been surpassed. After all, the competitiveness of ancient basketball was still far behind.

After "Not eight", Wade and James became more confident. This was related to Pat Riley's narration of "inside story of the league". The two knew that it was difficult to win consecutive championships, but it was relatively easy to win the championship as a team.

"Maybe we should consider how to design the first championship ring in team history!"

Wade covered his mouth with a smile in his eyes, whispered something that made James beside him grin, but the chosen one didn't think about the ring, thinking secretly in his heart: "It would be nice to get a finals MVP first."

Relying on the winning buff brought by the "Big Three", the Heat made a wave of plays and finally defeated the Bucks 78:58. At the end of the game, Beverly was sweating profusely, constantly clapping and loudly encouraging his teammates.

The sports journalists who saw this scene all felt that the rookie did have some good points, at least the game was full of passion.

The three people who were surrounded accepted everyone who came and talked about the issue of missing the World Championships in Türkiye. They all said that they would devote all their energy to the league and sent their blessings to the newbies.

"LeBron, Lee thinks your reunion can win at least two championships. What do you think about this?"

Hearing the question from the Yahoo Sports reporter, James was in a good mood and shook his head repeatedly to show his modesty, but in the end he changed the subject and responded confidently:

"After entering the league, Lee has always taken great care of me. You know, Coach Van Gundy has coached both of us, and I have absorbed a lot of championship experience!"

"It's difficult for me to win eight consecutive championships. Even in 8 years, no player will achieve this achievement. But if it is two championships, I am confident that I can achieve this goal."

"I will be turning 26 next season. In the next few years I will fully realize my talent. I am very happy to be recognized by Lee!"

"."

James, with a smile on his face, seemed very satisfied with the "Lee You Recognition Award". After praising him a lot, the smile on his face became brighter, leaving Wade and Bosh speechless.

If they remembered correctly, their good brother had fractured ribs. Thinking of the rumor in the league that Li You liked flatterers, Wade couldn't hold it in anymore and complained to his friends in a low voice:

"This guy will fit in seamlessly if he plays in New York!"

Bosh shrugged his shoulders and said nothing. If Li You recruited him, he would also raise his hand to welcome him. It is not shameful to flatter the GOAT.
-

Over the weekend, Portland sports media and ESPN broke the news of a "huge contract":
After getting rid of Eddy Curry's sick contract, the Trail Blazers officially offered Wesley Matthews a 5-year, $3800 million contract!
The role players who saw the news on Twitter were madly "lemony". Matthews only received $46 from the Knicks this season, and he was a "connected person".
After playing for one season, winning the championship with the team, and getting a big multi-year contract, he instantly became a "winner in life." Many undrafted players could not accept this.

Some sour people shouted that this was a "smoke bomb" and that Matthews' agent Matt Bartelstein was trying to build momentum for his players, but after work on Monday, the league approved the deal.

The Knicks did not match the offer, and Wesley Matthews got a big contract in exchange for the team's second-round draft pick in 11.

This transaction was called a signal of "supermarket opening" by basketball commentators. In the afternoon's First Take program, the three were also discussing the comeback of Matthews, who was an undrafted player and turned his career around.

Skip Bayless has long stopped being a hater, and when talking about this big contract, he couldn't help but start bragging:

"That's the charm of Lee! Players who play next to the GOAT always succeed. On the other hand, Kobe has problems in the locker room every year after leaving Shaq."

"There is a huge gap between the two in leadership. Kobe should reflect on why the players who left the Lakers would not say a good word for him."

Hearing his partner's loud criticism, Stephen A. Smith was in a good mood and immediately took over the conversation and blew X together:
"Li Ke would not give himself those 'weird titles'. He loves basketball immensely and keeps honing his skills and body every year, but he rarely publicizes these things!"

"Kobe is great, but he has to realize that his 'pure strength' cannot carry a team."

"I don't know what the 'Mamba Mentality' that Pelinka and Hooker recently launched is. It sounds like a joke. Vince Carter is the 'Black Mamba'!"

"I rarely criticize a player publicly, but Kobe has never been a high-quality idol for so many years, and Lee has proved himself to be the best in history. 12 championships is not the end."

Female host Dana Jacobson has had little say in recent episodes. These two people criticize the Mamba every day, and after the ESPY Awards ceremony last week, they smeared Kobe to pieces.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I must remind you once again that the Knicks have become the greatest team in basketball history!"

"Lee not only brought championships to New York, he also personally created a championship culture!"

"Kobe needs to stop this. He left the ESPYs early while Shaq was in tears."

"I hope Kobe can at least say thank you to Lee. It's his honor to play against the best player in history."

Stephen A. Smith was on fire when he talked about this matter. The award ceremony broadcast live last week was a historic moment for the Knicks, with all the championship members present.

Li You did not speak emotionally when accepting the award, but just expressed his gratitude as usual. As a result, everyone was so excited that they cried. When they heard their own names, the fat Ewing burst into tears, and even O'Neal shed tears.

Everyone's eyes were filled with tears, and Nowitzki applauded repeatedly, but Kobe always had a sullen face, and his early exit caused dissatisfaction among the New York media.

Dana Jacobson wanted to change the subject, but Skip Bayliss immediately took over and continued to criticize Mamba. The two of them worked together to make Kobe a "cancer" again.

Wesley Matthews' contract became a hot topic among basketball commentators. In the afternoon, the Lakers also offered a contract.

Steve Blake joined the defending runner-up in a low-key manner for 4 million in 1600 years. Jim Buss and Kupchak planned to eliminate Fisher, and both of them were very satisfied with the young point guard.

Kobe, who is preparing to undergo knee surgery, and his agent Rob Pelinka are currently "discussing" at the Toyota Center training hall. Mamba hopes his old teammates will stay with the team and has no good feelings towards Steve Blake.

"I don't understand why this wimp was signed, Derek should be back in the team."

"He is the player on this team who understands the triangle offense the best"

Kobe, who was sitting on the sofa, wanted to continue praising his old teammate, but Kopchak didn't give Mamba a chance and immediately stood up and interrupted:

"Wait, triangle offense? Kobe, Byron won't play triangle offense anymore. With Amare here, we need more pick-and-rolls!"

"Take good care of your knee and recover your body. You can talk to Byron about tactical issues for the new season. He is an old Laker and will patiently answer your questions."

Upon hearing the news, Kobe's eyes widened involuntarily, but Jim Buss behind the desk ignored Mamba's emotions and added slowly:

"I talked to Byron about this. He needs an elite pick-and-roll player. Kobe and Phil have failed. You have to learn to embrace a new system."

"."

In the end, Kobe left the office without saying a word. Pelinka felt a little sad. Of course, he heard the hidden meaning. Mamba is no longer the core of the team:
"Kobe, everything will be fine!"

(End of this chapter)