NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 750: A winning season. (Daily chapter)
On Tuesday, August 2010, 8, the NBA and the players' union jointly announced that negotiations on the labor agreement would be restarted this week.

In yesterday's conference call, David Stern once again expressed his wish that both sides could "sit down again" and announced two preseason games in London.

To restart the negotiations, Billy Hunter of the Players Union took the initiative to tell the media that he would invite more players to participate in the meeting, and also reiterated that the union would not accept the unfair draft like the last one:

"We hope that everyone can come to this meeting with sincerity. In fact, the suspension is a loss for everyone and no one wants to see this happen."

"."

Li You is also among the invited players, and of course Garnett is also indispensable. There are fewer and fewer influential old Dengs in the league, and the young people of the 03 class are beginning to take over the right to speak.

For the players in the league, the meeting is of course very important. If there is a shutdown, most players will have to arrange their work in advance and play overseas.

Not everyone has savings. The team's salaries can be paid quarterly. Many players will spend when they get their salaries. The girls around them are also big money-makers. The lockout may force them to max out their credit cards.

Many players have taken the initiative to speak out on social media, hoping to see progress in the negotiations as soon as possible, but for fans, such news seems a bit boring as everyone is still immersed in their recent fun.

On Sunday, O'Hare hosted a friendly match with a group of famous NBA stars at a gym in Fort McNair.

Playing basketball with the president is a good thing. Since his election, Obama has continued to play basketball.

Such a people-friendly black president naturally received the support of basketball stars and celebrities. During the event, O'Neal, who showed off his basketball skills, was cheered up and smiled. The only unhappy person at the scene was Wade.

Artest, who also accepted the invitation, did not save face for his former teammate. Not only did he actively defend, he also kept talking trash:

"Don't let me see you wearing the number 3 jersey again!"

"You think you're going to make it? You're not even the best player on the Heat right now"

"A stolen championship will not be recognized by anyone. What do you want to prove?"

The tension between the two made the NBA stars and the President laugh out loud, and the staff of the White House couldn't help laughing when they saw this scene.

Wade was finally annoyed by the criticism. After responding continuously, he didn't care about O'Neal anymore and shouted back angrily when retreating:

"I am a core player! What qualifications do you have to tell me what to do?"

"core?"

Artest seemed to have heard a huge joke. He asked repeatedly, and finally showed a funny look on his face and laughed again:
"What honors did you get? I am also a core, DPOY, defensive core!"

"Before you became a core player, I had already won 8 championships with this identity"

This sentence made all the old Dengs at the scene laugh. Even the reporters in the White House laughed out loud. In the end, it was O'Hare who pulled the two of them together and said with a smile:

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is NBA style competition! Trash talking is also part of the game of basketball!"

"I like Mehta's toughness, and I'm also looking forward to Wade's response in the new season. I think you will win the championship."

"."

The friendly match was held in a cheerful atmosphere. The fat Magic Johnson showed off his moves from time to time. James, who had warmed up two days in advance, "flew into the sky and dodged into the ground". Bosh and others also had wonderful performances.

Oakland, who almost got a triple-double, received a lot of flattery after the game. Magic Johnson showed his signature smile to the reporters and praised the President to the sky.

When talking about the minor conflicts in the game, Magic Johnson couldn't help but make a joke:
"You know, every era has its own basketball culture. The standards of modern basketball are completely different from those in the past."

"I didn't receive a call from Michael Dunk that year. This guy should have been thinking about defeating me and Bird. In the end, he did it. This was our basketball culture at the time. No one liked to make friends with opponents!"

"But now the situation is different. These young people have experienced Lee's eight consecutive championships, and the dynasty's standards have been raised. If they want to achieve greatness, they really need to join forces."

"I understand them and will send my best wishes, but the Heat still has a lot of work to do in the new season. Building a suitable basketball system is not an easy task."

"."

On Monday, the Washington Post described the friendly match vividly in a column, praising O'Neal's skills while also promoting the conflict between Artest and Wade to fans.

The onlookers who saw the content of the newspaper were delighted. What the championship forward said made sense. The defensive core is also the core. In comparison, Wade has not won any outstanding honors in recent years.

On the evening of the 10th, Michael Wilbon once again flattered the president on the PTI talk show, and took the opportunity to stir up controversy by teasing James and his group:

"I like what Magic Johnson said. Modern basketball is indeed different, but young people are still a little more anxious. I thought they would make a decision when they were 30 years old."

"I respect their choice. If the Heat can win four consecutive championships, I believe most fans will respect these young people even more."

"Keep it up, young man! To build a dynasty, they still need to face Lee. I hope they can really achieve something."

-

On Wednesday, the 11th, Stephen Marbury, who returned to New York, burst into tears during an interview after attending his father's funeral. The son of New York looked very sad.

Since the Celtics stopped offering him a contract, Marbury went crazy again, showing off his wealth on YouTube. After a few days of flirting, he even took the initiative to talk about how he had seduced a cheerleader.

Not only that, the Son of New York also cursed New York's "ungrateful" fans. After the comment section was exploded, he had a high-intensity confrontation for a month.

Marbury's father couldn't bear to see his son fall, and wanted to call on his children to help his brother. However, Marbury didn't appreciate it and a big fight broke out.

On Sunday, Marbury had just accused Li You of ruining New York's street basketball culture on YouTube. In the afternoon, his father was admitted to the hospital due to a sudden heart attack.

When he got the news, his father had passed away. Marbury was stunned. Today, when he attended the funeral, his family was still comforting him, but the son of New York himself broke down and knelt down crying.

When being interviewed by a New York Times reporter, Marbury was still in tears. He no longer had the resentment and frustration he had in the past. He choked up and apologized to his family.

When talking about basketball, Marbury cried even more sadly. His own brand was completely bankrupt, and no NBA team offered him a contract. He was abandoned.

After describing his current predicament, Marbury barely managed to control his emotions and finally apologized to the reporters:
"I must apologize to Lee for disparaging the greatest basketball player in the world."

"I am grateful for his advice at this time. Maybe I will go to China to play next season."

"Lynch Hunter is right. I am not qualified to participate in the championship game. I should have realized this earlier. Now I just want to rebuild my brand and bring cheap basketball equipment to more children."

"."

Marbury began to regret his career, and another out-of-date "second man" who came to New York was also experiencing embarrassing moments.

Tracy McGrady was almost traded by the Rockets last season, when Yao Ming took the initiative to speak up for his partner, but both of them fell at the end of the season. The conflict with the Rockets prevented McGrady from getting a contract, and he was plagued by injuries and did not play for most of the season. His physical condition declined, and no one invited him in the free market.

In desperation, McGrady could only take the initiative to try out, and went to the Clippers and the Bulls successively, but after the tryout, both teams expressed no interest in him.

It has been three days since he came to New York. After finishing his tryout with the Nets, McGrady was rejected again. The outdated "second man" is somewhat desperate, and his agent has also taken the initiative to send signals that he is willing to accept the veteran's minimum salary.

I thought I would be very popular with 130 million, but McGrady "cast a wink to a blind man". The Knicks still have no news, not even a tryout invitation.
In the afternoon, there was really no other way. With the help of his agent, McGrady contacted the assistant general manager of the Knicks. After explaining his wishes in the restaurant, the middle-aged black man couldn't help but stare:

"Man, you must be aware of Lee's attitude towards veterans. If you want to pursue a championship, the Knicks should not be your target team next season."

McGrady was a little embarrassed when talking about the championship, but after hearing the inside information, the outdated "second man" also opened his sleepy eyes and subconsciously asked back:
“I don’t quite understand”

The agent Arn Tellem sighed inwardly. The outdated "Second Man" didn't even know the news in the industry. He took the initiative to take over the conversation and asked again:
"We don't care about the championship. Trish needs a chance to show herself again now."

Arn Tellem was still very proud of being ranked as the "second best" agent by Sports News for several consecutive years. The middle-aged black man stopped looking at McGrady and shrugged his shoulders in response:
"If that's the case, I don't think Lee would refuse. Donny was recently hospitalized due to cervical spine problems. You know, the Knicks don't have any ideas about trades."

"We are not like the Heat, who laid off employees right after selling tickets. The people in the operations department probably don't pay attention to the minimum salary market. You can also talk to them."

Arn Tellem was too tired to complain in his heart, but he certainly heard the hidden meaning, which was that McGrady's only attribute was to sell tickets, and the people in the operations department were more interested in him.

As the two continued chatting, McGrady became sleepy again. Without a championship, he really had no interest in coming to New York to play. As the former "second man", he didn't want to go back to the job of waving the towel.

When there were only two people left at the table, McGrady leaned back in his chair, looked at his agent, and acted like a star player again:
"It looks like we can go to Miami. Without a championship, I have no interest in playing in New York."

After running for several teams in a row, Arn Tellem was angry, but he still controlled his emotions at this time. Although he was not good at playing basketball, McGrady's commercial attributes were still at their best.

If he can't make it in the NBA, going on tour to the other side of the ocean is also a way out. With Yao Ming's support, die-hard Rockets fans will definitely welcome McGrady's arrival.

"I still recommend you to choose the Knicks. Lee may take a season off, but as long as they stay healthy, they will win the championship again. It won't take too long."

Seeing McGrady's indifferent expression, Arn Tellem continued helplessly:

"Everyone is optimistic about the Heat, but young people may not necessarily succeed."

McGrady, who was determined to win the championship, did not listen to his agent's advice. Instead, he asked curiously:
"Is that guy serious? The league will compensate the Knicks with a higher pick."

Sighing secretly in his heart, thinking that he still had to go to Miami, Arn Tellem couldn't help but complain in a low voice:
"The Rockets were able to get Yao Ming with an 8.9% chance. You should not have forgotten this."

In 02, the Bulls and Warriors both had a 22.5% chance of getting the No. pick, but the Rockets created a miracle. Thinking of his partner, McGrady curled his lips and finally complained in a low voice:

"This damn basketball game!"

-

On Thursday, August 8, the World Basketball Festival co-organized by Hook and the American Basketball Association officially opened on that day.

At 18:10, the huge sign on the stage of Wireless City Music Hall was completely lit up.

In addition to the cartoon images of American men's basketball players, the sponsorship logo below "World Basketball Festival" is particularly eye-catching.

The hook's "check mark", Michael Jordan's "one-handed slam dunk" and Li You's "Clay God" indicate the protagonists of the scene.

Basketball Association staff and head coach Krzyzewski were also greeting players from other countries. National team members from China, Puerto Rico, France and Brazil were also present.

Yi Jianlian was the representative of the Chinese team. He was sitting in the audience surrounded by many reporters. Several Sina Sports reporters looked around and found that most of their colleagues were crowded on the other side of the stage. They couldn't help but whisper to their colleagues:

"NBA doesn't seem to be taken seriously"

The young players of the American team all changed into their jerseys at this time. Rose, Curry, Durant, Love and others stood on the other side chatting, and the young people were also waiting for the protagonist to appear.

At 18:20, Li You and Michael Jordan, dressed in formal attire, appeared from the other side of the stage, chatting and laughing.

Hooks CEO Matt Parker smiled and whispered with USA Basketball Governing Committee Chairman Jerry Colangelo behind the two men.

In fact, Mr. Chairman is very prestigious. When he was in office with the Suns, he was elected the best executive four times. After selling the team in 04, he formed the 08 Olympic team.

However, in terms of wealth, Jerry Colangelo multiplied by 100 cannot catch up with Li You. Naturally, the old man would not give Li You, who repeatedly rejected the Basketball Association politely.
James, Wade, Bosh, Anthony, and Paul, who were sitting in the audience, couldn't help but shake their heads and whisper when they heard the cheers from the audience.

The New York crowd ignores them. They are all star players, but the treatment is far from enough.
After everyone on the stage exchanged greetings, the opening ceremony was to encourage the young players of the US men's basketball team. Li You kept bumping fists with everyone. When it was Durant's turn, the young man was a little depressed and tried hard to keep smiling.

It’s not that he was wronged in the national team, but the goddess has been showing her love every day during this period, which has made Durant numb.

After the Basketball Association and the coaching staff showed their contracts, the event quickly entered the live conversation session. Head coach Krzyzewski continued to praise the young people, while Colangelo talked about the team culture.

After the official content ended, Hook's promotion meeting began. After placing two pairs of new signature shoes on the stage, the cheers from the audience couldn't stop.

Matt Parker, who was sitting in the center, introduced Michael Jordan and Li You next to him with a smile, and then announced to the fans on the scene that there would be fan activities in Rucker Park in the next three days.

After talking about color matching and the latest design concepts, Matt Parker started to talk about the hottest basketball topic recently. When talking about the difference between basketball in the past and modern basketball, McArthur said in a relaxed tone:
"I think basketball has really changed since 00. In addition to the advancement of technology, the mentality of the players has also changed."

"When I was young, it was hard for me to become friends with my opponents on the court. Basketball even affected our relationship off the court. I wouldn't call my buddies. I just wanted to beat these guys."

"Oh"

There was a jeer at the scene. Magic Johnson had said the same thing not long ago. Li You smiled as he watched James and the others in the audience lose their smiles. Then he took over the conversation and helped the young people speak up:

"It's a big difference, but I think young people have the same desire to win, and that's why they choose to form a team."

"NBA competition is becoming increasingly fierce, thanks to a sound operating mechanism. I believe they will achieve greater success after forming a team!"

"."

Later, when the two talked about the championship, Li You encouraged the "Big Three" again. The camera immediately turned to James, who smiled again. The recognition from the GOAT gave the three a great boost of confidence.

Carmelo Anthony also heard the hidden meaning at this time. Li You was about to say that the three of them were "guaranteed to win". Thinking of the recent gossip from people in the industry, he felt sour in his heart for a moment and muttered secretly:

"This damn championship game!"

"."

(End of this chapter)