NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 868 "James and Kobe Join Forces" (Chapter without main character)
Thursday, June 20, 2013. Although the finals, which had hit a record low in viewership in recent years, had ended, criticism from mainstream sports media continued unabated.

ESPN has compiled statistics indicating that Tim Duncan is the "culprit" behind the declining ratings; in a recent fan poll, nearly 80% of fans gave their answer:
"Tim Duncan and the Spurs should not be in the Finals."

"."

The lack of fan support was reflected in the ratings. After the crushing defeat in Game 1, no one had any expectations. Even though Game 3 went into overtime, most casual viewers didn't switch channels to ABC.

The advertisers were also very dissatisfied. There was a lot of hype before the game, but the Spurs were no match for them, and the intensity of the game was not even as good as the conference finals.

San Antonio fans suffered a crushing 4-0 defeat, witnessing their old rivals lift the trophy once again on their home turf. Fortunately, the rational fans had no expectations before the game, and the local fans were satisfied with the result.

However, Duncan left without saying a word after the game, and his refusal to be interviewed angered the media reporters.

Several media figures directly mocked him on Twitter, and New York fans also disliked Duncan for "not saying thank you" and joined in the frenzy on Twitter.

Last week, the topic remained hot, with more and more people starting to ridicule Duncan:
"'The Uncrowned King'? The self-important Tim Duncan should go play in the CBA. On the other side of the ocean, perhaps he can create his own dynasty with Kobe Bryant."

"."

With Duncan and Li You both disappearing from the public eye after the Finals, the criticism this week has subsided somewhat.

Dwight Howard is about to become a "big fish" in the free agent market, and the hot topic in the past two days has once again become the issue of contract renewals for star players.

It was hardly a surprise that "Happy Beast" would stay in Los Angeles, but in a recent interview, Jeanie Buss put forward a more "bold" idea:

"I want to fulfill my father's wish. In addition to bringing Kobe back, the Lakers will also get a young superstar."

"To achieve greater goals, the team should plan ahead. Dwight will stay, but the 'F4' combination should not be retained."

"."

Although Jeanie Buss did not name names, according to sources close to her who wished to remain anonymous, the other young superstar she was referring to was LeBron James!
The topic of "James and Kobe teaming up" has become increasingly popular, and Lakers fans have surprisingly given their approval to the plan.

Keep Howard, trade away the injured Stoudemire, re-sign Iguodala at a low price, and buy out veteran Nash—these suggestions have generated a lot of discussion on Reddit, with some die-hard fans even taking out loans.

"After the 2014 free agency period begins, the Lakers will embark on a championship run in 15!"

However, such calls were silenced this morning when Dwight Howard updated his status on Twitter, making his stance very clear:

"Kobe? He should go play in China! I love LeBron, but this guy probably doesn't want to play alongside me."

"Fortunately, I spoke with Mr. Jim Buss, and this is not part of the Lakers' plans. Remember, the future of Los Angeles belongs to Superman, and my team does not welcome 'The Joker'."

Two tweets have infuriated Kobe's die-hard fans. Everyone is hoping for a "return to home," so why should Howard refuse to let the Mamba come home?

The debate among fans on social media spread to the sports world. In the afternoon, during the final episode of TNT's season, the four-man group stopped talking about the boring Finals and started discussing the free agency market.

Shaquille O'Neal didn't want to see Kobe return to the Lakers. He was traded back then, and now seeing his younger teammate suffer at the end of his career, he just wanted to secretly applaud.
"I don't understand why anyone would still have expectations for Kobe and Tim Duncan after watching this year's playoffs and Finals."

"It's not just these two veterans; MVPs Kevin Garnett and Dirk Nowitzki have also dropped out of the championship race."

"Perhaps my younger brother still dreams of forming a super team to chase the championship, but I must say that the window for the veterans to win the championship has been completely closed."

"They don't even have the chance to join the Knicks anymore. D'Antoni is still worried about playing time for young players. New York will only say 'no' to veterans in the future."

As the old Shaq said, the Knicks have very intense internal competition, and what's even more interesting is that the young players don't want to quit.

Seeing the huge basketball market in New York after Li You's retirement, and considering that the GOAT's playing time and shot attempts were not many, the rookies on the team decided to wait another 3 years.

"If LeBron James wants to achieve greatness, he should stay in Miami!"

As usual, Charles Barkley once again criticized the "chosen one" who "travels around," and to make his point, he even gave examples:
"Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett have shown us that taking shortcuts won't lead to success!"

"Perhaps factors outside of basketball led James to make the 'decision,' but in Miami, his good friends have always supported him, and Chris Bosh even forced himself to play center."

"Miami has the perfect basketball environment. LeBron James should have no more excuses to stay with the Heat. I believe they can win a championship in the future, which will earn him even more respect!"

The pairing sounds fine, but judging from this year's Eastern Conference Finals, Wade has declined, with the Flash disappearing on offense for three games.

Kenny Smith didn't directly refute this, but instead responded with an example:
"Taking shortcuts didn't work because Li's condition after the age of 34 far exceeded everyone's expectations."

"The Heat's 'Big Three' have proven themselves to be Finals caliber players, and if they face any opponent other than the Knicks, they will most likely lift a trophy."

"Having the best record in the league is never an easy thing, and James' decision to play in the Western Conference was clearly a wiser choice."

Soon the three began arguing about "basketball strategy," with Shaq focusing on his Mamba output, while Barkley sarcastically criticized James for running away when faced with difficulties.
Only Kenny Smith supported the "Chosen One" going to reap the "Western Conference bonus" when his contract expired, ultimately forcing Ernie Johnson to end the pointless debate and ask the core question again:

"Guys, we shouldn't influence the players' choices. In my opinion, fans watching on TV should be more concerned about whether the Lakers can build a successful team and win a championship."

"Do the combination of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have a chance to defeat Lee's Knicks?"

Upon hearing the question, all three shook their heads. Shaquille O'Neal, having taken off his glasses, even laughed out loud. The old Shaq gave his conclusion without hesitation:
"Championship? What I saw was a locker room 'explosion'!"

"The only thing I'm sure of is that Kobe will bring circus culture back to Los Angeles, and the Lakers' ticket revenue will go up."

Barkley, chuckling, agreed with his partner's point of view. The big mouth, however, didn't mock Mamba, but instead teased the chosen one again:
"Kenny may have forgotten about the Thunder, who have risen to prominence. Among the MVPs, the combination of Durant, Westbrook, and Harden is clearly superior."

"James will likely be eliminated in the conference finals again. Where will he take his talents then?"

-

On Friday, June 21, LeBron James, who had been back in Akron for some time, attended a local community event with his family.

After the Spurs' crushing defeat in the Finals, LeBron James' reputation began to rise again. A comparison reveals that the Chosen One performed better against the Knicks.

As Cleveland's largest and most influential daily newspaper, The Plain Dealer naturally followed up on the "traitor's" story, attracting numerous local sports journalists and columnists to the event.

LeBron James's personal volunteer housing project, which primarily helps low-income families build or renovate their homes, is very popular locally, with a lively atmosphere at the events. After the conference finals, James kept a low profile, but now that his reputation has improved, the "Chosen One" naturally wouldn't refuse an interview.

Wearing a white, oversized short-sleeved T-shirt, James flashed a confident smile in front of reporters. Talking about the Finals, he, as always, lavished praise on Li You's performance, and when the topic of age came up, he humorously joked about it himself:
"I need to take better care of my body so that I can better pursue championships after Lee leaves the league."

"However, to achieve greatness, I may have to persevere until I'm 40, so my career is only just beginning."

These words made everyone in the room laugh, but 8-year-old Brownie, hearing his father's laughter, put on a serious face and, before Savannah could speak, said:
"God-Lee is invincible!"

Savannah, both amused and exasperated, hugged her eldest son. Meanwhile, Bronny, who had been watching the NBA for a few years, became a die-hard fan of Li You, completely disregarding his father's feelings.

James just let out a strange cry when he heard what his eldest son said, and then began to share his parenting experience with familiar reporters:

"Brownie is right, I've always supported him, it's a good thing that young people admire Lee."

“I hope he can go to college, and the University of Connecticut, which he likes, would be great. Whether he pursues further studies or goes on to play basketball, I support him.”

"It's important to stay away from those bad cultures. In the past few years, I've only been able to come back here during the off-season. In the future, I will devote more time to my family. I hope this guy can support me as his father just as he supported Lee!"

Upon hearing "future," everyone perked up. Adam "Bull," the local CBS Radio host of The Fan sports talk show, with his pregnant belly sticking out, gossiped:
"LeBron, it seems like the Heat's contract extension is in trouble. Durant seems to be recruiting Mike Miller?"

Kevin Durant, who has agreed to participate in the Basketball World Cup, has been very active lately, not only speaking out for James Harden's contract extension but also actively recruiting helpers.

Mike Miller is one of Durant's targets, and Kyrie Irving, who has also committed to the national team, recently joked about the MVP. The two young players have become the focus of sports media attention.

“I haven’t learned about these things yet. You know, I went back to Akron a long time ago, and after this season, I’ll focus more on my family.”

James answered the question calmly, even though he already knew that Pat Riley would definitely give up some players in order to save money, but having already made his decision, he was too lazy to argue with the slick-haired guy anymore.

Subtly indicating his stance, James flexed his physique in front of reporters and added with a smile:
"You know, I pay more attention to my physical condition."

"Back discomfort during the playoffs made me determined to lose weight, which is why I no longer participate in the national team. I need to readjust my body during the offseason."

"."

Although James didn't give a clear answer while speaking eloquently, everyone present knew that the chosen one was indeed about to leave.

However, most of the bystanders participating in the community event didn't care about these things. After all, most people saw the situation clearly: even if they returned to Cleveland, the Cavaliers wouldn't have a chance to win the championship.

As long as Li You doesn't retire, no one can change the league's situation.

-

Thursday, June 27th, the 2013 NBA Draft will be held tonight at the Barclays Center. The rookies, who have been invited in advance, have arrived in New York to be interviewed by the media.

Like the rookies in previous years, the newcomers witnessed the championship parade in Heroes' Canyon. The basketball mecca lived up to its name, with blue and orange ribbons flying everywhere, which greatly impressed the young people.

This year's NBA draft was also David Stern's last time hosting the event. The veteran has already handed over most of his work, and Adam Silver will officially take over next year.

Commentators have mixed opinions on the league's management's moves, partly because Adam Silver, who grew up in Rai, has been working in New York since graduating from college and is considered a die-hard Knicks fan.
If you look closely, during his time at NBA Entertainment, Adam Silver also participated in the production of numerous Knicks documentaries, leading many fans to firmly believe that the new commissioner's "backing" is crooked.

Furthermore, rumors have circulated that Adam Silver is a strong supporter of online gambling, and that after taking over the Atlantic City casino business, Lee Yu has been lobbying the New Jersey state government, with the new president also involved in promoting the online business.

There was conflict between the old money in New York and Li You, but after Adam Silver took office, the two sides seemed to be able to pursue common interests again, which made sports fans who pursue pure basketball feel a little uncomfortable. The NBA is still monopolized by New York.

Jay-Z recently launched a sports agency, and immediately after opening, he signed the young MVP Kevin Durant, which made the company famous in the industry.

However, not every young man heeds the call; this year's top draft pick, Victor Oladipo, was signed by Matt Bartelstein.

When interviewed about choosing an agent, young people gave a simple answer:

"When Matt told me I'd have the chance to train with God-Lee, I immediately agreed!"

"This is so cool for young players. I've been dreaming of this moment since I was a kid, to be mentored by the greatest player in history. It's something I've always dreamed of!"

"."

Combo guard Victor Oladipo is a hot pick in this draft, and the Orlando Magic, who got the first pick, have almost locked up the rookie. The league is a little unhappy about this, because David Stern also needs some records.

In his final appearance as head coach of the NBA draft, the league hopes to see Canada draft its first-ever number one overall pick, allowing the veteran to retire "perfectly."

Unfortunately, although Anthony Bennett was also a top contender, the Magic didn't even consider the young man, while the Bobcats, who got the third pick, showed more interest.

According to an unnamed source, Michael Jordan personally participated in the tryout and gave Anthony Bennett high praise!

However, everyone knows that the vice GOAT has poor judgment, and after the related reports appeared, Anthony Bennett's draft stock plummeted.
At 18:30 PM, half an hour before the draft officially began, ESPN had already started broadcasting.

Host Reece Davis smiled broadly at the camera, first showering the soon-to-retire president with compliments, and then introducing tonight's special guest, Kobe Bryant.

Analyst Jay Bilas routinely introduced the technical characteristics of young players, and Kobe also offered his comments. After winning the CBA championship, the Mamba began to expand his influence.

Aside from programs they dislike, they no longer refuse to participate in activities as they used to.

"Completely different from the NCAA, the pace of the game in the NBA has been faster in recent years, and a significant change is that the number of pick-and-roll possessions has been increasing year by year."

"Kobe, as one of the few players in the league who still sticks to old-school techniques, what are your thoughts on these changes?"

Bilas posed a prepared question, but Kobe didn't offer any pleasantries. The Mamba, facing the camera, responded with a serious expression:
"In my opinion, this will only lead to more homogenization among teams!"

"More and more games are filled with fast breaks, free throws and three-pointers. Basketball shouldn't be like this. I would like to see young people entering the league stick to being themselves."

"The process of pursuing the championship is more important, and I hope young people don't lose their way."

(End of this chapter)