All-round Athlete

Chapter 904 Enough? How about some more?

In the 2012-2013 season, the Lakers had an extremely strong lineup on paper. They got Howard through a four-way deal before the start of the season, and then introduced Nash, plus the original Kobe and Gasol. New "F4" combination. In addition, there are experienced veterans such as Metta Shiping, Blake, and Jamison, as well as energetic rookies like Jordan Hill. It can be said that the beginning of the season is aimed at the championship.

Such a lineup is obviously prepared for the "Zen Master" Phil Jackson. It includes big center Howard, top passer Nash, big man Gasol who can play both inside and outside, and Kobe, the most comprehensive player in the NBA. This is a good template for playing the "triangle offense". What's missing is Phil Jackson.

However, the conditions put forward by the "Zen Master" were unacceptable to the Lakers. Phil Jackson wanted to enter the management of the Lakers, but the Bass family did not allow Phil Jackson to enter the management of the Lakers. So this set of lineup prepared for Phil Jackson, but without Phil Jackson to host, "F4" did not produce corresponding chemical changes.

Without recruiting the "Zen Master" professional teacher, the Lakers can only continue to retain Mike Brown's professional teacher, and then there are zero wins and eight losses in the preseason, and one win and four losses in the regular season.

The goal of the Lakers group "F4" is the championship ring, how can such a scumbag record work! So, on November 9, the Lakers management fired coach Mike Brown and replaced him with running and bombing master D'Antoni.

Although D'Antoni's coaching level is not weak, it will definitely not be able to save the current Lakers. Under the leadership of D'Antoni, the Lakers are at most back to the ranks of the playoffs, and they are far away from the championship.

In fact, in the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers' "F4" combination was swept by the Spurs 4-0. Immediately after Howard left the Lakers to join the Rockets, the Lakers' "F4" also fell apart.

What the Lakers faced was not just Howard's departure. In the following 2013-2014 season, injuries became the biggest enemy of the Lakers.

First of all, Kobe, the head star of the Lakers, ruptured his Achilles tendon last season and did not participate in the playoffs. On December 9, 2013, Kobe finally returned to the game, but on December 18 when he played against the Grizzlies , was topped by Tony Allen, and then announced a truce for eight weeks. In fact, this is just to sell tickets. Kobe's injury may not recover in three months, let alone eight weeks.

The house leak coincided with the continuous night rain. Besides Kobe, another star Nash has also been troubled by his back, almost always in a state of rest.

Gasol's situation is also not much better. Although there are no major injuries, but minor injuries continue, and he still cannot play at the level of previous years.

The bench did not give the Lakers peace of mind. Meeks, Jordan Hill, Nick Young, and Farmar were also constantly injured. The Los Angeles Lakers have become a barracks for the injured!

...

In the early morning of February 5, 2014.

The Lakers' plane was flying from Neapolis to Cleveland.

In the evening, they had just finished an away game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the end, the Lakers lost to the Timberwolves 99 to 109.

But this is just the beginning of the Lakers' road trip. They will play back-to-back away games, and the opponent in the next game will be the Cavaliers. This situation of playing back-to-back teams in the East and West is very exhausting. Fortunately, Minnesota and Ohio, where the Cavaliers are located, are actually not very far away. But the Lakers still have to fly overnight to Cleveland.

At this time, the players had already fallen asleep. After all, after a night of fierce fighting, they had already consumed a lot of energy, but D'Antoni, the head coach, couldn't fall asleep anyway.

"16 wins and 32 losses!" D'Antoni looked at this poor result with bitterness on his face. Not to mention entering the playoffs with this result, it is considered pretty good if it is not the bottom one in the Western Conference.

"That's fine. Next year, I will definitely be able to get a lottery pick. It's just that I won't be the head coach of the Lakers next year!" D'Antoni smiled self-deprecatingly.

For D'Antoni, the issue of record is not the most important thing. The current urgent need is that no one under D'Antoni is available.

Due to injuries, there are only eight people left under D'Antoni, and they are still old and young. Thackeray, who sat at the end of the bench last season, has been mentioned as the starting center, and the first-year rookie Kane Kelly is going to be the starting power forward. Thackeray and Kelly, one is the 60th pick and the other is the 48th pick. Among other teams in the NBA, they are marginal people who may be cut at any time, but in the current Lakers, they have to be the starters. !

"This game can't be played!" D'Antoni sighed.

"Dingling..." The phone rang suddenly. It was the satellite phone on the plane.

D'Antoni was a little surprised, it was already early in the morning, and there were still people who did not hesitate to make a satellite phone call. It must be such an important thing to do so.

The flight attendant answered the phone, then came to D'Antoni and said, "It's Mr. Bass."

The old Buss has passed away. Among the Lakers, the only one who can be called "Mr. Buss" is the current Lakers president, Jim Buss.

"Why did Bass call at this time? Is he dissatisfied with the result of the game just now? He should have known it a few hours ago! Could it be that he wants to fire me? Impossible, if it is true I will be fired, and I won’t be on the road, and I will definitely talk about it when I return to Los Angeles.” D’Antoni stepped forward to answer the phone with a confused face.

"Hey, my dear coach, I'm very sorry to disturb your rest." Little Buss looked very excited, and he continued: "I have great news to tell you, our savior has come!"

"Savior? What savior?" D'Antoni asked in confusion.

"Zhang Guan! It's Zhang Guan! I have already negotiated with Zhang Guan, and he is willing to sign with the Lakers! Now he should be on the way to Los Angeles, and it is estimated that he will arrive in the daytime, and then as long as the procedures are completed, he will be our team. A member of the team!" Bass shouted excitedly.

"Zhang Guan..." D'Antoni repeated the name, and at the same time, different pictures appeared in his mind.

Six years ago, in the finals of the Olympic Games, Zhang Guan made a three-pointer to kill the US team. At that time, D'Antoni was the assistant coach of the US team, and he witnessed that scene with his own eyes.

Four years ago, in the final of the Turkey World Championships, Zhang Guan dragged the game into overtime by himself, then the second overtime, the third overtime, and the fourth overtime. Time game... The US team was exhausted one after another, but Zhang Guan ran on the court tirelessly like a machine. The old coach K even used a wheel fight to deal with Zhang Guan, but in the end the US team was still defeated by Zhang Guan! At that time, D'Antoni was still the main coach of the US team, and he witnessed that scene again, which shocked him all his life!

The current Lakers, even if James comes personally, there is no way to save them, but D'Antoni believes that if it is Zhang Guan, he will definitely be able to save the Lakers!

At this moment, D'Antoni's heart was suddenly full of hope.

On the other half of the phone call, Buss Jr. went on to say: "With Zhang Guan's level, it is not an exaggeration to get a maximum salary in the league, but he is also one of the shareholders of the Lakers after all, and he doesn't want us to pay too much luxury tax, so Only a symbolic salary of 10 million U.S. dollars was offered."

If it is other players, it may not be possible to get an annual salary of tens of millions in a lifetime, but for Zhang Guan, the annual salary of tens of millions is really just a symbol. If it is low, it is not in line with his status.

In fact, Zhang Guan is not short of this little money. With Zhang Guan's worth, there is no difference between 10 million and 230 million. Except for the salaries of NBA players, seven-figures and eight-figures are completely different perceptions. Getting an eight-figure annual salary is more like a kind of respect to Zhang Guan.

Although the NBA is a business, it is also necessary to respect star players. There is only one Pat Riley who is stingy and shameless, and there is only one Morey who is good at calculating with a calculator. Cuban offered Nowitzki a pension contract of 25 million US dollars. This kind of money buys horse bones, which is what the boss is willing to do.

However, D'Antoni said: "Mr. Chairman, please allow me to remind you that we are paying a luxury tax now. It exceeds the salary cap, and Zhang Guan does not apply to the Larry Bird clause, let alone a Ten million, even one dollar, we can't sign it!"

"Don't worry, I have already applied for an injury exception to the NBA headquarters. We have so many injured players this year. A 10 million injury exception can be exchanged for Zhang Guan to join the NBA. This deal is very cost-effective. Xiao Hua, who just took office, will give it to us." Bass said.

...

NBA president David Stern has retired, and his successor Silver took office on February 1 and became the new NBA president.

However, early in the morning, Xiao Hua received a call from Buss Jr. personally, and the Lakers requested a special case of 10 million US dollars for injuries.

"Ten million dollars for special injury cases?" Xiao Hua frowned slightly, he felt that Bass' request was a bit too much.

"The annual salary of tens of millions of dollars is all star-level players. If it is operated properly, it is possible to exchange a few multi-party transactions for a 20 million-level superstar! What are the Lakers going to do? This guy, Bass, is too big. Be greedy! Do you think I'm a bully when I just took office!" Xiao Hua thought to himself.

Historically, the Lakers also applied for an injury exception after Nash was scrapped. At that time, the NBA gave the Lakers a 4.85 million injury exception, which was equivalent to a mid-level contract. A middle-level player may be able to help improve the team's performance, but it will definitely not have a qualitative impact.

If you want to make a qualitative leap in the team's performance, you still need to rely on stars, big-name stars, and superstars!

"Bass, we've known each other for many years, so I won't beat around the bush with you. To be honest, it's really hard for me to agree to your request. There are too many special cases of 10 million injuries. I will give you a special case of a middle-class injury." Xiao Hua continued: "Besides, today is already February 5th, and there are only a dozen days left before the deadline of the trading day. In order to hit the playoffs, each team , it is unlikely to trade their stars, at most some role players. It is too wasteful for you to ask for a special case of tens of millions of injuries. It would be better to ask for a special case of middle-level injuries. Cheaper!"

"Middle class? That's not enough!" Bass said immediately.

"You are right. With the current situation of the Lakers, a middle-level player will not help much. So I suggest you, just let this season go badly! The Lakers will not hold the pick for next season. Is it in your hand? Then there will be a lottery pick! The quality of this year's rookies is much better than the last one." Xiao Hua said, obviously he would be wrong.

"You misunderstood, I want this special injury case, not to trade players, I want to sign new players!" Bass said.

"Sign a new player? Ten million?" Xiao Hua thought about it carefully, but he never remembered that there is another player worth ten million dollars in the free agent market. It's already February now, and the NBA's trading window is about to close. Even the abolished guys like Odom have gone to Europe to pan for gold. In the NBA's free agent market, the rest are some " Players at the level of "fighting the five scum".

"Bass must have encountered a scam group!" Xiao Hua muttered in his heart, and asked at the same time: "Who are you going to sign?"

"Zhang Guan!" Bass said impatiently, "Yes, it is the Zhang Guan you think of!"

"Zhang Guan! He is willing to come to NBA!" Xiao Hua screamed.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

It wasn't until more than ten seconds later that Xiao Hua came back to his senses, and he then asked: "Is ten million US dollars in special injury cases enough? How about adding more?"

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