The Godfather of Basketball

In addition to the contracts of Durant, James (basically staying on the team), Howard, Wade, Horford, Conley, Whiteside, Batum, Barnes, Bradley Beal and others have also expired, among them Most of them will test the waters of free agency.

Next season, the league's salary cap will skyrocket from 70 million to 94 million, and the luxury tax will also increase to 113 million, which means that each team will have more than 30 million more salary space.

In addition to the luxury tax, the league also has a minimum salary line, and teams that fail to reach this line must make up for the shortfall to the league.

In other words, even if you don't use that space, you need to pay the money for nothing.

The minimum salary line for the new season is 84.7 million, which is nearly $15 million more than the original salary cap.

The signed contracts have a limited increase, and the only way to fill them is to sign a new contract, so it can be predicted that this year's free market will be quite crazy.

Especially for those players whose contracts have expired and are able to sign a maximum-salary contract, the increase in the starting salary of the contract compared to last year is astonishing.

For example, Conley of the Grizzlies, according to last year's salary cap, he has played in the NBA for 9 years, the most he can sign is 30% of the starting salary*7000=21 million, a five-year contract worth 112 million , But under the new salary cap, his contract will reach 153 million in five years, an astonishing increase.

From this example alone, it can be felt that this is definitely a crazy offseason, which is why Tang Tian does not want to sign in this offseason. The team will offer big contracts, and the players will open their mouths. The final result It is to create various premium contracts.

It was getting closer and closer to the opening of the free market. At this moment, McGrady approached Tang Tian privately.

"Coach, I'm ready to retire." McGrady said calmly.

"Aren't you going to play another season?" Tang Tian asked back.

McGrady averaged 5.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 42% shooting in the regular season last season, which is indeed the retirement data, but the data in the playoffs rose to 8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 49% shooting. There is definitely still strength in the playoffs this year.

"Yes, I'm ready to start another life, life is more than basketball, isn't it?" McGrady said with a smile.

Tang Tian froze for a moment after hearing this, then nodded with a smile.

This rhetoric is the same as that of Yao Ming back then. The two had a normal relationship in their previous life, but in this life they completed the Rocket Dynasty under his leadership, and their relationship is much closer than in their previous life.

"Okay, what are you going to do next?"

"I'm going to be a commentator for ESPN."

Tang Tian nodded, McGrady is not very interested in investing, and it would be nice to change jobs to be a commentator.

"I will hold a press conference tomorrow to announce my decision, when the coach must come." McGrady said with a smile.

Tang Tian nodded. He didn't have time to go to Yao Ming's retirement ceremony in China. He couldn't miss McGrady's press conference this time.

The next day, McGrady held a personal press conference at the Barclays Center.

In addition to Tang Tian and Jones at the press conference, Yao Ming and some members of the former Rockets dynasty, including Mutombo, Artest and Battier, all came to the scene.

"I'm going to retire in this league."

Although it was known in advance, when McGrady made this decision, it still caused a wave of restlessness among the reporters.

This season, among the superstars at the beginning of the century, Kobe and Duncan retired successively, and now McGrady has also retired, and it is embarrassing to be connected together.

"I joined the league in 1997, and it's been 18 years now. It's been a long, really long time. This league is like home to me. I'm here with basketball. Spent the most important 18 years."

At the beginning, there was no restriction on going to college. McGrady was only 18 years old when he joined the league, and he is now 37 years old.

"When I first went to Toronto, Vince and I were the best partners. We were both young and wanted to play for Toronto, but my career reached a peak in Orlando. This is the league. It's always full of people. Uncertainty, but it's that uncertainty that brought me to Houston, Houston..."

When he said this, there was a look of happiness and satisfaction in McGrady's eyes, and he turned to look at Tang Tian beside him.

"Coach and I, me and Yao, and Ron, and Sean, and those guys, we did an incredible three-peat, we built a Rockets dynasty, hey man, you can't appreciate how cool that is , that's so cool to fly."

McGrady's words drew a burst of laughter from the reporters. At this time, McGrady seemed to be back in the Rockets.

"I should apologize to the coach." After laughing, he said suddenly.

"When the coach left, I thought he abandoned us. I found out afterwards that he was forced to leave for other reasons. I'm sorry, coach. I really didn't dare to think that way at the time." McGrady suddenly said this.

Tang Tian was also a little surprised, but he still reached out and patted McGrady on the shoulder.

McGrady nodded, took half a minute to control his emotions, and then continued: "Fortunately, the coach is a coach, and he still thinks of me when I am most disappointed. He didn't blame me, and brought me to Brooklyn, here It was really good, I was with a great group of young people, we did incredible things, we won a championship without being expected by everyone."

When he said this, McGrady's eyes glowed with excitement again.

"It's been a legendary experience, and I'm so blessed to be a part of it."

When McGrady said this, he was full of sincerity, which aroused the resonance of Artest and Battier. They extended their hands to applaud him, and the reporters below also applauded.

"When I arrived at the venue, I met an eighteen-year-old boy named Joe. He said he was a big fan of mine. He said I was his role model. We talked for a long time. He said he hoped that I To be able to continue to play in this league and continue to be his role model, you know...it's hard to say no to someone, especially a kid like that."

When he said this, he paused, and all the reporters stared at him curiously.

"Fortunately, my assistant had a jersey in his hand at the time. I gave him a signed jersey, and he didn't say that again."

McGrady's humor immediately drew laughter from the scene.

Maddie smiled too.

"Finally, I would like to thank everyone who supported me, especially kids like Joe, I am really proud that you see me as a role model, even as your youth, what I want to say to you is , your life is just beginning, just like when I was eighteen years old when I first entered the league, thank you all."