NBA: Miracle Workers

Chapter 262 The polarized football market (daily chapter)

On the night of June 2002, 6, during the draft, the Lakers traded Lynch Hunter, the newly drafted Chris Jeffries, and the 26 second-round pick to the Raptors;

In exchange for Tracy Murray, Kareem Rush and a 2003 second-round draft pick.

In the finals, Lynch-Hunter played very little time, and most of the limited playing time was spent.

Throughout the series, the two teams' outside shooting percentage was less than [-]%. If it weren't for the two teams' three-point shooting, the final result might have been difficult to say.
  The Lakers made this deal to save money.

No team paid the luxury tax in the 01-02 season, but general manager Kupchak needs to prepare for a rainy day. New players are cheap, and they can also scratch lottery tickets.

The 76ers and Eagles also made moves, but they did not attract attention. After all, this is not a big year for the draft. Most of the rookies in this class are not well-known except for the big men.

In the McDonald's National High School League held at Madison Square Garden at the end of March, Amare Stoudemire left a deep impression on New York fans.

Of course, many fans have not forgotten the dunk contest champion Carmelo Anthony.

Although the former has rough skills, he has a great body, while the latter can shoot suddenly and is a future star.

As for JJ Redick, who won the MVP in the game, not many people paid attention to it. No matter how accurate his shooting was, he was not as good as Li You.
  Most sports commentators stopped paying attention after seeing the Knicks drafting big men. There is a high probability that the last pick going to New York to play will be for nothing and will fade out of the league in at most two years.

超音速队为尼克斯队提供了首轮的20顺位、次轮49顺位，再加上自己的27顺位和56顺位，球队今年能收获5位萌新。

Tayshaun Prince from Kentucky with the 20th overall pick has been silent since being selected by the Knicks.

Most of the New York media also ignored this young rookie. In the eyes of everyone, the thin Prince was probably like the last picks of the Knicks in previous years, who quietly left after receiving two years' salary.

Big man Dan Gazulic, who was selected by the Knicks with the 27th overall pick, is considered a star player at UCLA, but he also did not attract any attention.

Every year, the Knicks select a big man of about 2 meters at the end. The coaching staff usually does not give the last pick much playing time. This rookie knows that his future is not bright when he is selected.

Russell Butler, selected with the 49th overall pick, and Randy Holcomb, selected with the 56th overall pick, are the soy sauce among soy sauces. The New York media even believes that these two will be abandoned soon. The reason is very simple:
  "He doesn't look like a football star."

Every year during the draft, the New York sports media will comment. They mainly look at looks. Those who are handsome are called stars, and those who are ugly are called role players.

Li You had already left when the draft reached the second round.

He has no interest in getting along with the cute new guy. If he can't get along, he will have to leave. At most, he will be a superficial brother. Those who can really stay will be able to interact with each other.

The families of many rookie players present were very excited, especially the rookies in the lottery. After being selected, they became millionaires and reached the pinnacle of their lives. Naturally, there was a big celebration at this time.

Stoudemire is very happy. The treatment of high-ranking draft picks and bottom-ranked draft picks is naturally completely different. He likes playing in Madison Square Garden.

General Manager Glenfield smiled and greeted several newbies and other team staff. He noticed that the last rookie showed an anxious look, and couldn't help but comfort him in a low voice:
  "This is where you will play in the future, Madison Square Garden is the true mecca of basketball!"

"The league will be in a freeze period for the next few days. All you have to do is report to the Tarrytown Training Center and prepare for summer league."

"Our assistant coach Don Chaney will inspect you then. Don't worry about playing time. The Knicks have entered a rebuilding period. As long as you perform well, you will get playing time."

These words did not make the newbies feel at ease. Stoudemire looked for a long time but did not see Li You. He couldn't help but asked curiously:
  "Will Lee organize the team's training camp this year? I heard that each team will have its own training camp."

Grunfield shook his head and noticed that the players' families were already waiting impatiently, so he said in a short sentence:

"The Knicks don't have a training camp. If you want to polish your skills, you have to be conscious. This is New York and we have many choices."

"After getting paid, I suggest you rent a house in Tarrytown. Life in Manhattan is good, but many times rookies get lost here."

"That's all, get ready to enjoy your new life!"

During the Pat Riley era, the Knicks also had training camps in the offseason, and the Heat also adhered to this tradition.

After Pat Riley left, the team canceled training camp. At most, the head coach asked the players to report in mid-September to prepare for the subsequent preseason games.

This situation is extremely common in the NBA, but the Heat's situation of practicing to death is special.

However, many second-round picks like the Heat's team culture, and not everyone can practice with self-discipline.

Several newbies looked at the back of the general manager, said hello to each other, and then returned to their families to continue celebrating.

Stoudemire wanted to have a good chat with Li You, but at this time he found that no one could be found. He hugged his mother and realized that he did not seem to be the best choice for the Knicks.

Every newbie is looking forward to the future. In the past few years, through reports from various magazines and New York media, everyone has learned how much money Li You makes.

Everyone dreams of becoming the next Li You, and no one can get along with the beautiful sword.

On the night of June 6, Li You once again had dinner with Ivana.

As a good daughter who "depends on her father with all her strength", her relationship with her mother is not very harmonious.

Things have gotten better in the past few years, and I still stay at my mother's house for a period of time during each summer vacation. The main reason is that the "stepmother" has taken over the building. Both parties are out of sight and out of mind, and they live their own lives.

This townhouse is not far from Li You's home. The city center is so big, and old New York is just like this. Even if the living environment is average, the picture is "authentic".
  The 6-story townhouse has a total of 17 rooms and 8800 square feet. The area is not small, but the living experience is actually very average.

Especially after this old New Yorker used "Versailles style" decoration in the early 90s, Li You couldn't complain every time he came here.

Red carpets and red silk cover the floors and walls, plus velvet decorations and gold jewelry. In Ivana’s words:
  "If Louis XVI had been rich, this house would have been where he would have lived."

A big house requires a lot of housekeepers, and French food is served tonight. Only Li You and Ivana are left on the dining table tonight. The grown-ups were busy "working on their father's behalf" and stayed for one night before leaving.

The way of showing off wealth in old New York is not to directly report numbers like black brothers, but to flaunt one's wealth through details.

For example, tableware, chandeliers in the house, and sinks in the bathroom.
  Ivana lived a very comfortable life after the divorce. After receiving a large amount of breakup fee, her life was naturally free and easy.

After the main course, dessert was served. Seeing her good daughter eating more and more, Ivana, as a delicate old woman, couldn't help but sigh:

"Eat less, my dear, even if you don't participate in those beauty pageants in the past two years, you should still pay attention to your figure."

"Li, the sports industry also has risks. You can consider investing in real estate. Houses in Manhattan should appreciate in value. The war is too far away from us. The United Nations headquarters cannot be attacked. It is safe here."

At the end of March, international conflicts intensified, making some New Yorkers feel insecure, and some companies chose to leave Manhattan and move to New Jersey next door.

In addition, the White House has provided another US$[-] million in military aid. Watching this kind of news too much always gives people the illusion that war is getting closer.

Li You looked at this delicate old woman who had to wear makeup even when eating at home, and could only respond:

"I would consider that I'm going to invest in an estate and this is a really good time to do it compared to previous years."

Ivana's townhouse was originally purchased for less than $300 million, but now the price has doubled.

However, after careful renovation, this person did not plan to sell the house. Ivana smiled when she heard that Li You planned to buy real estate. Real estate is not easily squandered.
  "When are you planning to have a baby? Sometimes you need to take care of your health."

The sound insulation effect of the old house is average, so I guess I heard some noises. Halfway through Ivana’s words, Ivana was choked and gave her mother a helpless look:
  "I'm still in school, it's too early to talk about this! The dessert tonight is delicious."

Li You was also stepped on, and Ivanna, who was wearing a ponytail, quickly began to change the subject, making her mother giggle.
  The two stayed here again in the evening. The golden decoration style of the master bedroom made Li You a little uncomfortable. This house was too "authentic".

Ivana sat on Li You, kneading her body while sharing the gossip she got from Manchester United's "wives group":
  "Victoria told me there was a lot of conflict within the club. They wanted to leave the UK, but Beckham didn't want to come to the United States."

"There is a World Cup game this year, and she is worried that she will be abused by fans in the UK again. It is crazy. The fans in New York will not be like this."

Li You tried hard to recall the corresponding memories, but still couldn't confirm the specific time node. In the end, he could only say in a low voice:
  "In the United States, football has not developed. In the end, they will most likely choose to go to Spain, where the football environment is very good."

This year, the attention of football stars is much higher than that of Li You. The World Cup is a huge stage, and even the melon-eaters in the United States are gossiping.

Ivana kneaded Li You for a long time, and she was a little tired at this time, so she simply lay on her body and whispered:

"Aren't you going to watch the final? I haven't been to Asia for a long time!"

Li You only planned to make a little money, and had no intention of making a special trip to watch the game. He buried his head in the chest of the girl who had gained some weight recently and said in a muffled voice:

"It's better to stay here. There are still many activities this year, and I have to choose a house later."

Being forced to laugh by Li You, the two of them got into a quarrel. As if they thought of something, Ivana suddenly gasped and said:

"Do you want me to change my jersey? It's rare to see you lose."

Li You grabbed the white rabbit, feeling that this girl was provoking him, so he hugged her and whispered:
  "Don't make any noise tonight, the sound insulation of this house is terrible!"

"."

As the World Cup finals approach, the American sports circle naturally reports on this hot topic.

For Li You, he is more concerned about the situation of the Manchester United stocks he acquired in the secondary market.

This year's NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl, which reminded Li You of some memories. Maybe he will have a collision with the Glazer family before long.

In addition to following the trend and discussing the World Cup games, ESPN also did not forget to strike while the iron was hot and tout this year's championship Lakers.

In the finals, except for O'Neal, the role players performed averagely.

The most impressive thing is the Lakers' three-pointers, which are basically perfect. The Knicks are similar in this regard.

The role players of the Lakers have contributed 4 of 1, 5 of 1, and 6 of 1 from beyond the three-point line in several games. In the "Teammate CBA" situation, O'Neal's blood C will naturally be touted.

The ESPY Awards ceremony is moving again this year. The event will be held in Los Angeles after the MLB All-Star Game. Compared with previous years, the ceremony time in early July is more friendly.

American sports media always likes to portray "brotherly" relationships. Sports ceremonies are held in Los Angeles, which is considered the home court of the Lakers. As the organizer, ESPN is also headquartered in Los Angeles, so it will naturally not forget the "OK" group.

In order to warm up the awards ceremony, ESPN revealed some gossip to fans.

Kobe Bryant will be the presenter to present the Sportsman of the Year award to his "good brother" O'Neal.

The award is full of gold. After all, Shaquiao Neal defeated Li You who once again played with inhuman efficiency.
  But this news just broke out, and Kobe immediately denied it in an interview with the Los Angeles Times:

"I don't like ESPN. They have never shown respect to me. I will not attend this award ceremony!"

"Next time you report the news, remember to ask for my opinion. I hope they can stay away from me!"    ESPN has often gossiped about the Lakers' internal news in recent years, and occasionally some rosy news:
  "A certain player fell in love with Vanessa and had dinner with Vanessa."

What's even more interesting is that when the Lakers lost the championship last season, a reporter broke the news that Kobe ignored his parents' dissuasion and was addicted to beauty.

Over the past few years, the two sides have become completely feuding, and it was obviously with bad intentions to allow Kobe to present O'Neal with the award.

Even if the two get along well this season, everyone knows that this is just a compromise for the championship.

After Kobe Bryant confirmed that he would not attend the award ceremony, the sports media became happy. Everyone once again gossiped about the internal situation of the Lakers. Even the news of the Lakers' disintegration immediately after the start of the offseason was revealed.

On the weekend TNT program, the trio laughed from ear to ear when talking about the Lakers gossip. Kobe refused to award the award directly, which really did not give O'Neal face.

In order to increase the effectiveness of the program, TNT did not invite Kobe Bryant, but directly invited O'Neal.

In addition to recounting their experiences in the Finals, the trio wanted to see how O'Neal would respond.

Charles Barkley looked at the two trophies in front of several people, feeling sad in his heart. If not for that bastard McDunner, he would have gotten the ring.

Holding the trophy while participating in the show, O'Neal has been so high in recent days that he even plans to hold a concert during the offseason to celebrate his championship.
  Kenny Smith is also a champion. He quickly got to the point after the show started and asked O'Neal with a smile:
  "Shaq, tell me about your experience playing against Lee. You have played against each other on the highest stage for three consecutive years. You should be the player who knows Lee's strength best."

Like the other three people in the studio, O'Neal, who was also wearing a dark gray formal suit, said in a deep voice when he heard this question:

"You also played against Lee, but Lee as a rookie was completely different from now."

"Phil Jackson and the coaching staff tried everything they could, but they still couldn't limit him. I admit, my pick-and-roll defense was like shit, and Lee kept scoring in front of me."

"But as long as it comes to the offensive round, I can fight back, and no one on the Knicks can limit me."

"Michael Jordan is very strong, but he won't take a lot of shots from outside the three-point range, but Lee can. What made me feel the most during the game was that I still felt anxious when I was 10 points ahead."

"Imagine that situation, the Lakers missed a shot, the Knicks launched a counterattack, Lee rushed through the half court quickly, and did not retreat in time. This guy made a sudden stop outside the three-point line, and then the ball went in. The whole process only cost 6 seconds.”

"I ran hard on the court, and after a few rounds, I found that my opponent was ahead? Shet!"

Several people laughed, and Ernie Johnson quickly asked another hot question:

"We all know that basketball belongs to five people. This year the Lakers won the championship, and Kobe's performance was also very good."

"How would you evaluate your partner? Do you still have conflicts now?"

The on-site director also showed off Kobe's statistics in the finals:

场均27.0分5.2篮板5.3助攻1.7抢断3.5失误，投篮命中率为45.0%，三分球命中率为33.7%，罚球命中率为86.8%。

Compared with the Western Conference Finals, Kobe's performance in the Finals was much better.

Of course, this is also related to the number of shots, averaging 21.0 shots per game. After the "Shark Meeting", Kobe does not need to digest too many ball rights.

When talking about his younger brother, O'Neal was not polite and said pointedly:

"I'm very grateful to Kobe, he is indeed an indispensable part of the team."

"But a lot of times, I'm also troubled. He still needs to continue to learn how to play around the core players."

"We all know that there is only one boss on the court, and the team needs to launch an offense around core players. If Kobe can reduce some shots, I think the team's offense will be more perfect."

"I don't think we have any conflicts. Maybe we just have different opinions on basketball. I'm also trying to make up for my shortcomings."

Listening to O'Neal's deep voice re-emphasizing his position in the team, the three of them were very excited for a while.

Noticing the expressions of the three people, O'Neill finally summed it up simply:
  "Like Phil said, basketball is a team sport, and to succeed, you have to fail.

"Point God, I defeated God this season. Kobe needs to make sacrifices for the team. He should understand who is the best player on the Lakers!"

"."

On July 7st, the 1 World Cup final ended. Brazil defeated Germany 2002:2 and finally won the Hercules Cup!

The Korean team used iron-blooded football to defend the status of the host nation.

As for Serie A saying "no" to Korean players, it doesn't matter anymore, they have reached the semi-finals anyway!

Chinese football has also reached its peak, and the fans were excited after qualifying at Wulihe Stadium.

Although their performance in the finals was mediocre and they were at the bottom of the group, the fans had hope and everyone believed that Chinese football was on the right path.

During the World Cup, Li You made a small fortune and was in a particularly beautiful mood recently.

After the collapse of the high-rise building, most of Akers Capital's partners were taken away. The company did not collapse. Instead, it expanded slightly by relying on the "national crisis".

In Fair Linde County, Connecticut, many hedge funds and financial services firms choose to locate in Greenwich.

Akers Capital also officially settled here after leaving Hartford.

As one of the richest towns in the United States, there are many mansions and estates here, and the public security is also very good.

Li You briefly visited the company accompanied by Bobby. The working environment of the traders was not bad. Compared with those bankrupt financial companies, Ax Capital's wages were definitely the highest in the industry.

Bobby's office has huge floor-to-ceiling windows, and you can always see the scenery outside the window.

Li You sat in his chair and turned around in circles. After becoming a partner, the two of them worked together more closely and stopped talking:
  “I thought you were going to move to Stanford, where Bridgewater is!”

Perhaps because the company has been developing well recently, Bobby Ackles seems to be much more energetic. He is even in the mood to play with his hair, completely getting rid of the "guilt in his heart."

"Aren't you planning to buy a house? Greenwich is very nice. It's not far from Washington Square. The jazz bar is also a good place for daily entertainment."

"We live close to each other, so you can come to the company often!"

Bobby poured a cup of coffee for Li You. Today, both of them were dressed in jeans and gray T-shirts. They took off their formal clothes and kept chatting and spanking.

After acquiring less than 8% of Manchester United's shares, Li You stopped buying. The stocks were dispersed. He didn't want to become a major individual shareholder yet. His memory told him that the acquisition time could wait.

"When you lost the final, didn't your sponsor take the opportunity to make a request? Seriously, you almost could have continued to win."

Bobby also knew that Li You was carrying a huge amount of sponsorship. Although he didn't know the specific incentive terms yet, he could guess that there would be losses if he lost the championship.

Li You felt a little sad thinking about the losses, but fortunately, most of the rewards had been obtained:

"The finals are enough. The outcome is not important to them. I have been able to gain some endorsements recently, but it is a pity that the broadcaster will no longer be NBC, otherwise I would have gained more."

Bobby handed Li You another document, and then asked curiously:
  "Most of the brands controlled by liquor companies are here. If you want to acquire the ownership of a brand, you may not make money. The annual sales of some niche liquors may not even be 5 bottles."

Looking through the documents, he couldn't find "Ace of Spades". Li You touched his chin and realized that this champagne might not have been launched yet, but he found the familiar name of the winery and felt reassured:

"You know Bobby, my good friend Justin is able to drink in public this year."

"He plans to release a single in August, and I have to give him a gift and do some small business along the way."

"This guy's popularity will become more and more popular. I guarantee that he will become popular all over the United States. The advertising effect of a big singer will definitely not be bad."

After thinking about it for a while, he remembered who the singer Li You mentioned was. Bobby shrugged his shoulders. This was not something he was good at. He just reminded him again:
  "We need more people to join the takeover of the Manchester United club, which will solve some of the difficulties in the takeover process."

"The false accounting and corruption scandals of Arthur Andersen, Merrill Lynch, and Xerox are still going on. We made money from Enron and offended some people."

"Dozens of senators, more than [-] representatives, and some senior executives have been investigated by the Department of Justice. The impact of this matter is too bad."

"The stock index fell, foreign capital withdrew, and the dollar exchange rate fell. This is a chain reaction. Li, we have to be careful. Don't forget the Elephant Party in New York. We have to show up at some gatherings to show respect."

Li You nodded. He couldn't stop offering sacrifices. Fortunately, his identity as an athlete was a good deceptive card. Although the impact was great, he would dare to do it next time.

On July 7, after entering the freeze period, the NBA also announced the salary cap for next season:
  "40271000 dollars."

The luxury tax line is $64048956.

After the news was announced, the sports media were in an uproar. Is the NBA league's revenue declining?
  Everyone knew that there was a problem with the broadcast contract, but the finals have been extremely popular in recent years, and no one expected that the salary cap would suddenly drop.

Three consecutive years of big-market battles have masked many problems, and many small-market managers are complaining.

The supply of Knicks tickets exceeds demand, and even Mayor Bloomberg has followed suit, calling on tourists coming to New York to go to Madison Square Garden to watch the game and experience the city's basketball culture.

Although the Pistons have an excellent record, ticket prices have hit rock bottom. Good results do not mean they can sell tickets.

This situation has happened to many Eastern Conference teams, and everyone has been overwhelmed by the Knicks.

The Nets in New Jersey next door were also miserable, ranking second in the Eastern Conference. As a result, ticket prices could not increase, and they were nicknamed the "Second Knicks" by many New York fans.
  Various circumstances show that many teams are having difficulty making profits and we need more support from the league.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was interviewed at this time:

"The league can no longer take care of those big markets. They have no shortage of markets at all. What we need now is a win-win situation."

"I don't like the officiating in this year's Western Conference finals, and the fans have had enough of the showdown between Los Angeles and New York."

"We should return to the essence of basketball and leave the game to the players!"

Those words certainly won over Western Conference teams.

We have just entered the offseason, and what football commentators have repeatedly discussed is Li You's statistics and the grudges of the "OK Combination". Everyone has had enough of this situation!

Most of the teams in the Eastern Conference remained silent. The reason is clear to everyone. No matter how much you say it, it cannot change one fact:
  "The Knicks are stronger."

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  (End of this chapter)