From Today it is the King of the Basketball

Time: June 17, 2003.

Location: General Manager's Office, Phillips Arena, Atlanta.

"Ace, are you sure you want to be a teammate with Rashid Wallace?" Price asked Liu Mang after a long period of silence after reading the trading plan submitted by Liu Mang.

Not only coach Kruger, but boss Price doesn't think it would be a good thing to pick up cheap.

After having the bad results of the big dog's greedy and cheap situation, Price was also cautious.

"Yes, I believe Rashid will be the best reinforcement for our inside." Liu Mang nodded.

"But his defense is a problem," Mike Woodson was not so happy with another offensive player. Boozer was already a pit. Another Rashid Wallace, he felt that his brain was not enough. How to ensure that the two will not be a black hole when they are put on the field at the same time, Mike Woodson continued to persuade: "And his character is a problem, he also showed that he is unwilling to play center The trader traded him, Ace, and we have other people to consider ... "

Mike Woodson renewed his contract with the Hawks for a year after the season. Why? Isn't it just for the title of a champion assistant? But the transaction proposed by Liu Mang this time seems to be exactly the same as the idea when the boss got his head into the sea last year.

Both Price and Kruger coached Liu Mang to try another one?

The management of the Eagles is relatively weak, because this team did not make money before, so the management of the team can be streamlined, the executive vice president and general manager are all Price, and other logistics groups and operations The vice president of the group is only responsible for part of his own affairs, so there will be a situation where Price arbitrarily went to the last offseason and almost destroyed the team.

This year, Price took the initiative to split the power out. The coaching staff had two votes, and the logistics and operations teams also had one vote. Of course, yes, but it helped Price.

Although the coaching staff now supports Price's idea of ​​security, but now, regarding the initiative to recruit, it is on the side of Liu Mang. Although Liu Mang extended the rookie contract and the contract renewal clause of the home team, he will play next season. After all, it is restricted free agency, and at this stage there is no idea to renew the contract in advance. Of course, this is also an important bargaining power for Liu Mang and the Eagles management to obtain the right to speak.

Liu Mang asked for too much this summer, not just Price, but even coach Kruger felt a headache.

But the trading plan proposed by Liu Mang was not impossible to implement, which made the Eagle management feel helpless.

And if Liu Mang is not satisfied with his already well-designed signing plan, Liu Mang will not renew the contract in advance. What should I do if he wants to test the free market next season?

Liu Mang was forced to retain him. What if Liu Mang directly chose to sign the qualification quote?

It can be seen from Liu Mang's ruthlessness that he must get the Byrd clause at the end of the year. Even though Liu Mang looks slick, he is as cruel as he is when he plays.

"Ess, although I understand your mood, but if we can put Jason or Sharif into the bargaining chip, we are not without a chance to get a better player than Rashid Wallace, we have a chance at Carter Can fight. "Price continued to persuade.

"BOSS, I understand your concerns, but if there is no outside line like McGrady or Bryant, I don't think someone will make us stronger than before, and I want to try it once, just once, and finally One year, no matter what the result of next season, no matter who trades afterwards, I will not have any opinion, even if you trade Sharif and Jason together. "Liu Mang said very seriously.

If Liu Mang wants to retain the core lineup and reinforce it, he must bet. From the experience of Rashid Wallace he knows, it seems that as long as he arrives at a team that emphasizes defense, there is a He can play well when his people are there.

Liu Mang felt that it was time for him to take on the responsibility of a leader. Like Sabonis, let Rashid Wallace play well, or like Ben originally suppressed the character of Rashid Wallace in the future- Wallace urged Rashid Wallace like that.

After Sabonis retired, Paul Allen finally began to change the team drastically.

When Sabonis was in, Paul Allen was a real basketball fan, and his colleagues, because he did not act to ruin or disintegrate the team's strength because of the face of this great star in the world basketball. Ballmer was about the same, but Sabonis announced his retirement, and Paul Allen was about to clean up the team's bloated candidates.

Originally after the Trail Blazers' playoff journey ended, the Trail Blazers management and Rashid Wallace ditch passed, wanting him and him to have only 15 minutes of playing time this season but they have 9 points and 5 rebounds per game. Zach Randolph, who has unlimited potential, is inside the team, but Rashid Wallace directly stated in an interview that he does not accept the matter of playing a center, which makes Paul Allen put Rashid Wallace. On the shelf.

But because of Rashid Wallace's character, so many technical fouls, and this time directly and Paul Allen choked, other teams have avoided the Rashid Wallace.

If it is the original history, Rashid Wallace has not traded out all summer. Until the Hawks announced the push to rebuild and traded the lost Rahim, he did not trade Rashid-Hua. Wallace got it back, and Rashid Wallace played a game. In order to clear the salary space, the Hawks immediately sent Rashid Wallace to the Pistons.

Rashid Wallace ’s trading value is average, as long as a star forward is enough, the Eagles can operate, but now the Eagles management has been cautious after eating the Bucks ’losses.

Price, Coach Kruger, and Mike Woodson glanced at each other, seeing each other's eyes helpless.

Coach Kruger looked at Liu Mang who had his own thoughts and was so firm. He felt that the child had grown up and his wings were hard. Although he did not know whether the outcome of this firm idea was good or bad, he went beyond the boyish wait. In the stage of making arrangements for the team, coach Kruger was very happy about it.

Help him! If it succeeds, it succeeds, and if it fails, it is also a kind of growth to throw a big heel.

Coach Kruger asked seriously: "Ais, are you sure you want to be a teammate with Rashid Wallace?"

"Of course, trust me coach, I know him, you will be satisfied that you have such an inside, Mike, you don't have to worry about his defense, he will do well, trust me." Liu Mang is also very serious, I do not know Unconsciously, Liu Mang's tone was full of confusion: "We have the best defensive coach, the most enlightened head coach and boss, we will succeed, I will definitely lead the teammates to succeed next season, we do not Will fail! "

Coach Kruger pondered for a while and said, "Well, I agree with this proposal, Mike, how about you?"

Mike Woodson looked at this guy who changed his mind and did not accept the invitation of his mentor Larry Brown but continued to stay in the Hawks, that is, Liu Mang ’s firm expression, and he smiled helplessly: "Okay Come on, Ace, go crazy with you, and I agree. "

"... You really don't take money as money! Okay, I agree, Ace, if the transaction is completed, you have to renew the contract in advance!" Price was unable to put forward a condition.

Since Price made the wrong signing last offseason, his authority has been greatly impaired. If he failed to renew the contract with Liu Mang this time, Liu Mang will finish playing next season because he is dissatisfied and runs away. It is not far from the position where there is no real power.

Liu Mang wants to retain the core lineup of Rahim, Jason Terry, Mohammed, and Ratliff. Price and the coaching staff are a little helpless. If they can come up with one or two of these people As a bargaining chip, it's not that they can't impress the management team of some superstars with unstable teams.

Like Carter, although he is not a superstar because of his defense and playing attitude, his strength is not worse than that of a superstar, but his desire for victory is a little lower, especially because the injury is completely healed, it is still the kind of attempt to impact The attitude of the waves flying under the basket did not give full play to his full technology.

Coupled with the forced to participate in the dunk contest, Carter and the Raptors management have become vicious, and people with a clear eye can see that Carter will not stay long in the Raptors, and it is not impossible to give the right chips.

But Liu Mang bite tightly and wanted to fight with these people for another year, which is no way, only to use roundabout trading methods.

This is not difficult, only in terms of draft rights.

As for Prince and Boozer, for the time being, they do not consider the transaction. The two still have a three-year rookie contract and a salary of one million. Such a cheap contract has the strength of the starting level, which is quite suitable for a championship team. Importantly, it was not in the Eagles management's trading plan for the first three years ... Of course, if you can get a superstar, it doesn't matter so much.

But having a cheap contract is the key to every championship team. The OK combination can win the championship. Kobe ’s contract renewal starts with a starting salary of only 9 million, and the Lakers only have dual-core, which can be enough for role players. The money was given. In the summer of 1999, the Lakers got a bunch of high-quality role players, and it lasted for three years.

Of course, after three years of playing, the Lakers' role players all squeezed out their abilities.

Since the introduction of the salary cap in 1984, the rookie bonus has become the key to winning the championship!

The Lakers' last three titles in the 1980s relied on a free top pick to pick Jordan's senior, James Worthy.

The Bulls' three consecutive championships ~ www.readwn.com ~ relied on the soaring salary cap, plus cheap contracts from Pippen and the four-year 16 million contract when Jordan's first three consecutive championships.

The Rockets have won two consecutive championships, relying on Olajuwon's salary of more than 3 million, so that they have the space to introduce an annual salary of up to 9 million glider Drexler.

The Spurs' 99-year championship relied on Duncan's three-year rookie contract dividend.

When there are starting guards or first guards with a salary of 1.02 million next season such as Prince, and first substitutes with a salary of 970,000 in the next season like Boozer, it is undoubtedly possible for the Hawks. Spend more money on the starter.

In particular, Liu Mang ’s one-year rookie bonus next season, and a salary of $ 720,000, gave the Hawks more money to spend on other players.

On Liu Mang ’s side, he sacrificed so much, and extended the rookie contract ’s home team renewal rights by more than a year to get a year-end salary, not only to have bird rights, but to directly exceed the salary cap and get the top salary. .

More importantly because of these teammates!

If he can't get the first championship with these teammates who grew up with him at the beginning, he feels that he will certainly leave a regret that he will not be able to smooth it for life.

Extending the rookie contract for one year can start to get more money in the fourth year, while also giving Jason Terry and others space to renew the contract. For Liu Mang, this wave is not a loss.

"Okay, now that we have set our goals, let's start acting, and we can't let others take the lead," Price is also a man who can do it, otherwise he will not be so hard-headed last year. Hu You, "Lang, I now appoint you as the team's head coach and deputy general manager. I have the right to discuss transactions with other teams. I will communicate with the Blazers. Lang, you go with the Celtics. Communicate over there ... "