no shortcuts in basketball

Chapter 253 2016 NBA Trade Deadline

After the game, Xu Yong was elected All-Star Game MVP without any suspense, and of course he retained this honor.

When Xu Yong took the AMVP trophy from Xiao Hua and raised it, the cheers at the scene lasted for a long time.

From yesterday's three-point contest and dunk contest to this year's main game, this is one of the most exciting All-Star events in NBA history.

Xu Yong also delivered his acceptance speech.

“I need to thank every teammate on the Eastern Conference team, Dwayne (Wade), Paul (George), Jimmy (Butler), Chris (Paul), Kyrie (Irving)... it’s the hard work of each of them. Winning the victory for us, it’s not just my credit, it belongs to everyone on the Eastern Conference team.”

The cheers continued, and the league's ratings also broke a new record at this moment.

There is no doubt that this is another unprecedented prosperous era for the league since the Jordan era.

……

cleveland.

"Damn it!" James yelled angrily after returning from Chicago.

He was hot-faced with Xu Yong for the entire All-Star Game, but Xu Yong ignored him for the entire All-Star Weekend, not even mentioning him in his acceptance speech at the end!

You must know that both Paul and Owen Xu Yong mentioned that they are only substitutes, and he is the one who passes the most passes to Xu Yong except Wade and Butler!

This cannot be said to be accidental, it can only be said to be intentional.

With Xu Yong's attitude, the escape route that Paul Fu imagined for him was simply impossible, and it even caused him to be humiliated in vain.

"King, this is a good thing." Rich Paul, who witnessed James' tragic experience in the All-Star Game, said at this time.

James frowned and looked at Rich Paul. If it weren't for the bad idea proposed by him, he wouldn't be in such a mess.

"No matter how high Xu's status in Chicago is, he is still just a player, just like Michael back then. Maybe he has the energy to decide who stays, but does he have the energy to refuse who joins?"

"What do you mean?"

"As I said before, your joining will 100% enhance the strength of the Bulls, not to mention the commercial value. It will be like a big knife hitting Raunsdorf's head. What can he refuse? The reason?" Rich Paul understands these NBA capitalists very well.

"What if Xu objects and forces the palace?" James has sensed Xu Yong's attitude from the All-Star Game. He thinks that is something that will happen with a high probability.

"He still has a three-year contract with the Bulls. No one in the NBA has ever made a trade request within such a long-term contract. He may object at first, but he will eventually be forced to accept it. As long as the team starts If you win, the past will no longer be a problem."

"There are no permanent enemies in the NBA, only permanent interests. We have seen too many stories of enemies turning into friends." Rich Paul talked eloquently and did not forget to add.

James still frowned. He always felt that what Paul Rich mentioned this time was not quite right, but he couldn't tell what was wrong.

"And even if it doesn't succeed in the end, it won't matter. It will also cause conflicts between the Bulls management and Xu." Rich Paul then added.

Hearing this, James' frown relaxed, mixed with a hint of joy, because he would not lose anything in this matter.

"Get in touch as soon as possible." After realizing this, he immediately urged.

Just like he thought before, going to the Bulls was just his retreat, and he didn't want to go if possible.

If there can be a conflict between the Bulls management and Xu Yong this season, and then the Cavaliers defeat the Bulls in the playoffs and win the championship, that will be the best ending for him.

Fu Paul naturally knew this, and immediately made arrangements after nodding.

……

After the All-Star Game, the 2016 trade deadline is just a few days away.

Compared with last year, which had the largest number of transactions in history, there are obviously fewer transaction rumors this year.

However, the Bulls are the more proactive side.

After Rose was injured, the team's defense line was obviously a little tight. Thibodeau initially used Foye as the starting point guard, but Foye was in very bad form this season, and his three-point shooting almost dropped to 35%. Then he tried again. Delavandova, Delavandova is very positive, but his ability is indeed a bit limited for starting the starting lineup.

Therefore, trading to strengthen a starting-level defender is their goal, and they no longer even require a pure point guard.

And now their chips appearing in rumors include, in addition to Foye, Hawes on the inside.

Hawes' performance this season has not changed much compared to last season. His condition is relatively better than Foye, but only relatively. However, the four-year contract he renewed with the Bulls has only reached the second year, and the average salary is 4 million insider information still has certain transaction value.

Although it is still difficult to trade valuable players with these chips alone.

The third day after the All-Star Game is also the penultimate day of the trade deadline.

After a short vacation, the Bulls players also returned to the training hall to continue training on this day.

Before the training was over, the team's general manager Forman suddenly came to the training hall.

His appearance made the Bulls' people feel a little confused, especially in the sensitive period when the trade deadline is approaching. No one is asked to drink tea at this time, because there is a high probability that they will be sent away.

When the training was over, Foreman walked towards them, but what everyone didn't expect was that it was Xu Yong he came to see.

Xu Yong was also a little surprised, especially after Forman explained his intention to come.

"Mr. Raunsdorf asked me to invite you to his house."

"What's the matter?" Xu Yong couldn't help but ask. Could it be that Raunsdorf wanted to go back on his word and trade Rose on the trade deadline?
"He'll elaborate later." Foreman didn't seem to know what was going on.

Forman's answer made Xu Yong more and more confused, but since it was so formal, the matter should not be minor.

If Rose is involved, his attitude will not change. After all, his original bet with Raunsdorf was for one season.

The car wandered to the suburbs of Chicago again, and Xu Yong also entered Raunsdorf's manor for the second time.

And unlike last time, Raunsdorf met him in the restaurant today. The various delicacies on the table looked like they were entertaining him.

After Xu Yong sat down and looked at the food in front of him, he felt a chill on his back, a bit like the Hongmen Banquet.

After eating for a while, Raunsdorf put down the knife and fork in his hand and told Xu Yong something: "LeBron's team contacted me and they are interested in coming to Chicago next season."

Is James really coming to the Bulls?And next season?
Xu Yong looked at Raunsdorf in surprise, with some disbelief in his eyes, but soon turned into realization.

It’s no wonder that James kept talking about him during the All-Star Weekend. That guy Butler really hit the nail on the head.

This is really unexpected, even a little unbelievable. Without the halo of Nike, James actually doesn’t want his character anymore?

"What does Mr. Raunsdorf mean?" Xu Yong asked.

"I want to know what you think, after all it involves Derek."

It turns out it's related to Rose, and that's right. The Bulls won't have the space to directly sign James next season. The premise for James' coming is that Rose exchange space, and Rose's deal involves their bet.

This reasonably explains why the drama before us happened.

"I object." Xu Yong's answer was simple. He objected to both Rose's departure and James' arrival.

"Well, that's the attitude of the Bulls."

"??" Xu Yong was stunned. He was ready to compete with Raunsdorff like last time, but Raunsdorff's answer was completely beyond his expectation.

"Since you don't want him to come, then we don't want him to come." Seeing Xu Yong's reaction, Raunsdorf repeated.

Xu Yong didn't know what to say for a moment.

"Xu, I understand what you meant by [worth it] last time." After finishing the meal, after coming out of Raunsdorf's manor and driving onto the main road, Forman said with admiration.

"I can feel that Mr. Raunsdorf respects your wishes obviously more."

Xu Yong smiled, but didn't say anything.

It was obvious that Foreman had over-interpreted what he said last time, but the next one was not wrong.

He never understood it in the manor, but after coming out, he came around a little bit.

What Forman said did have some meaning. Raunsdorff was not so much asking for his opinion this time as he was making a statement.

The Rose incident caused some tension in their relationship last time. This time Raunsdorff took a stand and showed that he still respected his opinions.

But two completely different attitudes showed that things were definitely not as simple as they seemed.

If Raunsdorf really respected him that much, after he and Shane had talked about Rose's affairs before, there wouldn't have been the next incident.

There is probably only one reason why Raunsdorf was so decisive this time: he didn't want James to come to the Bulls either.

In theory, James can indeed bring an improvement to the Bulls' strength. If nothing else, James' attendance rate completely beats Rose.

But there is a prerequisite, James is willing to follow the team's arrangements.

But judging from his resume over the past few years, James is not that kind of person.

From the Heat's Big Three to the Pacers' Big Three twice, James behaved more like a shit stick, leaving a trail of chicken feathers every time he left.

As for commercial value, the Bulls' current commercial value is already full, and one more James won't amount to much.

Of course, the most critical thing is probably James' right to speak to the management. He signed two consecutive 1+1 contracts with the Cavaliers, which is a typical manifestation of his lack of understanding of the management.

It seems that the 1+1 initiative is in hand and the victory is at hand, but in fact it is a wake-up call to the other 29 teams in the league.

So all in all, Raunsdorf does have enough reasons not to welcome James.

But Raunsdorf is a businessman, and he needs a reasonable reason to decline. There is nothing more appropriate than [Xu Yong’s objection], which can not only convince James, but also show his respect for Xu Yong.But no matter what the reason is, this can be considered a good thing. After all, Xu Yong can now imagine James being furious.

"Xu, do you know anything about Lance Stephenson?" After a while, Foreman asked.

"A little, not much." Xu Yong didn't tell the truth. [No. [-] James] How could he not know? When James was still with the Pacers, he was surprised to see him and James team up, but It's a pity that because they are on the same team, the famous scene of playing James in classic physics is gone.

"We are trying to trade him now, what do you think?" Forman then asked more directly.

Xu Yong was stunned for a moment when he heard this, but he quickly reacted.

It seemed that the person whose attitude changed the most after this meal was Foreman.

It makes sense when you think about it. The boss respects his opinion so much that Foreman, the general manager, is not allowed to follow up.

"I'm not LeBron, Gal." Xu Yong said meaningfully.

Foreman was stunned for a moment, then laughed and nodded.

"We won't trade Derek and Kirk." He said seriously after he finished laughing.

Xu Yong smiled and nodded.

He might have to thank James now.

James's fuss put the relationship between Foreman and him in a delicate balance that was just right.

Although he still won't tell the management who I want like James, but as Forman said, when it comes to these old guys in the team, his attitude will become crucial.

……

In the blink of an eye, the next day, the 2016 NBA trade deadline arrived as scheduled.

Only ten transactions took place on this day. Because the salary cap will skyrocket this summer, teams are much more cautious when making transactions.

The Bulls are involved in one-tenth of this.

They reached a deal with the Clippers, sending Spencer Hawes and Randy Foye, and acquired Lance Stephenson and Cole Aldridge from the Clippers.

Needless to say, the Bulls' purpose in making this deal is to strengthen the back line, and Stephenson is the most suitable one they can find with the chips in their hands.

Although Stephenson only averaged 4.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game with the Clippers this season, he averaged only 15.8 points per game, and his shooting percentage was close to 50%, and his three-point shooting percentage was over 40%. It is not so much about his status. Worse, it would be better to say that he doesn't have the trust of Doc Rivers.

In the words of Clippers fans: Stephenson is inferior to Austin Rivers because he is not the son of Doc Rivers.

Moreover, Stephenson’s contract is very maneuverable. This year is the second year of his three-year, 3 million contract, and the third year is a team option. If he plays well, whether he executes the third-year option or renegotiates Either contract is fine; if he doesn't play well, it's equivalent to clearing Hawes' long-term contract.

For the Clippers, the fourth highest salary in the team with an annual salary of 900 million can only play 15 minutes. This is something the management cannot accept. It is better to replace the team with two reliable substitutes.

After all, from a certain perspective, Foye and Hawes' average performance is due to a lack of playing time, and the Clippers can provide this.

On the second day of the trade deadline, Hawes and Foye came to the locker room one after another to clean out the contents of their closets.

The atmosphere in the locker room was a bit solemn. Foye and Hawes were teammates who played together in the past two seasons, especially Foye. Butler hugged him tightly when they said goodbye. Their similar lives made them close.

"Good luck." Xu Yong also hugged them and patted their backs to send blessings.

Foye and Hawes are likely to disappear from the NBA if they continue to play. Leaving is not necessarily a bad thing for them. After all, they have won the championship and what they need more now is playing time.

After bidding farewell to Foye and Hawes in the morning, Malone led Stephenson and Aldridge to the locker room in the afternoon.

When he saw Stevenson, Xu Yong felt a little friendly, because this guy also played for the CBA Liaoning team when he had no ball to play with, and he had seen that kind of funny character with his own eyes in the commentary box.

After finishing the salute, Stephenson began to show his completely unique character. He did not greet others like Aldridge, but hummed and swayed his body, even doing it unconsciously from behind. Show his "guitar" action.

"What are you doing?" West asked on Nick Young's face. Even though he had played in the NBA for so many years and had seen a lot of teammates come and go, this was the first time he saw someone arrive. That's what new teams do.

"Celebrate." Stephenson said happily.

"What are you celebrating?" West was even more confused.

"For the championship ring I'm about to get."

After hearing his answer, West put his hand on his forehead on the spot.

"Hey guys!" Perhaps feeling that the celebration was enough, Stephenson shouted again.

"I'm Lance, from Brooklyn, New York. You can call me [born ready]. Of course, if it's not too much trouble, you can also call me [Born Ready for Big Game]. My agent told me that Chicago lacks a championship guard. , so I’m here, relax, I will finish it, finish it perfectly, for the championship!”

Now it's not just West. Everyone else in the locker room can't help but put their hands on their foreheads. How is this so funny?
However, Xu Yong was amused, and after checking his eyes, this guy was the "junior brother" in his impression.

"Lance." Xu Yong suddenly spoke.

Stephenson looked at Xu Yong doubtfully.

"Welcome." Xu Yong continued.

Stephenson was obviously stunned for a moment, and then immediately laughed and ran to Xu Yong with his arms open.

When Xu Yong was forced to get up to do business, he immediately hugged Xu Yong tightly.

"That's enough, that's enough." He didn't let go until Xu Yong reminded him, but he still couldn't hide the excitement on his face.

"I will tell my daughter when I go back that Xu personally welcomed me in the locker room today. It was an exciting and perfect day."

This made Hinrich on the side couldn't help but shake his head. Stephenson's style was obviously incompatible with the Bulls. I don't know how the management thought of bringing him. It's also possible that the Bulls management didn't expect him. Such a joke.

But it should be said that because of Xu Yong's active welcome, most people in the locker room did not have much resistance to Stephenson. After all, the boss welcomed him, and they would not embarrass him even if they couldn't urinate with him.

Except for one person.

"You'd better really help the team." Butler said bluntly.

Originally, Foye was not in a good mood after being traded, but he ended up acting like this. If he was just messing around, he would definitely not look down upon him.

Stephenson wasn't angry at all. He smiled at Butler and then returned to his seat.

On the first day of the training session, Stephenson only followed the team to do some basic training, but by the second day, he had already started running tactics on the court. Although he sometimes made mistakes, he was overall very good.

This can't help but make some people on the Bulls change their views on him. Although he has a weird personality, Stephenson's golf IQ doesn't seem to be low at all.

Xu Yong should be the least surprised about this, because to the rest of the Bulls, Stephenson may be just an NBA rotation or marginal player. Even because he left the Pacers early, he has no chance to boast about James, so naturally he can't talk about it. Well-known, but he knows that Stephenson's talent is not bad.

Stephenson is 1 meters tall and can play the three positions of PG/SG/SF. He can score, rebound, pass and defend. There are not many such players in the NBA.

Of course, the reason why he has fallen to this point is because of his personality. Sometimes his brain is short-circuited, and he can be said to be half angel and half devil.

However, he found that during the two days since Stephenson arrived with the Bulls, except for being a bit funny on the first day, he was very serious the rest of the time. Especially when he was halfway through extra practice last night, Stephenson actually came to the training hall to practice extra.

Therefore, if he can put away his devilish side like JR did after he went to the Cavaliers, and become a "guard with a knife" for the Bulls, this deal will become one of the most undervalued deals.

The Bulls' first game after the All-Star break is tomorrow, against the Cavaliers.

This is the second time the two sides have met this season. The last time was in December at the Cavaliers' home court, but this time it was at the Bulls' home court.

This will also be Stephenson's Bulls debut.

On this day, the players returned to the locker room after training. Stephenson was still the person who had the most fun in the locker room. He even performed a Michael Jackson moonwalk for everyone, which made others laugh.

Funny people are often the most infective to those around them. Not to mention how much combat power Stephenson's addition can bring to the Bulls, the atmosphere is really much more relaxed.

Of course, not only Stephenson is happy at this time, but also Jokic.

Stephenson was the protagonist of the Bulls' previous trade, but it was Jokic who benefited the most.

Although Jokic was on the active list before, his opportunities to play were still very limited. After all, Hawes was always in front of him.

But now, Hawes was suddenly traded away.

The Bulls are currently competing for a backup center. Apart from him, they only have Aldridge, who was just traded.

This Aldridge is not Aldridge, he is white. In order to distinguish him from Aldridge of the current Mavericks, he is also called "White Aldridge".

His height of 2 meters and wingspan of 11 meters are very similar to Jokic's body type, but he is bulkier than Jokic.

If you don't have a very substantial idea of ​​a white man-shield center, then he is a typical example.

It is difficult for such a center to get a chance to play in a championship team. The Bulls traded him more because the Clippers did not want to keep him and forced him to come.

In fact, the Bulls sent Hawes away in the middle of the season, partly to make room for Jokic.

Although Jokic has not had many opportunities before, every time he is given a chance, he can bring some surprises.

In particular, he has maintained training intensity, and his performance has obviously improved throughout the season.

So as long as he can seize this opportunity, he has a chance to be a substitute center.

Of course, Xu Yong is also looking forward to this game because he is eager to see what James' expression looks like now.

In other words, he couldn't wait to ask James personally how he was feeling now.

(End of this chapter)