Healthy basketball, starting from eating the old Lakers F4

Chapter 24: A sudden turn of events, switching to the Lakers

The time went back to 5 minutes before, and Stern returned to the backstage after announcing the 12th pick in the first round.

After being the NBA president for so many years, Stern will inevitably develop a certain desire for control.

In order to minimize the occurrence of things out of his control, Stern, like before, chose to "peep the screen", opened the envelope in advance, and checked the Grizzlies' candidates.

"How could it be Duan?"

It was also because of Stern's "caution" that Stern noticed in advance that the operation plan for Duan to enter the NBA actually deviated from the planned track!

And this is exactly what Stern absolutely does not allow.

"Notify Mitch Kupchak immediately and ask him to complete the deal with Jerry West and get Duane for the Lakers!"

Following Senter's order, other staff in the NBA draft office immediately became busy.

When Kupchak received the call, he was stunned.

Didn't you agree to win Duane with the 18th pick in the first round?Why did you suddenly change your mind?

The 18th pick in the first round is in the hands of the New Orleans Hornets, and the Hornets have just moved from Charlotte to New Orleans, and they also got the support of Stern.

Therefore, Stern personally acted to facilitate the Lakers to trade up the draft picks, and the Hornets also had to agree to the Lakers' request.

As for why the Lakers chose Doan, on the one hand, it was Stern's promotion, and on the other hand, Buss had no money in his pocket and had to rely on the Chinese market to maintain his Lakers dynasty.

We all know that the basis for winning the championship is the team's salary space.

In the past few years, the Lakers have won three consecutive championships and once again established the Lakers dynasty.

However, behind the scenery, the Buss family and other Lakers shareholders pay a large amount of luxury tax every year.

It is true that during the three consecutive championships, the Lakers were still profitable.

But this year's Western Conference semifinals fell into the sand, and the Lakers faintly showed signs of losses-the stock price has risen, but the team's revenue has lost money.

The salary cap is only 4000 million, but the Lakers' salary is as high as 6400 million.

In addition to player salaries and luxury taxes, there are also essential team operating expenses, hotel transportation expenses, and coaching salaries.

In other words, the Lakers are not only making money for the players, but also the general manager, head coach, scouts and even the staff who clean the toilets.

However, the team owners and shareholders did not receive the year-end dividends they deserved.

Considering that the contracts of the OK combination next season are 2475 million and 1350 million respectively, their contracts will expire the year after next and next year respectively.

The Lakers are facing pressure to renew the maximum-salary contracts of their two stars, as well as the sequelae of the dynasty that are bound to follow...

For this reason, the Lakers owners and management have to consider in advance how to take into account the current record and the near future.

Old Buss considered that he was old and his time was running out, and he wanted to witness the moment when the Lakers surpassed the Celtics before he passed away!So I took the table and decided to rush for another year.

If they can win the championship next season, the Lakers will seize the tail of O'Neal's peak and continue to chase the championship.

In order to reduce the team's salary pressure, the Lakers have to hope to get a share of the NBA's globalization trend.

Like the Rockets, gaining the favor of more Asian sponsors and using the good news of Chinese players joining the Lakers will boost the Lakers' stock price.

It just so happened that Stern, the president of the league, personally took care of everything for Dunn.

Old Bass had this intention, and the two naturally hit it off.

But unexpectedly, after making a complete plan, something unexpected happened during the draft.

"If it's Jerry, that's not surprising at all!"

Kupchak is the direct disciple of the logo man!

When Kupchak joined the Lakers, the position held by the man with the logo was the general manager of the Lakers.

It was also the logo man who taught Kupchak hand in hand, and personally gave up the position of general manager of the Lakers. Kupchak is today.

Kupchak knows very well how good the logo man’s vision is.

Last year, the logo man just handed him the position of general manager of the Lakers Dynasty. Kupchak thought that the Lakers could continue to win consecutive championships smoothly.

As a result, as soon as the logo man left, the consecutive championship journey was over...

In order to avoid becoming a scapegoat, taking advantage of this opportunity, Kupchak naturally wanted to catch up with his mentor.

Thinking of the close relationship between master and apprentice in the past, and "once a Purple Gold, always a Laker", Kupchak was very confident and completed the next transaction with the logo man.

Soon, Kupchak called the Grizzlies draft office next door.

Hearing the familiar voice of the logo man, Kupchak immediately calmed down.

However, after chatting for a few words, Kupchak's heart hung up again.

"Detroit Pistons? They have traded the draft pick from you? Do they want to draft Duan?"

Kupchak was immediately numb when he learned the truth!
Isn't Dunn nobody wants?

Didn't Stern say that Dunn was the one who forced him into the little green room?

How dare the Pistons gamble on Duane's future with a lottery pick?
Is it just because of the Chinese market?

Can you be more sensible?Really speechless!
Just when Kupchak didn't know what to do, the logo man got a lot of useful information out of the stunned Kupchak.

"Take it as a teacher, and help you one last time!"

The logo man still chooses to help the Lakers, hoping to return to the Lakers in the future and hold an important position.

The Lakers are the only family business of the Buss family. Old Buss's strong personality does not allow others to get involved in the Lakers.

The man with the logo loves the Lakers too much, and wants to take over and control the Lakers on his behalf, and is eventually driven away by Old Buss.

The logo man knew that only after the death of old Buss would he have a chance to return to the Lakers.

However, as the saying goes, Buss abused him a thousand times, and he treated the Lakers like his first love.Now the logo man has run away from home, but he still wants to go home.

If we can witness the Lakers overcoming the latecomers and surpassing their archrival Celtics in the number of championships, the logo man will feel a sense of accomplishment even if he does not return to the Lakers.

Therefore, I can only break my promise this time, I'm sorry to the Pistons.

After all, the draft pick is still in his hands!He only reached a verbal agreement with Dumas.

Because of the uncertainty of the draft, whether it is trading the pick up or down, both parties who trade the pick can temporarily change their minds during the 5 minutes when the draft list is officially determined.

Some teams at the top of the draft pick rely on the rookies that the team behind the pick is bound to win, take advantage of the fire to ask for a bonus fee, and then complete their purpose of trading down the draft pick.

Of course, after the draft, draft picks can also be traded between teams.But this will be changed to rookie signing rights.

This time, the Grizzlies won Duane, which means that they originally asked the Pistons for a fee, but now they are looking for the Lakers.

When Kupchak received the reply from the logo man, he immediately expressed his gratitude and gratitude, and willingly made some transaction commitments.

The logo man has nothing to say about this. If Kupchak breaks his promise and gets fat, he can still make a deal with Dumas in the future. There will be no loss left or right, but it will hurt his character.

As the saying goes, some people are happy and some are sad.

Unlike Kupchak who was relieved.

With Stern back on stage, it was announced that the Grizzlies selected Dunn with the 13th overall pick in the first round.

Bucks general manager Glenn Field and Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor expressed their regret at Dunn's interception in varying degrees of reaction.

As for the winning ticket, Dumars, who is in the presence of the old god, opened champagne with other Pistons staff in the office.

With two great players, Milicic and Duane, the Pistons' revival will begin next season!
However, Dunn had just put on his Grizzlies hat, hugged Stern, and then went to the nearby media area to be interviewed by reporters.

The league quickly announced the news that the Grizzlies and the Lakers had just reached a deal.

boom--

As a well-known moral model in the NBA, the wine bottle in Dumars' hands fell on the ground at some unknown time, making a mess...

"Damn it Lakers, it turns out you were the ones who intercepted Du En!"

Grunfield cried for a while, then tremblingly took out his cell phone and made a call to his boss.

As a result, he heard the news that his boss was furious and was preparing to fire him.

"Herb, we still have a chance to get Dunn. I will apply to the Lakers for a trade to get Dunn."

For a while, the phone calls in the Lakers draft office were rang off by Grunfeld and Dumars.

The conversation was divided into two parts. Du En, who had just finished the rookie interview, walked to the media display area aside.

I found that there were already official NBA staff standing by with Lakers baseball caps.

Upon seeing this, Dunn was very straightforward and took the initiative to take off the Grizzlies baseball cap he was wearing, exchanged the Lakers baseball cap with the staff, and then put it on.

After going through the process completely, and returning to the small green house to meet up with relatives and friends, most of the talent show has already been carried out.

Almost half an hour later, Du En heard that the Mavericks selected another Chinese player, Xue Yuyang, with the 28th pick of the second round.

It's a pity that Xue Yuyang didn't arrive at the scene, otherwise due to Du En's personality, he would have gone up to say hello to him.

It didn't come to an end until the Pistons used the last pick in this draft to win Andres Green Adekiss, and this draft came to an end.

However, Dunn's NBA career will also officially start at this point.

[Congratulations on being selected by the NBA team with the 2003th pick in the first round of the 13 NBA draft! 】

[You have reached the NBA rookie achievement by virtue of your status as a lottery pick.When you formally sign a rookie contract with an NBA team, you will get a chance to draw a template for the 13th pick in the first round of the NBA. 】

(End of this chapter)