When pride still matters

Chapter 493: Get out if you can’t afford it (Oneness)

This year's All-Star Weekend is held in Dallas.

Since this time after the All-Star Weekend, the labor and management will conduct an original negotiation on the CBA agreement, which gives this All-Star Game a different meaning.

As the leader of the players' camp, Yu Fei had already promised that Derek Fisher, the chairman of the players union, would be there to help out, so he rushed to Dallas after entering the holiday.

Not only player leaders like Yu Fei, but also league executives, including President David Stern, Vice President Adam Silver and several NBA owners will attend the negotiation site as representatives of all owners across the league.

To be precise, the reason why this labor agreement is controversial is that most bosses claim that they have suffered long-term losses, and therefore believe that the current CBA agreement is unfair to employers and want to create a new name.

The day before the negotiation, there were constant scandals.

At the NBA level, due to the arrival of the trade deadline, many leading stars have entered the market, destined to stir up trouble in the offseason.

In addition to the Nuggets tearing down the team and rebuilding, the Wizards are selling Tony Parker, the Pacers are selling Troy Murphy, the Bulls are selling Kirk Hinrich, the Spurs are selling Caron Butler, and the Pistons are selling Tayshaun Pugh. Lins and 76ers sell Andre Iguodala.

Among them, the 76ers' reason for selling Iguodala is the most incomprehensible and unacceptable.

Iguodala loves Philadelphia and has no intention of leaving. Even if the team is not competitive enough, he is willing to accompany the team in rebuilding. ,

But the owner of the 76ers was affected by the financial crisis and suffered heavy losses in other businesses. Then he looked at the accounts and found that the 76ers had lost tens of millions of dollars in just a few seasons after sending away Iverson, so he asked the team to In order to increase revenue and reduce expenditure, the first thing to be cleaned up is Iguodala, the highest-paid player.

His contract is still very long, and he has a maximum salary. In terms of strength, he is the kind of star who is neither good nor bad. He does not have the ticket-selling ability of Iverson.

The outrageous operations of many NBA teams, as long as they are combined with practical reasons, are rarely decisions made due to pure stupidity.

However, the 76ers' reason for sending Iguodala away was too direct and left no room for acceptance.

The reason for sending away his star player is not because he is not good enough or cannot help the team, but because the boss is losing money and wants to exchange 100 US dollars for 10 US dollars?

This is a betrayal of the fans.

Spurs, however, are delighted.

They can provide what the 76ers need most - a max contract that is about to expire at the end of the season.

On the eve of the meeting between labor and management in Dallas, the Spurs fired the first shot before the 2010 trade deadline.

A few years later, the Spurs realized it was a mistake to trade Jason Kidd from the Lakers for Caron Butler. This tough guy is suitable for many teams, but not the Spurs.

Over the past few years, the two sides have never been able to get along, and Butler refused the Spurs' contract extension. In order to stop losses, the Spurs had no choice but to trade him.

It just so happens that the 76ers want to save money.

Iguodala is the perfect replacement for Butler for the Spurs.

Every one of his technical characteristics is in line with the appetite of the Spurs coaching staff. He is also a team player and is not as vain as Butler.

After the two parties came into contact, they did not make things difficult for each other.

The Spurs want young bodies and the 76ers want to save money. Therefore, it is reasonable to exchange Butler and Iguodala for one, but the 76ers believe that if it is just one for one, Philadelphia fans may do some terrible things. Therefore, the Spurs are asked to give more scraps.

So the Spurs "generously" gave three restricted draft picks.

They were 2010 first-round picks respectively, but the top 25 picks in the first round were protected. There is also the swap of first-round picks in 2012 and 2014.

This deal is basically the Spurs using Butler's half-year probationary period to get Iguodala's four-year usage period from the 76ers.

As soon as the deal came out, the league was shocked.

Suddenly, the Spurs were a force to be reckoned with.

It's not that Iguodala is much better than Butler, but that Iguodala is far more suitable for the Spurs than Butler.

The Spurs' "feat" made each team realize that the rumors from the outside world may be true. As long as they work hard, they may really be able to pay a very low price to get a great player in this market with a downward economic environment.

The Lakers are the most stimulated team.

They were even crazy enough to use Ron Artest to offer Tayshaun Prince to the Pistons.

There's a lot of buzz on the trade market, but in Dallas, another storm is brewing.

Opposite the American Airlines Center in Dallas, a hotel named "W" was officially booked by the NBA.

It was a super lavish party, and the guest list was as secretive as an Oscar envelope.

The glittering bar on the top floor of the W Hotel became a playground for the rich, famous and beautiful, who gathered in the run-up to All-Star Weekend to compliment each other and party like college students.

Black actor Denzel Washington entered the party and shouted: "Fry and I have a business to discuss, where is Fry?"

"Fry isn't here yet."

Then Kevin Durant and Chris Bosh, two of the Sonics' Big Three, walked in and circled the court a few times to get a party feel. Soon after, superstars James Harden and Stephen Curry also arrived.

Afterward, Heat rookie Patty Mills asked for a photo with Durant, joking, "We almost became teammates."

However, Durant didn't know who he was, but the other party was polite and he agreed.

And when James appeared, everyone's eyes fell on him.

The king and his entourage of ten people were seen walking through the packed party crowd, and the bodyguards took him to the spacious VIP area at the other end of the club, which was spacious enough to hold a two-on-two basketball game.

Next door to James' VIP area is Kobe, who appears to be much more low-key. For his wife Vanessa, seeing Kobe attending the party was like seeing a ghost. This happens so rarely that most people wouldn't believe it. But in that rare moment - Kobe suddenly stood up and did a little dance.

Then a force of nature swept through the stylish lounge, seeming to spin the entire place out of the atmosphere.

The DJ stopped playing the music and shouted: "Fry is coming, everyone, get out of the way!"

Yu Fei, his assistant Lin Kaiwen and two accompanying bodyguards walked in.

The party scene suddenly went quiet.

The security guards at the scene nervously led Yu Fei to the VIP area, where Denzel Washington had been waiting for a long time.

"Fry, I want to play Michael Jordan in your movie, this must be a great idea!"

Ever since Yu Fei's agent announced that Yu Fei's entertainment company would shoot a movie about Yu Fei, Washington became obsessed with the idea of ​​starring in Jordan.

"You once played Ray Allen's father in the movie, and now you have to play the 60-year-old Michael Jordan when you are almost 40 years old?" Yu Fei laughed, "It's impossible, Danny (nickname), this is not possible Reality!"

Washington joked seriously: "Believe me, a lot of people say I look like a 30-year-old guy."

"Indeed, you are like my brother." Yu Fei said, "But no, you are too handsome. I can't let such a handsome person play No. 23."

After that, Hollywood stars entered Yu Fei's VIP box one after another.

This is a treatment that other NBA players do not have.

It’s not that James or Kobe aren’t attractive to Hollywood celebrities, they are just as attractive. James was laughing and chatting next to his good brother Jay-Z, and Kobe was chatting with "Dog Master" Snoopy.

But none of them are as effective as Yu Fei.

Jay-Z asked James: "Do you mind if I say hi to Frye?"

Snoopy said directly to Kobe: "I have to go talk some trash to that damn Chosen One, and I have to tell him that the championship must belong to me!"

ESPN reporter Mark Stein observes Yu Fei's gravitational pull on the celebrity world.

Finally, he got his answer from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.

"This guy has a crazy appeal!" Cuban said, "Absolutely the most attractive basketball player ever!"

Maybe the word "basketball" doesn't need to be added.

Stein thought.

The party will be held until late at night, but Yu Fei doesn't want to stay that long.

At one o'clock in the morning, Fisher arrived at the party and told Yu Fei about the situation that might happen tomorrow.

"As far as I know, the bosses of your teams will also attend." Fisher said, "There will be bosses of three teams, representing big city teams, mid-sized city teams and small city teams. ”

"And there are medium-sized cities?" Yu Fei said with a smile, "I always thought there were only big and small cities."

"That's right, there are only big and small cities." Fisher said, "The alliance says they represent three markets respectively, but in fact, there are only two markets, the big market and the small market. Your boss is the only representative of the big market. The other two bosses represent the interests of small markets.”

"What does this mean?"

Fisher said: "There are no consistent interests among the owners of the franchise." Yu Fei doesn't know that much about this kind of thing, but it is certainly not superficial for the league to arrange Clay Bennett to represent a large-market team. It looks so simple.

In terms of qualifications, Bennett has only been an NBA owner for a few years. Will it be his turn to represent a team in a large market?

Considering that the Sonics have quickly become the biggest bull market in the NBA market in recent years, it is certain that they will be envied, and it is also foreseeable that they will be pushed out and used as a target.

"I see."

After Yu Fei finished chatting with Fisher, he was ready to leave.

Before leaving, Denzel Washington once again offered to play Michael Jordan.

Yu Fei smiled and said: "Danny, this is impossible. I will not let a handsome guy like you play the ugly guy No. 23."

Suddenly, Washington had a thought: "Then let me play Abby Pauline."

Yu Fei was stunned for a moment: "He is white."

"It's a movie, who cares?"

Indeed, considering that Hollywood is about to enter an era in which black people can play all non-black historical celebrities and the "black is the origin of everything" theory in the United States, will anyone care about Denzel Washington playing Abby Boleyn?

I'm afraid even Abi Paulin himself wouldn't say anything, right?

The first thing Yu Fei did after returning to the hotel was to call Clay Bennett and ask his opinion on tomorrow's meeting between labor and management.

"I don't know the specifics," Bennett said. "We just had a short meeting and then they asked me to represent the big city owners."

Yu Fei asked again: "What do you think of the dispute between the two parties?"

"To be honest, I don't care."

Bennett's words are very true.

He really doesn't care.

While the controversy stems from the fact that half the team claims to have experienced losses over the past few years, that does not include Bennett.

At best, Bennett made a loss in the first year of buying the team. After that, Yu Fei came and Seattle's ball market took off immediately.

Not long ago, the SuperSonics signed a nine-figure broadcast contract with local television stations.

You know, this money does not need to be distributed to other teams in the league. Not only that, but much of the Sonics' income will not be distributed as dividends.

Broadly speaking, the cake that provides dividends to NBA teams mainly comes from television broadcast contracts, but the broadcast contracts between teams and local TV stations are not included in this.

It’s hard to count when I see the Sonics struggling to make ends meet in a small gym like Key Arena and still making more money than I can count. Now they have completed the most iconic income indicator in a big city - signing a large-scale broadcast contract with a local TV station. Contracts - Smaller markets simply don't have the opportunity to get such a big return locally.

Of course they will be jealous.

He lives frugally and relies on league dividends to survive, while teams like the Sonics and Lakers can support themselves even without league dividends.

In essence, this is a problem caused by the imbalance of business interests between big cities and small cities. However, the bosses of small ball markets cannot take food from the bosses of big cities, but they can point their guns at the players.

They believe that as long as the salary cap is rebuilt according to their ideas and the income distribution included in the CBA agreement is fairly redistributed, things will be fine.

Subsequently, Yu Fei informed Bennett that he would attend a meeting on behalf of the players union tomorrow.

Bennett asked unexpectedly: "Are you in the union?"

"No, I have only one role," Yu Fei said, "to show the league and the owners that I stand with the players union."

Bennett said self-deprecatingly: "What a coincidence, this is my only role tomorrow."

The next day, afternoon

All-Star Weekend activities have officially begun.

There are various entertainment competitions and rookie challenges today.

The stars will also represent their respective brands throughout Dallas.

However, Yu Fei didn't go anywhere.

In the afternoon, he had lunch with several talking heads from the players union.

In addition to Derek Fisher, the president of the players union, there is also Billy Hunter, the executive director of the players union. Unlike Fisher, Hunter is not a former NBA player. He used to play in the NFL. After retiring, he took the lawyer's license and then joined the players' union in the 90s.

Today, Hunter has become the mainstay of the union, and he will be on the front line every time there is a conflict with management.

Yu Fei had a breath with them, and then went to the meeting place arranged by the alliance in the afternoon.

Although the negotiations have not yet begun, the atmosphere at the scene is already stressful.

David Stern, Adam Silver, John Thorne. One after another, the league's pundits appeared, and then representatives from the owners.

Seattle SuperSonics owner Clay Bennett, New Orleans owner George Sheehan and Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan.

When Jordan walked into the room, the look between him and Yu Fei made the hostility in the room skyrocket.

However, we are all decent people, and we are here mainly for official business, so personal grudges will be put aside.

However, the two representatives have different positions. Considering their personal grievances, if they really get angry later, it is difficult to say whether they are for their own interests or taking the opportunity to express their emotions.

The start was dull. David Stern first affirmed the success of the past two seasons. The fairy tale of the Seattle SuperSonics is the key to the NBA's prosperity again.

Clay Bennett's face lit up when he heard this, as if he came here today to reward merit.

"However, we must not only see the superficial scenery, but also pay attention to the shadows that harm the development of the alliance."

In just one sentence, Stern explained why the bosses had to make such a fuss.

"After we reached the 2005 collective bargaining agreement, the league lost $4 million."

In his previous life, Yu Fei had no memory of the lockout in 2011, but now, he clearly understands why the lockout happened.

The NBA's 2000s were an era of scandal. After Jordan retired, the league shut down and lost some fans. Then the terrible penalty in the 2002 Western Conference Finals caused widespread controversy, and then there were endless scandals among the stars, including Pence holding a gun on his wife, Allen Iverson's domestic violence, and Kobe Bryant's Eagle County. .A few years ago, the Donaghy incident literally sealed the decade.

So much negative press has made the NBA an unpopular product, and it shows in its television contracts. Some old fans may have a feeling that between 2000 and 2016, players' salaries in the NBA did not skyrocket as regularly as they did in the 80s and 90s, but maintained a slow increase trend for a long time. This impression is not wrong at all, because the NBA's brand value is limited by off-court issues. It is James's "decision". The rise of Curry and the Warriors' small ball has brought the NBA into a new era, and their income has skyrocketed since then.

Now, although the NBA has just signed a six-year, $6 billion contract, the owners will not admit the losses in the past five years.

The old collective bargaining agreement gave players 57% of "basketball-related income," which was considered a big victory for the players union and was also complained by many small-market teams. Now, this complaint has been translated into a letter from more than a dozen owners. The joint letter asked Stern to change this situation.

Therefore, Stern first said that the league had lost $4 million in the past five years to pave the way for what he would say next.

However, Derek Fisher, chairman of the players union, looked indifferent: "What does this have to do with us? What was agreed upon at the beginning was agreed to by both parties. We all know that it was a profitable agreement. "Now that the bosses are losing money, it's because of poor management by their people. You don't go to those managers to hold them accountable, but you want to shift the responsibility for the losses to us?"

"That's not a fair income distribution ratio at all!"

Suddenly, Jordan spoke.

Now, there is no player Jordan, only owner Jordan. He firmly stands on the side of the employer and said with a strong and profit-seeking attitude of a businessman: "You get 57% of the basketball revenue. This means that every one of our teams must Take a 7% dividend loss. There are a lot of business opportunities in big cities, but in Charlotte, tickets and dividends are our main source of revenue, even if we do everything right, there will still be idiots in the locker room. Holding a gun, as a result, such a fool is suspended for a year, and we have to continue to pay for his contract. Is this fair? The old CBA agreement was not fair at all! You got too much money and too many guarantees! , but the risk is all borne by us. How can there be such a thing in this world? "

"Did you forget something?"

Yu Fei originally didn't intend to interrupt, but Jordan was so concerned about this matter that he couldn't help but want to get involved.

Jordan looked at him coldly.

"As far as I know, the reason you agreed to let the players share 57% of the profits was because ticket revenue was not included." Yu Fei said sarcastically, "Your loss in dividends can be completely made up by ticket revenue. However, The last time we played in Charlotte, we didn't have a full house. Can't you find your own reasons for that? I'm one of the most popular players, but even I can't fill your stadium. , it shows how much you have disappointed the fans in the past few years since you entered the NBA.”

Jordan was furious: "You're just a fucking player, don't make comments about things you don't understand!"

The atmosphere at the scene started to get heated.

This is war, and everyone can foresee that the starting point of this battle is Yu Fei and Jordan.

That's why the two of them came to the scene.

"That's right, I don't understand." Yu Fei smiled calmly, "Just like you didn't understand how NBA teams work back then, do you still remember what you said to Abi Paulin? "

Jordan's lips began to turn white.

Yu Fei sarcastically said: "If you can't afford it, sell your team."

(End of this chapter)